National Collection
Search CollectionBringing Rarity Together
The Center for Plant Conservation maintains a collection of more than 2,000 of America’s most imperiled native plants through its network of world class botanical gardens. Our 71 Institutional Conservation Partners safeguard endangered plant material in “ex situ” botanical collections including seed banks, nurseries, and garden displays. An important conservation resource, the National Collection serves as an emergency backup in case a species becomes extinct or no longer reproduces in the wild. To communicate this important work, CPC and its network of conservation experts actively update web profiles for all National Collection species, which serve as a historical record of conservation actions taken to save these rare plants. Search the National Collection and view the plant profiles to learn more about these beautiful, imperiled rare plants and the gardens that conserve them.
Florida Scrub Bluecurls
Florida Scrub Bluecurls (Trichostema suffrutescens) is a Florida endemic rare plant from the mint family, with captivating royal blue blooms. This plant thrives on coastal and inland uplands of the Floridian peninsula. Its curled, deep blue flowers feature a patch of white covered in dark blue spots – hence the fitting name of bluecurls.
This is one of the pilot species of the Florida Plant Rescue (FLPR) seed collection initiative. In FLPR’s inaugural collection season, Bok Tower Gardens gathered seed from 27 maternal plants of this species, all members of a population scouted months prior. Although difficult to spot outside of flowering season, when in bloom Florida Scrub Bluecurls stand out with a flourish!
Learn more about conservation actions taken for the charming Florida Scrub Bluecurls on its National Collection Plant Profile, and help support its conservation with a Plant Sponsorship.
CPC National Collection Search
The Center for Plant Conservation’s National Collection of Endangered Plants contains plant material for more than 2,000 of the country’s most imperiled native plants. An important conservation resource, the National Collection is a backup in case a species becomes extinct or no longer reproduces in the wild. Search the National Collection and view the plant profiles to learn more about these beautiful, imperiled plants.
Sponsor a Plant in the National Collection
To offset some of the expenses of collecting, growing, and researching plant species in the National Collection, the Center for Plant Conservation created the Plant Sponsorship Program to provide Participating Institutions responsible for a named species stable funding for the long-term work. A sponsorship does not cover all the expenses, but it provides significant help and stability, and has a critical and lasting impact on plant conservation efforts.
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With your help we can safeguard more of the unique plants in peril and in need of protection by adding them to the National Collection and conserving them in the wild.
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