A museum with a growing collection to preserve plant diversity
Utrecht University Botanic Gardens is a museum. Because our collection consists of living plants, we are a living museum. Like any other museum, we actively maintain our collection. How do we do this? And why is it important? We ask collection curator Gijs Steur.
What makes a garden a botanic garden?
There are gardens-with-labels and then there are Botanic Gardens. If you actively maintain your collection according to a set of rules , then you are a botanic garden. Just like a museum with, let's say, an art or historic collection, we have a database containing all the plants we have here.
If something is lost in nature, by fire for example, then a botanic garden could provide plants for reintroduction.

Wild origin
If a plant has been collected in the wild then you can be sure that the plant was taken directly from nature. The plant is original and adapted to the specific place where it was originally collected. If a plant was cultivated somewhere, then the plant may have adapted to a non-natural environment. In our Gardens, if you see the W on the label in the upper right corner, it means that we know exactly where the plant came from. And therefore exactly what species it is. We do research with plants and then you have to know exactly where your plant came from or it can potentially make your research worthless.
Why is keeping a collection important?
In this way we can follow the (use) history of plants and we conserve plants for potential reintroduction. And conservation is important for preserving genetic variety. If something is lost in nature by fire, clearing, or changing land use, for example, then a botanic garden could provide plants for reintroduction.

Wollemi pine or 'Pinosaur'
A good example is the Wollemi pine ('Pinosaur' ) that was already on Earth about 200 million years ago. Scientists thought the Wollemi pine was extinct between 70 and 90 million years ago, until a small group of living trees was discovered in a gorge in Australia. A few specimen of the Wollemi pine were then spread around the world to save the species from extinction. In our Gardens, two of these trees are located at the entrance to the Tropical greenhouse. But because those few pines were spread so widely, it became impossible to trace exactly where each plant came from and the genetic value of these plants now is limited. Therefore, we recently received six more younger specimens from the Australian government, each of which has a link to a plant in the wild. As a result, we now have a complete representation of the whole Wollemi pine genetic diversity in our Gardens. A very good example of how it should preferably always be done.
Botanic Gardens exchange seeds. How does that work?
We've been doing it for hundreds of years, usually once a year. In our climate, most plants bloom in the summer. Then in the fall they set seeds that we collect. Therefore, autumn is also the time when we publish our Index Seminum (seed list). From all the plants we have, we choose those species that are wild or difficult to grow. And so do other Gardens worldwide: we all let each other know which seeds we would like to receive. In February we send the seeds so that other Gardens can sow the plants in the spring. It's a beautiful and collective system where no money is exchanged. Thus, all Botanic Gardens worldwide contribute together to the meta-collection.
Meta-collection
All the collections that botanic gardens possess worldwide are called the meta-collection. Hugely important, because together we contribute to maintaining the Earth's plant diversity. With the major threats from climate change, this is vital for biodiversity. Botanic Gardens act as each other's backup to keep certain collections alive. For example, Ukrainian gardens now find it difficult or impossible for their plants to survive. Therefore, other gardens around the world ensure that the meta-collection is still maintained.
Plant blindness is truly innate
Many people are, as I call it, plant blind. Plant blindness is the congenital defect in humans that makes us systematically fail to see plants. Unconsciously, we ignore plants. While plants are so incredibly important. Without plants there is no life on earth and no comfortable life for us. Plant blindness is truly innate: in prehistoric times, a predator would run after you. A plant, of course, does not do that. Seeing plants is something you have to learn. With the activities here in the Gardens we try to help everyone get rid of this plant blindness.