Why do botanical gardens exchange seeds and pollen with one another?

Botanical gardens exchange seeds and pollen primarily to function as collaborative scientific institutions dedicated to plant conservation. By sharing this genetic material, gardens work in tandem to maintain a living store of genetic diversity, which is essential for supporting research, restoration projects, and the preservation of rare, threatened, or endangered species.1

This cooperative effort is vital because many plant species that are now extinct in the wild are kept alive solely through the collective efforts of these institutions. By managing these living collections, botanical gardens help guard against extinction and protect global biodiversity.1