To study the biology, cultivation and conservation of Australian plant species and selected taxa from other floras.
Emphasis is on species with economic potential or conservation status.
The Australian flora has enormous potential for horticulture, yet, the horticultural biology of the majority Australian species is poorly known. The commercial potential of many species has not been fulfilled because of this lack of information and many species are inappropriately exploited, most seriously through bush-harvesting. Our programs focus on the horticultural development of selected species. Industry funding or commercial partnerships set priorities, as does the aim to encourage the conservation of plant diversity and good horticulture in the general community. Protocols developed may assist in the ex situ conservation and commercial release of threatened species where deemed appropriate.