Plant Collections Network Explained
The Plant Collections Network (PCN) (formerly the North American Plant Collections Consortium) is a group of North American botanical gardens and arboreta that coordinates a continent-wide approach to plant germplasm preservation, and promotes excellence in plant collections management.[1] The program is administered by the American Public Gardens Association from its headquarters in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, in collaboration with the USDA Agricultural Research Service.
Current objectives of the Plant Collections Network are to:
- Build Awareness – of both Plant Collections Network & value of documented plant collections
- Promote Standards of Excellence – in plant collections management; and
- Expand Diversity of Collections – target existing collections, identify gaps for future collections
The network is intended to represent woody and herbaceous ornamentals, both native and exotic. The main objective for each network member is to assemble a comprehensive group of plants for a particular taxon, collecting plants from different populations throughout their natural range that are both taxonomically and genetically distinct.
Participating institutions maximize the potential value of their collections by making efficient use of available resources through a coordinated continent-wide approach, and strengthening their own collections through collaboration with others.
Criteria for participation in the Plant Collections Network are:
- American Public Gardens Association membership
- Active collections management program including plant records database, accession labels, maps
- Long-term commitment to maintain collection
- Endorsement of governing body
- Current collection has 50% or more of ultimate collection scope
- Collections policy
- Curator for collection; and
- Access to collection for research, evaluation and plant introduction
The accreditation process includes submitting a written application for each collection to be considered, then a peer site reviewer conducts an onsite assessment and submits a report with recommendations.[2]
As of March 2016, Network participants and Nationally Accredited Plant Collections included:[3]
- Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
- Arboretum at Arizona State University
- Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University
- Atlanta Botanical Garden
- Bartlett Tree Research Laboratory and Arboretum
- Betty Ford Alpine Gardens
- Boyce Thompson Arboretum
- Fabaceae – Desert Legumes; 1454 taxa as seeds, 206 taxa as plants
- Quercus; multi-site
- University of British Columbia Botanical Garden
- University of California Botanical Garden at Berkeley
- Cheekwood Botanical Garden
- Chicago Botanic Garden
- Cornell Plantations
- Donald E. Davis Arboretum
- University of California Davis Arboretum
- Dawes Arboretum
- Denver Botanic Gardens
- Desert Botanical Garden
- The Arboretum at Flagstaff
- University of Florida – North Florida Research and Education Center
- Fort Worth Botanic Garden
- Fullerton Arboretum (California State University)
- Citrus; 36 accessions, representing 20 taxa
- Ganna Walska Lotusland
- Green Spring Gardens Park
- Henry Foundation for Botanical Research
- Highstead Arboretum
- Kalmia; 82 taxa, including 3 spp, 76 cultivars, 4 forms, 2 hybrids
- Holden Arboretum
- Hoyt Arboretum
- The Huntington Botanical Gardens
- Camellia; 1240 taxa, including 40 spp, 1200 cultivars
- Huntsville Botanical Garden
- Idaho Botanical Garden
- Penstemon – Western US (provisional); 33 taxa
- Jenkins Arboretum
- Jensen-Olson Arboretum
- George Landis Arboretum
- Quercus of the Northeast U.S.; 14 taxa, 9 spp
- Springs Preserve
- Longwood Gardens
- Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum
- Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens
- Heath and Heather; 134 taxa
- Minnesota Landscape Arboretum
- Missouri Botanical Garden
- Montgomery Botanical Center
- Montreal Botanical Garden
- Rosa; 1097 taxa, including 115 spp
- Moore Farms Botanical Garden
- Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania
- Morton Arboretum
- Acer; multi-site
- Magnolia; multi-site
- Malus; 185 taxa, 9 out of 10 known species, plus cultivars
- Quercus; multi-site
- Tilia; 45 taxa
- Ulmus; 78 taxa, 35 spp, 43 hybrids and cultivars
- Mount Auburn Cemetery
- Mt. Cuba Center
- Naples Botanical Garden
- New England Wild Flower Society
- New York Botanical Garden
- Norfolk Botanical Garden
- North Carolina Arboretum
- Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
- Polly Hill Arboretum
- Powell Gardens
- Quarryhill Botanical Garden
- Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden
- JC Raulston Arboretum
- Reiman Gardens at Iowa State University
- Rhododendron Species Foundation and Botanical Garden
- Rhododendron subsect. Fortunea; 15 taxa, with 104 accessions
- Rogerson Clematis Garden
- San Diego Botanic Garden
- San Diego Zoo Global
- San Francisco Botanical Garden at Strybing Arboretum
- Santa Barbara Botanic Garden
- Scott Arboretum of Swarthmore College
- Smithsonian Gardens
- Orchids – tropical species; 2400 accessions
- South Carolina Botanical Garden
- Starhill Forest Arboretum
- Taltree Arboretum and Gardens
- Toledo Botanical Garden
- Hosta; 495 taxa, including 43 spp, 452 cultivars, with 2500 accessions
- Tyler Arboretum
- United States National Arboretum
- University of Washington Botanic Gardens
- VanDusen Botanical Garden
See also
External links
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Notes and References
- Web site: About the Plant Collections Network . American Public Gardens Association. March 13, 2016 .
- Web site: Nationally Accredited Plant Collections – How To Apply American Public Gardens Association . March 17, 2016 . publicgardens.org.
- Web site: American Public Gardens Association. publicgardens.org. March 17, 2016 .
- Web site: Cypripedioideae American Public Gardens Association. publicgardens.org. March 24, 2016 .
