Center for Plant Conservation

Center for Plant Conservation Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Center for Plant Conservation, Nonprofit Organization, 36068 Hidden Springs Road, Suite C 1040, Wildomar, CA.
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CPC is advancing rare plant conservation through collaboration, science-based best practices, and free educational resources at SavePlants.org.

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Meet Gentner's fritillary (Fritillaria gentneri), our !This G2-Imperiled and federally endangered species is endemic to...
06/05/2026

Meet Gentner's fritillary (Fritillaria gentneri), our !

This G2-Imperiled and federally endangered species is endemic to two counties in southwestern Oregon and one county in Northern California. For a short but glorious time each spring, the solitary, almost sculptural waxy-blue stems of Gentner's fritillary are festooned with striking purplish-red bell-like flowers, themselves decorated with a loose checkerboard streaking of yellow spots.

This rare beauty is threatened by habitat loss associated with rapidly expanding residential and agricultural development, alteration of habitat by invasive weeds, successional encroachment by trees and shrubs due to fire suppression, and habitat disturbance from timber harvest and recreational activities.

Gentner's fritillary is stewarded in CPC's National Collection by Conservation Partners Rae Selling Berry Seed Bank & Plant Conservation Program and Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden. Inducted into CPC's National Collection in 1988, for many years conservation scientists have conducted orthodox seed banking, genetic research, and propagation and germination research in order to determine reintroduction protocols for future recovery efforts of this imperiled species.

Would you like to learn more about rare plants in your area?

🔎🌿 Use our Rare Plant Finder Tool to discover which native plants near you are at risk – and which have dedicated conservationists within our network working to safeguard their existence.

đź”— Visit: SavePlants.org/rare-plants-near-me

đź“· Photo Credits: 1) Zachary Sun Monen, iNaturalist; 2) Ezra Huebner, iNaturalist; 3) Josh Davidson, iNaturalist

CPC is a network of individuals and botanical institutions working together to save rare and endangered plants from exti...
06/04/2026

CPC is a network of individuals and botanical institutions working together to save rare and endangered plants from extinction—and the need for our work is more urgent than ever!

We are grateful to our collaborative community of rare plant stewards and conservation experts that help maintain over 2,739 species in CPC's National Collection of North America’s most imperiled native plants—like this beautiful species Zapata bladderpod (Physaria thamnophila). 🌱

Zapata bladderpod is a critically imperiled species native to far southern Texas known from just two counties along the Rio Grande. Unfortunately, 90% of its habitat has been lost or damaged by human activity and this species is listed as endangered under the US Endangered Species Act.

At SavePlants.org, you'll find plant profiles for National Collection species that serve as a historical record of conservation actions taken to save these rare plants. Within these profiles you'll find associated educational and informative video content from CPC's Rare Plant Academy Video Library, including conference recordings and developments in protocols to propagate, store, and recover these rare species.

➡️ We invite you to learn more about what is being done to preserve these imperiled plants for future generations.

🔎🌱 Get started by running an advanced search of CPC's National Collection to learn more about imperiled plant species in your region, species of interest, or the organizations that conserve them!

đź”— Visit: SavePlants.org/national-collection

đź“· Photo Credit & Image Description: 1) Fluorescent dye testing with the rare Texas endemic Zapata bladderpod, Physaria thamnophila. Photo by Sara Johnson. 2) Physaria thamnophila flowers. Photo courtesy of the San Antonio Botanical Garden.

There are many ways to advocate for imperiled plant species and our planet. 🌎At CPC, we believe advocacy begins with edu...
06/03/2026

There are many ways to advocate for imperiled plant species and our planet. 🌎

At CPC, we believe advocacy begins with education and outreach. Our website hosts a wealth of resources, including professional development tools, conservation science lessons for all skill levels, and a vibrant community of plant professionals sharing knowledge and data to further advance rare plant conservation science.

Where can you get started?

🌱 Visit our Advocacy page to learn more about what is being done to protect imperiled plants.

🌱 Learn about essential conservation topics in our Rare Plant Academy and Video Library containing informative and educational videos from leading experts.

🌱 Sign up for our newsletters to receive updates about critical conservation work being done by CPC’s Conservation Partners.

🌱 Help secure conservation funding by sponsoring a rare plant in CPC's National Collection or making a donation to support our efforts.

