The United States Botanic Garden (USBG) brings together five collections that make a visit a tour of plant diversity: orchids; medicinal and economic plants; North American natives; rare and endangered plants; and species adapted to arid environments. They are living holdings used not only for display, but also for study, conservation, education and exchange.
What plant collections can I see at the U.S. Botanic Garden?
The USBG’s undated Plant Collections page reports more than 9,500 accessions and about 44,000 plants, maintained for exhibition, study and exchange. An accession is a documented plant holding; the collections are organized around different themes and are distributed across Conservatory houses and outdoor gardens rather than confined to one room.
| Collection | What it represents | Why the USBG maintains it | Where to look |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orchids | Orchidaceae, including species and horticulturally notable cultivars | Display and species conservation | Orchid and Tropics houses; annual exhibit with Smithsonian Gardens |
| Medicinal and economic plants | Plants valued for therapeutic, ethnobotanical or other human uses | Exhibits, programs, conservation and partner research | Medicinal Plants and Garden Court houses |
| North American native plants | Plants native to specified regions of the United States, Canada and Mexico | Display and interpretation of regional plant diversity | Regional Garden, Southern Exposure, outdoor-garden edges and Bartholdi Gardens |
| Rare and endangered plants | Plants identified as threatened, rare or endangered by recognized conservation authorities, plus some rescued plants | Cultivation for conservation, education and legally appropriate sharing with other gardens | Plant Conservation house, with examples elsewhere indoors and outdoors |
| Arid-environment plants | Species adapted to mostly warm, low- to mid-elevation arid environments, including cacti and euphorbias | Display and interpretation of adaptations to dry environments | World Deserts; additional displays in Plant Conservation and Southern Exposure |
Orchids: a large collection with a conservation focus
The USBG identifies Orchidaceae as its largest taxonomic grouping. The collection’s emphasis shifted toward species conservation in the 1990s, while cultivars with notable horticultural or aesthetic impact remain on display. The Garden’s undated Conservatory page describes about 3,000 orchid specimens, with hundreds displayed at a time. Most are shown in the Orchid and Tropics houses, and the USBG partners with Smithsonian Gardens on an annual orchid exhibit.
Medicinal and economic plants: how people use plants
This collection connects plant diversity with human health, culture and livelihoods. The USBG uses its holdings for exhibits and programs about therapeutic and ethnobotanical importance, and for conservation and research with partners.
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The Garden says plants may be included when authoritative sources identify bioactive compounds, published literature documents ethnobotanical importance, or researchers and primary literature identify potential therapeutic effectiveness. These criteria describe the collection’s scope; they are not a guarantee that a plant is a proven treatment. Look for displays in the Medicinal Plants and Garden Court houses.
North American natives: regional plants across the grounds
The USBG’s native collection covers plants native to specified regions of the United States, Canada and Mexico. Displays are arranged across several areas, so the best location depends on the region represented:
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- Mid-Atlantic plants: Regional Garden.
- Southeastern and southwestern plants: Southern Exposure and the edges of outdoor gardens.
- Eastern North American plants: Bartholdi Gardens.
These locations are described on the USBG’s Gardens page. Outdoor and seasonal displays may vary.
Rare and endangered plants: living conservation holdings
The USBG includes plants recognized as threatened, rare or endangered under the Endangered Species Act, by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), or by NatureServe. The collection also includes some plants received through the Garden’s role as a CITES Plant Rescue Center.
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The Garden cultivates plants for conservation, public education and sharing with other gardens when legally appropriate. Its undated Plant Conservation page reports more than 500 rare plants. The Plant Conservation house is the main display area, though examples appear elsewhere indoors and outside.
The same page says 62 institutions participate in the Plant Rescue Center Program, established by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1978. CITES—the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora—provides the context for the rescued plants; their presence does not mean every plant in the collection was rescued or is available for exchange.
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Arid-environment plants: adaptations to dry conditions
The USBG’s Desert Collection focuses on species evolved in mostly warm, low- to mid-elevation arid environments. Cacti and euphorbias are major components. World Deserts is the primary place to see them, with additional specimens in Plant Conservation and Southern Exposure.
How to check for a particular plant before visiting
A collection’s presence at the USBG does not ensure that a particular species will be on view on a given day. The Garden’s plant database can be used to search its holdings. For current displays, outdoor conditions and visitor details, check the USBG’s official visitor information before planning around a specific plant.
Quick Recap
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