Logan Botanic Garden receives rare Dendroseris neriifolia seedlings

Seedlings of the Dendroseris neriifolia, one of the world’s rarest tree species, have been transferred to Logan Botanic Garden in Scotland. The species, a type of ‘tree daisy’ native to Robinson Crusoe Island in Chile, faces imminent extinction. Its natural habitat has been severely impacted by forest clearance, invasive plants, repeated fires, and grazing by introduced mammals.

By 1980, only eight wild trees remained. Currently, the last surviving wild individual is located on a steep cliffside on a remote volcanic outcrop in the South Pacific and requires rope support to prevent it from falling.

Following a successful germination process at the Millennium Seed Bank at Kew, two seedlings were moved to Logan Botanic Garden in Dumfries and Galloway, where conservationists believe the growing conditions are particularly favorable. Other germinated plants will remain at Kew Gardens to support ongoing international conservation efforts.