Botanical Conservation & Research

Dating back to the vision of Henry E. Huntington and his first supervisor of grounds, William Hertrich, our focus on plant diversity remains relevant and today fulfills an important worldwide conservation need. One of the goals of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity is to ensure that at least 75% of threatened plant species are maintained in human care, preferably in collections within their countries of origin, and that a minimum of 20% of these plants are available for potential habitat restoration programs. To that end, The Huntington hosts an active conservation and research program supported by specialist-level cultivation. In addition to propagating and preserving plants from our living collections to meet conservation goals, it is utilized by several research programs, including phylogenomics and cryobiotechnology. The conservation efforts include maintaining an active herbarium, seed bank, pollen bank, dried tissue bank, in-vitro repository, and cryobank. An active field collecting program targets at-risk plants and contributes to the diversity of our living collections.

Herbarium

The Huntington Botanical Gardens Herbarium (HNT) is a depository of mostly exotic plant specimens used in research and teaching. These specimens serve as documentation for research projects and as resources for plant identification. With more than 10,000 specimens, it’s an archive of vascular plants from around the world, with particular emphasis on plants from Mexico, Central America, and South America. More

Systematics Research Lab

In The Huntington’s molecular systematics research lab, the botanical staff investigates fundamental processes of plant evolution using cutting-edge methods combined with traditional fieldwork. Systematics research is the understanding and documentation of biological diversity and the processes that produce it. The lab’s current focus is on speciation, phylogeography, phylogenetics, and biogeography in the cycad genus Dioon. More

International Succulent Introductions

International Succulent Introductions (ISI) is the plant distribution program of The Huntington, furthering the institution’s dedication to aesthetics, education, conservation, and the scientific study of cacti and succulents. Its purpose is to propagate and distribute new or rare succulents to collectors, nurseries, and institutions. In keeping with sound conservation practices, field-collected plants are not sold; only propagated seedlings, grafts, and rooted cuttings produced under nursery conditions without detriment to wild populations are offered. More

Schick Hybrids Catalog

The Schick Hybrids Catalog lists Schick hybrids that were introduced between 1996 and 2015, with the bulk of introductions between 1996 and 2004. Check availability