US Botanic Garden and The Huntington Join Global Launch of Illegal Plant Trade Coalition at IUCN Congress

KEY TAKEAWAYS 

• The trade in illegally obtained wild plants is driving a rapid increase in extinction and loss of biodiversity.
• Orchids and succulents (including cacti) rank among the most heavily trafficked plant groups.
• A global coalition of botanical gardens addresses plant poaching on multiple fronts: consumer awareness, enforcement agencies, and the nursery trade.
• Public gardens in the United States collectively attract more visitors each year than visitors to the top three U.S. professional sports combined, providing an unparalleled platform to raise awareness and inspire action. 
   

At the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI)  announced the launch of the Illegal Plant Trade Coalition (IPTC)—a global alliance confronting the multibillion-dollar trafficking of wild plants. In the United States, the U.S. Botanic Garden (USBG) in Washington, D.C., and The Huntington in Southern California are uniting efforts to promote the campaign nationwide, raise public awareness of the crisis, and help consumers avoid unintentionally supporting the illegal trade. Both institutions serve on the Coalition’s steering committee, helping to guide its global strategy and outreach. 

Plants are trafficked at a higher volume than animals each year, with succulents, cacti, cycads, and orchids among the most frequently targeted. Many species are stripped from the wild and sold—often online—without the buyer realizing the purchase fuels habitat loss and extinction. The Coalition unites gardens, enforcement agencies, scientists, and conservation organizations to cut demand, support legal trade, and safeguard threatened plants. 

“The illegal plant trade is one of the most immediate threats to plant biodiversity worldwide,” said Carly Cowell, BGCI’s director of policy and practice. “It undermines the integrity of ecosystems and erodes the planet’s ability to be resilient and support life. Through the Illegal Plant Trade Coalition, BGCI is working with public gardens, enforcement agencies, and communities to change behaviors, raise awareness, and build practical tools that empower people to make sustainable choices and protect threatened species.” 
 
Both the U.S. Botanic Garden and The Huntington are designated Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Plant Rescue Centers. Authorities call upon Plant Rescue Centers when seizing international shipments of illegally trafficked plants. At both gardens, hundreds of orchids, cacti, and succulents—many of them rare or endangered—find permanent sanctuary and become living resources for conservation research and public education. 
 
The U.S. Botanic Garden cares for more than 500 plants seized as part of the CITES program against illegal plant trafficking. Recently, the Garden received 118 specimens of wild cacti, and previous confiscations have included equally surprisingly large numbers, such as an illegal shipment of 99 Dendrobium lindleyi orchids. Such large quantities might mean the theft left few-to-no specimens in the wild to continue to reproduce. 

“For more than four decades, the U.S. Botanic Garden has turned plant seizures into opportunities for conservation and education,” said Susan Pell, Ph.D., executive director of the U.S. Botanic Garden. “Through this campaign, we can join with global partners to send a clear message to the public: Know the source of your plants, choose those grown legally and sustainably, and don’t take plants from the wild without proper permits.” 

At The Huntington, a wave of plant thefts from the Desert Garden in 2021 prompted a candid public-awareness approach: A “This Plant Was Stolen” sign was placed where the succulent had been removed, with a QR code linking to educational resources. This model is now being adopted by other gardens. The Huntington produced similar signs for distribution at the BGCI 8th Global Botanic Gardens Congress (Singapore, Aug. 6–9, 2024). In addition to signage, The Huntington includes provenance details—origin, habitat notes, and how the plant entered cultivation—on the identification labels of many plants available for sale. This helps buyers understand the story and conservation value of each plant. As part of its rescue center programming, the Huntington staff also care for confiscated plants transferred from enforcement agencies, propagating them, so legally sourced specimens are available to collectors and gardeners. 

The Huntington’s flagship plant conservation project, the Ark Conservation Program, unites its related initiatives by identifying plants in the collection that are threatened in the wild. Recognizing the role that botanical gardens play as sanctuaries for threatened plants, the program often works through partnerships to bring awareness to biodiversity conservation with action plans for select species. The Ark program reflects an institutional commitment to lead in building a sustainable world. Currently, 2,268 species in The Huntington’s living collection are designated as Ark plants—including 388 orchids (17%)—underscoring the urgent need to raise awareness and promote the research, study, and propagation of orchids and other threatened plants. 