đź”— Ready to learn more? Start by visiting our Advocacy page: SavePlants.org/advocacy

📷 Photo Credit: André Giraldi
Image Description: Horned butterwort (Pinguicula macroceras) in flower.

This , we are discussing the term "inter situ" — which is in between ex situ (offsite, away from the wild population) a...
06/02/2026

This , we are discussing the term "inter situ" — which is in between ex situ (offsite, away from the wild population) and in situ (in wild habitat). 🌿

Take Baker's loulu (Pritchardia bakeri) as an example. In Hawai’i, special field genebanks known as inter situ collections have been established as a half-way house between the full care facilities offered at a botanical garden and the “fend for oneself” life in the wild. Often located at mid-elevation between the plant’s wild habitat (which in many cases can no longer support the species) and the practitioner’s botanical garden, these semi-protected settings provide a place where plants can experience some natural climatic variation, while still receiving supplemental care when necessary.

Inter situ collections require very long-term planning and commitment by property owners, but plants will have the best of both worlds: exposure to some natural climatic conditions and extra help (usually in the form of water, fertilizer or hand-pollination) when necessary.

In CPC's Best Practices guidelines, you can find detailed information and guidance on the topic of Field Genebanks or Inter Situ Collections. These guidelines are a synthesis of over 40 years of conservation science expertise and are open to all skills and available to the public at no cost.

đź”— Learn more: SavePlants.org/best-practices/why-conserve-rare-plants/

đź“· Photo Credit: Tim Kroessig
Image Description: Two dozen members of the genus Pritchardia comprise the only palms native to Hawai'i. Baker's loulu (Pritchardia bakeri) is endemic to a single mountain range on the island of Oah'u, currently with less than 50 individuals in the wild.

CPC's Director of Science & Conservation, Dr. Dustin Wolkis, was recently interviewed by In Defense of Plants, a podcast...
06/01/2026

CPC's Director of Science & Conservation, Dr. Dustin Wolkis, was recently interviewed by In Defense of Plants, a podcast created by ecologist and botany-enthusiast, Matt Candeias, which aims to inspire people everywhere to care about plants!

In this episode, Dr. Wolkis discusses the challenges of seed banking and the innovative approaches to pollen storage, as well as cryobiotechnologies, stewarding metacollections, and the cutting-edge approaches to in situ and ex situ rare plant conservation applied throughout CPC's network of botanical institutions.

In a rapidly changing world, CPC is leading the charge on making strategic advances in the science of conservation, and we invite you to listen to this exciting episode about the future of saving plants!

đź”— Check out In Defense of Plants and the latest podcast episode here: https://www.indefenseofplants.com/podcast/2026/5/19/ep-579-pollen-amp-seed-storage-efforts

Learn more about CPC's Best Practices Guidelines and consider securing conservation funding with our Plant Sponsorship program!

đź”— Visit SavePlants.org today!

đź“· Photo Credit: Dr. Dustin Wolkis at National Tropical Botanical Garden

Meet the Panamint Daisy (Enceliopsis covillei), a G2 imperiled species restricted to the Death Valley region, specifical...
05/31/2026

Meet the Panamint Daisy (Enceliopsis covillei), a G2 imperiled species restricted to the Death Valley region, specifically in Inyo County, California. This rare beauty is also a focal species of the California Plant Rescue (CaPR).

CaPR is a collaborative network of not-for-profit botanical institutions focused on conserving the flora of the state of California. United under CPC’s best practices, CaPR works collaboratively to ensure all the plant diversity of California is conserved in ex situ collections.

We invite you to learn more about the California Plant Rescue and the rare plant species we are safeguarding from extinction! This important partnership is just one of many initiatives you can read about on CPC's digital home at SavePlants.org.

đź”— Learn more: SavePlants.org/california-plant-rescue

đź“· Photo Credit: California Botanic Garden
Image Description: Panamint Daisy (Enceliopsis covillei)

Ex situ conservation of rare plants is central to CPC’s mission to , and seed banking remains one of the most effective...
05/30/2026

Ex situ conservation of rare plants is central to CPC’s mission to , and seed banking remains one of the most effective tools advancing this work. 🌱

Billions of seeds are stored in seed banks around the world—either in conservation seed banks preserving species diversity or genebanks focused primarily on agricultural biodiversity. While established standards guide how these collections are managed, conservation scientists continue to evaluate and refine protocols to improve long-term outcomes.

