Raising Awareness about the Illegal Plant Trade

If you have purchased plants from The Huntington, you may have noticed that some of the labels include information other than the plant names and growing instructions. Those additional details might include the person who introduced the plant into cultivation, its geographic origin in the wild, notes about its natural habitat, and the source of The Huntington’s stock plants.

Provenance, or the ownership history of a valued item, is generally associated with works of art. But plant provenance has become increasingly important in the horticultural realm due to the escalation of plant theft from both botanical collections—including, unfortunately, The Huntington’s—and wild habitats. Like works of fine art, certain plants are highly prized and sought-after in a growing black-market economy. The situation is dire in some cases, as more and more rare and endangered species get scrubbed from their native habitats and the botanical gardens that work to protect them.

Over the past year, The Huntington has expanded its security efforts to help further protect the botanical collections. Additionally, it became a key partner in an international working group focused on raising awareness about plant poaching. Organized by Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI), the world’s largest plant conservation network, the campaign is aimed at calling attention to the issue, promoting responsible practices in the nursery industry, and supporting enforcement agencies.

Wildlife trafficking is among the largest illegal markets in the world, and it often exploits the same trade routes as narcotics, human trafficking, and weapons, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Though such animal products as rhino horn, elephant ivory, and pangolin scales have been the subject of extensive outreach efforts by conservation organizations, little attention has been devoted to wild plant trafficking.

Significant profit is generated by the illegal logging of tropical hardwood trees—from rosewood to mahogany and beyond—for high-end furniture and luxury goods. Other major markets for illegally obtained wild plants involve traditional medicines and hobbyist plant collectors who purchase coveted specimens from unlawful vendors. The internet has fueled this wild plant trafficking, connecting distant sellers with buyers from around the world.

“In many cases, consumers are unaware that their purchases, particularly those made online, are contributing to the extinction of plant species,” said Nicole Cavender, the Telleen/Jorgensen Director of the Botanical Gardens at The Huntington. “That is why we are involved in this campaign. But plant trafficking is a complex problem that requires a multifaceted approach. Collaborating with BGCI and its worldwide network of member gardens will amplify those efforts.”

One aspect of the BGCI campaign focuses on changing people’s assumptions that plants are a readily available commodity. A common misperception is that plants sold commercially are all grown in nurseries, just as supermarket produce comes from farms. Although most ornamental plants are indeed nursery grown, even the most common landscape shrub or decorative houseplant has wild origins. Legitimate processes for bringing plants into cultivation include steps to evaluate and limit the impact on wild populations. Poaching and trafficking circumvent these important processes. BGCI partners are developing online tools and sharing information to help consumers around the world shop for plants as responsibly as possible. In addition to connecting with gardeners and plant lovers, campaign organizers aim to provide enforcement agencies with improved plant identification aids and better information resources.

“Our work with BGCI expands the conservation commitments already in place at The Huntington,” said Sean Lahmeyer, The Huntington’s associate director of botanical collections, conservation and research. “These include collaborating with scientists doing fieldwork on endangered species, networking with conservation organizations, and protecting and propagating the rare and endangered plants in our collections. So, when you shop at a Huntington plant sale, you support this important work with your purchases, and the carefully cataloged and artificially propagated selections you take home not only enrich your garden but help ensure the survival of those species’ wild counterparts.”

Sandy Masuo is the botanical gardens content specialist at The Huntington.