“Our work with BGCI builds on the conservation commitments already in place at The Huntington,” said Nicole Cavender, Telleen/Jorgensen Director of the Botanical Gardens at The Huntington. “These include collaborating with scientists conducting fieldwork on endangered species, networking with conservation organizations, and protecting and propagating the rare and endangered plants in our collections. When you shop at a Huntington plant sale, you support this work with your purchases, and the carefully cataloged, nursery-propagated plants you take home not only enrich your garden but also help ensure the survival of those species’ wild counterparts.” 

The IPTC steering committee comprises botanical gardens, zoos, conservation groups, the IUCN Species Survival Commission, including the Succulent Plant Illegal Trade Task Force, and the IUCN Commission on Education and Communication. Gardens that have joined the campaign at the keystone level—its highest level of commitment—include the U.S. Botanic Garden, The Huntington, the South African National Biodiversity Institute, the Toronto Zoo, and, most recently, Longwood Gardens, a renowned public garden in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. Recognized for its horticultural excellence and conservation leadership, Longwood adds its voice to the coalition’s collective efforts. 

“Joining this coalition strengthens Longwood Gardens’ global commitment to protecting plants and ecosystems, as well as the communities that depend on them,” said Kate Santos, associate vice president of science at Longwood Gardens. “Through ethical sourcing and by leveraging our expertise in propagating and cultivating rare and endangered plants, we join with others to ensure that the beauty of biodiversity continues into the future.” 

Together, The Huntington, the U.S. Botanic Garden and IPTC’s keystone partners are reaching out to more than 600 botanical gardens across the country to provide resources for educating both staff and visitors about the illegal plant trade. Public gardens nationwide collectively attract more visitors each year than visitors of the top three U.S. professional sports combined, giving them an unparalleled platform to raise awareness and inspire action. 

What the Public Can Do 

• Buy responsibly: Ask retailers from where they source their plants. Are they wholesale propagators? Do they grow plants from seeds? Above all, avoid suspicious online listings and report the vendor.
• Look closely: Inspect the plants you intend to buy. Nursery-propagated plants usually have few blemishes and are consistent in size and shape. Wild plants often have evidence of scarring from insects or weather damage and uneven growth that results from changing habitat conditions.
• Learn in the garden: Watch for new signs, exhibits, and digital resources at USBG and The Huntington explaining the impacts of the illegal plant trade.
• “Think Twice, Trade Right”: Support BGCI’s global initiative to educate plant buyers, reduce demand for poached plants, and promote sustainable trade alternatives. Make informed choices that help keep wild plants in the wild.
• Report concerns: Suspected illegal trade can be reported through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service crime tips site at fws.gov/wildlife-crime-tips or to local authorities. 

For more information and access to resources developed by the Illegal Plant Trade Coalition—including educational signage, ready-to-use social media templates, and video packages—visit bgci.org/our-work/networks/illegal-plant-trade/. These tools are designed to help gardens, organizations, and individuals raise awareness, share accurate information, and act against the illegal plant trade. 

For media inquiries or to request high-resolution press images, email huntingtonnews@huntington.org.

About the U.S. Botanic Garden

The United States Botanic Garden (USBG) is the oldest continuously operating public garden in the United States, established by Congress in 1820. The U.S. Botanic Garden inspires people to appreciate, study, and conserve plants to enrich society locally and globally. With over a million visitors annually, the USBG strives to demonstrate and promote sustainable practices. It is a living plant museum accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and Botanic Gardens Conservation International. Learn more at USBG.gov.  

About The Huntington

The Huntington, a world-renowned cultural and educational institution, provides transformative experiences for a community of the curious. Founded in 1919 by Henry E. and Arabella Huntington, it supports research and promotes public engagement through its expansive library, art, and botanical collections. By cultivating dynamic scholarship, creating innovative programs for students and lifelong learners, and sharing its extraordinary resources, The Huntington invites all on a journey of discovery, insight, and connection. Only 12 miles from downtown Los Angeles, The Huntington is located at 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino, California. Learn more at huntington.org. 

About the Illegal Plant Trade Coalition (IPTC)

The IPTC is a global collaboration working to mitigate the illegal harvesting and trade of wild plants. Coordinated by BGCI, the Coalition supports evidence-based action, behavioral change interventions, and conservation outcomes for threatened flora. Learn more about the IPTC on the BGCI website. 

About Botanic Gardens Conservation International 

BGCI is an independent United Kingdom charity established in 1987 and the world’s largest plant conservation network, representing more than 900 botanic garden members across more than 100 countries. As a global network for plant conservation, BGCI aims to support and empower its members and the wider conservation community to apply their knowledge and expertise to reversing the threat of plant extinctions. BGCI’s vision is a world in which plant diversity is valued, secure, and supports all life.