CPC’s Director of Science & Conservation, Dr. Dustin Wolkis, recently contributed to a study published in "Plants, People, Planet," a journal of the New Phytologist Foundation, titled “Reconsidering how to dry orthodox seeds for improved ex situ conservation outcomes.”

In the study, researchers encourage seed banks to re-evaluate seed drying protocols, citing growing evidence that a two-stage drying process—an initial active drying phase followed by equilibrium drying to the target moisture content for storage—can improve seed longevity and strengthen conservation outcomes over time.

đź”— Read the open-access study online: https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ppp3.70223

Congratulations to co-authors Fiona R. Hay, Richard H. Ellis, Dustin Wolkis, Katherine J. Baum, Charlotte L***y, Olorunnisola Salvador, Olaniyi Oyatomi, and Michael F. Lyngkjær. CGIAR Genebanks & Kew Wakehurst.

🔍 Enroll in CPC's Rare Plant Academy to learn more about conservation seed banking processes and protocols: SavePlants.org/cpc-rare-plant-academy

Photo Credit: 1) Kayla Hankins, Focus stacking Silphium albiflorum; 2) Nathaniel Kingsley, Schiedea pentandra seed; 3) Seeds of Hawaii, Cyanea heluensis seed closeup.

Meet Sweetscented pigeonwings (Clitoria fragrans), our latest !This G2-Imperiled and federally endangered perennial her...
05/29/2026

Meet Sweetscented pigeonwings (Clitoria fragrans), our latest !

This G2-Imperiled and federally endangered perennial herb can only be found in Florida, where it is narrowly distributed along the Lake Wales Ridge in Central Florida in fire-adapted upland xeric habitats. Like many species that inhabit fire-prone landscapes, Sweetscented pigeonwings rebounds quickly and flowers prolifically following fire. It is quite remarkable to see these beautiful purple flowers dotted amongst the charred black landscape!

The flowers of Sweetscented pigeonwings consist of a large purple banner petal and a keel adorned with two smaller winged petals. When the fruits ripen and dry, an internal mechanism twists the fruit open, ejecting the seeds from the parent plant. This seed dispersal mechanism is a shared trait of members of the legume family. It is an adaptation to disperse the seeds more widely than if they were just dispersed by gravity and serves to expand the population into new areas. Seeds of this rare species have another interesting feature: the seed coat is sticky. This feature may aid in dispersal, as it can easily make the seeds stick to animals, although its actual function remains a mystery.

Sweetscented pigeonwings is stewarded within CPC's National Collection by Conversation Partner Bok Tower Gardens where conservation scientists are conducting seed collection and orthodox seed banking. As a focal species of the Florida Plant Rescue, a collaborative regional seed collections initiative, Bok Tower Gardens collected seeds of this rare species and as of March 2023 holds 10 accessions totaling approximately 1817 seeds representing 40 maternal lines.

Learn more about accessions, maternal lines, and orthodox seed banking in CPC's Rare Plant Academy, a free public resource that is open to all skill levels!

đź”— Visit: SavePlants.org/cpc-rare-plant-academy

đź“· Photo Credit: 1) Whitney Costner; 2) Jim Duggan

What is CPC's Rare Plant Academy?We know that preventing plant extinction will require more botanical institutions makin...
05/28/2026

What is CPC's Rare Plant Academy?

We know that preventing plant extinction will require more botanical institutions making high-quality rare plant conservation collections in support of species’ survival in the wild. To support this effort, the CPC Rare Plant Academy provides an active channel of communication and education for emerging and established rare plant conservation practitioners. Our goal is to advance science-based conservation best practices as well as discourse when plant conservation challenges are identified or changes are needed.

The Rare Plant Academy provides necessary resources and tools, while also connecting and empowering plant conservationists. We welcome you to join the conversation and contribute to the science of saving rare plants.

For CPC Members and Non-Members alike, our free public resources can benefit anyone interested in plant conservation or working with rare plants at any stage of their career.

đź”— Get started! Visit: SavePlants.org/cpc-rare-plant-academy

đź“· Photo Credit: Australian Network for Plant Conservation, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
Image Description: Working in the lab at Kings Park.

Address

36068 Hidden Springs Road, Suite C 1040
Wildomar, CA
92595

Telephone

+17607965686

Website

https://saveplants.org/cpc-rare-plant-academy/, https://saveplants.org/donate/, https://save

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