Category: Threatened Plants 🎧

Threatened plants in our glasshouses

Growing Connections: Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and The National Botanic Gardens of Ireland.

The sharing of plants between botanic gardens has long been an essential tool in the cultivation and display of the world’s rare and threatened flora. The plants generously…

Stories from the Biomes: The Fern House Decant

In 2022, the Horticulture team fixed their attention on the Ferns and Fossils Glasshouse, home to an impressive species diversity from an ancient group of plants. Read about the successes and challenges of moving this collection, from one of the team who carried out the work.

Stories from the Biomes: My Experience with the Biomes Decant, by Horticulturist Szymon Drozdek

It all started with one houseplant. That one plant, a Crassula ovata (money plant), led me to having one of the healthiest obsessions human beings can possibly have;…

Stories from the Biomes: A Year in Photos

A lot can happen in a year, especially where the Biomes Project is concerned. Looking back at 2022, it is impossible to include everything that has been achieved, but here is a selection of highlights of the work undertaken by the Horticulture team and colleagues.

Stories from the Biomes: Moving the Ericaceous Collection

While the Edinburgh Biomes Project involves the more noticeable decanting of both Victorian Palm Houses and the Front Range Glasshouses, there are several research collections going through an equally significant change behind the scenes.

Rescuing the Goldilocks of Scottish Wildflowers at RBGE

Here at RBGE as well as researching and growing lots of wonderful and precious plants from around the world we also put lots of work into the conservation…

Ravenea glauca

Threatened plants of the world Red List status: VULNERABLE You may have already encountered this rare palm on your last holiday to a warm and sunny destination. You…

Arbutus canariensis

Threatened plants of the world Red List status: VULNERABLE The orange/red fruits of this tree, and its close relatives, have given rise to the name strawberry tree. There,…

Rhododendron taxifolium

Threatened plants of the world Red List status: NOT LISTED Even if you know your rhododendrons I bet you’d never guess this was one. The thin leaves are…

Dracaena cinnabari

Threatened plants of the world Red List status: VULNERABLE Imagine yourself standing on a tropical island surrounded by a turquoise sea. The sun is high and its searing…

Hatiora gaertneri

Threatened plants of the world Red List status: VULNERABLE Does this little plant look familiar to you? Perhaps you have seen it on granny’s windowsill or in a…

Thyrsopteris elegans

Threatened plants of the world Red List status: NOT LISTED Doesn’t the base of this fern look like a furry animal! Try to resist the temptation to stroke…

Hibiscus clayi

Threatened plants of the world Red List status: CRITICALLY ENDANGERED Ah, the Hawaiian Islands. Volcanic islands with steeple-like mountains clothed in rich green vegetation ringed with beautiful beaches,…

Lodoicea maldivica

Threatened plants of the world Red List status: ENDANGERED Far off the coast of east Africa the Seychelles are tiny specks of green in the vast Indian Ocean….

Encephalartos lebomboensis

Threatened plants of the world Red List status: ENDANGERED Take a look at the odd plant with a scaly trunk and a crown full of stiff fronds. Is…

Nesocodon mauritianus

Threatened plants of the world Red List status: VULNERABLE Take yourself to the island of Mauritius located far off the coast of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. Now…

The Story of the Screw Pine

Tony Bonning tells the story of the screw pine or pandanus.