In a Special Operation to Save Wildflowers: The Botanical Garden Improved Seeds for Five Rare Israeli Wildflowers

The University Botanical Garden at Givat Ram is expanding its 'Returning Nature to Gardens' project with five new wildflower species, including an endangered one. The project aims to encourage gardening with local flora and strengthen biodiversity. The garden, spanning about 150 dunams, collects hundreds of thousands of seeds annually and distributes them to the public.

The University Botanical Garden at Givat Ram in Jerusalem is expanding its 'Returning Nature to Gardens' project with five new wildflower species, aiming to encourage gardening with local flora and strengthen biodiversity. The new species include the radiating poppy, the innocent stork's-bill, the sticky chrysanthemum, the Galilean catchfly (endangered), and the white henbane. The garden, operating for over 40 years, collects hundreds of thousands of seeds annually, which are cleaned, sorted, and packaged with the help of garden teams and diverse communities. Each seed envelope is dedicated to a specific species and includes sowing instructions, so even novices can grow them. The garden, spanning about 150 dunams, contains the largest collection of living plants in Israel, with over 7,300 species and varieties. The project aims to strengthen the connection between the public and local nature.