Plants
Kew Gardens has one of the most diverse collections of living plants of any botanic garden in the world.
Discover plants
Explore the fascinating world of plants and find out more about their many uses and Kew's valuable work.
Common snowdrop
Common snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis) are among the first spring blooms, decorating woodlands, meadows, and gardens with a carpet of white.
Pomegranate
Pomegranate (Punica granatum) is the crown jewel of the fruit world, associated with different cultures and civilizations worldwide.
Turmeric
For thousands of years, turmeric (Curcuma longa) has played a key role in many dishes, medicinal remedies, and cultural practices.
From the tropics to the treetops
Princess of Wales Conservatory
Arboretum
.jpgfce7.webp "Alpine plants in the Rock Garden, Ellen McHale © RBG Kew")
Rock Garden
A world-famous living plant collection
Our magnificent scientific collection contains plants from tropical, temperate, arid and alpine climates. Our expert horticulturalists grow them both in our gardens and in controlled conditions within glasshouses and nurseries.
What is a living plant collection?
A living collection is what sets a botanic garden apart from a park or public garden.
It is a group of plants grown especially for research, conservation, education purposes or ornamental display.
The collections at Kew
Alpine and Rock Garden Collection
A collection of plants from the alpine and rocky regions of the world.
Aquatic Collection
A collection of waterlilies, lotuses and other aquatic and marginal plants.
Arboretum
A collection of temperate woody plants comprising 100 ha of botanical plantings and 30 ha of seminatural woodland.
.jpg1481.webp "Cacti in the Princess of Wales Conservatory,©RBG Kew")
Aroid Collection
A collection of species of Araceae, a widespread tropical family also found in north temperate regions.
.jpg10c9.webp "Bonsai, Ellen McHale ©RBG Kew")
Bonsai Collection
A collection of deciduous and coniferous temperate woody trees and shrubs cultivated by the Bonsai Japanese art form.
Bromeliad Collection
A collection of species of Bromeliaceae from humid tropical rainforests and arid regions.
Carnivorous Plant Collection
A collection of plants that display carnivory, including five of the largest carnivorous genera.
Cycad Collection
A collection of 83 cycad species from two of the three extant cycad families: Cycadaceae and Zamiaceae.
Fern Collection
A collection of tropical and temperate ferns and lycopods.
Grass Collection
A collection of annual and tropical grasses and cereals.
_0.jpgaf2f.webp "Hibiscus fragilis")
Island Flora Collection
A collection of species from island floras of key interest to Kew.
Mediterranean Garden Collection
A collection of plants from the Mediterranean Basin biodiversity hotspot.
Orchid Collection
A collection of tropical, sub-tropical and temperate Orchidaceae.
Palm Collection
A collection of tropical, sub-tropical and temperate Arecaceae.
Temperate Herbaceous Collection
A collection of temperate, hardy, non-woody plants with some sub-shrubs.
Tender Temperate Collection
A collection of frost sensitive temperate plant taxa, ranging from small herbaceous plants to woody trees.
Tropical Herbaceous Collection
A collection of herbaceous species from the main tropical plant families of the world.
Tropical Woody and Climbers Collection
A collection of woody plants and climbers from every tropical region in the world.