Plant journeys

Plant science and conservation come together at the Australian PlantBank.

Scientists here at the Australian PlantBank seek to answer vital questions:

How do plants grow and evolve?
What new uses for Australian native plants are yet to be discovered?
How can we use plants more sustainably in horticulture and agriculture?
With so many ecosystems under threat, how can we best act to conserve plant diversity?

Our scientists study how plants grow; they develop new ways to use plants and investigate the best ways to conserve plant diversity for the future.

Conservation in action

Using the Wollemi Pine as an example, find out how we can conserve plant diversity for the future.

The secret life of seeds

Find out about x-rays to see inside seeds and how scientists can germinate native plant seeds.

Seeds for the future

Find out how fire, air and water are used to prepare seeds for seedbanking.

Understand why seeds are dried before storage, how long they last and why seedbanks around the world are so important.

Tissue culture and beyond

Tissue culture and cryostorage are alternative methods of plant conservation.

The nursery adjacent to PlantBank is integral to the conservation process, growing out mature plants from seeds.