Natural plant species

The Hortus houses more than 4,000 different species of plants, which is about 2% of all plant species growing on Earth. The plants grow in the Hortus as they occurr in nature. Frequently, they are cultivated from seeds that were collected in the field and, thus, definitely belong to the pure natural form of the species. By cultivating and propagating these plants, the Hortus contributes to the conservation of the species and acts as a gene bank.

The Hortus gathers information, such as the Dutch name, the scientific name, location where it was found, and the natural distribution, on each plant and stores it in a database. Each plant is given a unique number, the 'accession number', which can be used to search for information in the database. Visitors to the Hortus will find a sign by each plant with the scientific name of the plant and its accession number. The natural distribution of the plant and sometimes details about its growth habit, flowering, ecology, or use by man are also included on the signs.

The Hortus closely cooperates with other botanical gardens. The Nederlandse Vereniging van Botanische Tuinen (NVBT; Dutch Association of Botanical Gardens) plays a large role in this teamwork. Via the NVBT, the gardens exchange knowledge, experience, expositions, and education programs and develop collective projects.