Information on ordering seeds
Our Seminum index is updated weekly, so you can always see which seeds are still in stock. The number of seed accessions is limited to 35 per order.
Most of our seeds in the Index Seminum are stored in the Dahlem Seed Bank in a drying chamber at 15°C and 15% relative humidity. Under these conditions, orthodox seeds usually remain viable for several years or even decades. Recalcitrant seeds are stored in the refrigerator.
Our Index Seminum contains seeds from both wild locations and our living collections of the Botanic Garden Berlin. The seeds originate from open pollination, so we cannot rule out hybridisation.
All determinations of the seeds offered in this Index Seminum have been verified and documented with a specimen in Herbarium B. We would be grateful for any information regarding possible misidentifications or non-germinating seeds.
Collection data of the seeds are the original data of the collectors and have not been standardised.
The Dahlem Seed Bank stores in its freezing chamber around 12,000 additional wild plant seed accessions, most of which are not offered in the Index Seminum. They are available on request for botanical gardens, species conservation measures and research, too.
Legal and formalities
When acquiring and supplying plant material, the Berlin Botanic Garden complies with the agreements of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Nagoya-Protocol, as well as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). We expect our partners to also act in compliance with and in accordance with these conventions and existing laws regarding the protection, sustainable use of biological diversity, access to genetic resources, and equitable benefit sharing when collecting, maintaining, and distributing plant material from the BGBM.
We are a member of the International Plant Exchange Network (IPEN), which regulates plant exchanges. The IPEN network is based on a joint code of conduct (IPEN Code of Conduct) that complies with the obligations of the CBD and the implementation of the Nagoya Protocol. Botanical gardens commit to complying with this code by registering as IPEN members. IPEN members can order seeds from us directly and without further formalities. Non-IPEN members must have a material transfer agreement (MTA) signed by an authorised person. The signed agreement can be sent electronically or by post (see address above). No seeds will be sent without a signed agreement. By ordering seeds, the above terms and conditions become binding for the customer.
Some of the species may be invasive. Invasive and potentially invasive species on the German warning List of Invasive Vascular Plant Species of the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation are marked. Customers are responsible for informing themselves about the potentially invasive behaviour of the species ordered in their country and, if necessary, taking appropriate precautions when cultivating them.
Taxonomy and nomenclature
Taxonomy and nomenclature of taxa in our collections are currently undergoing a major update. We will gradually switch to the taxonomic concepts in World Flora Online (WFO).
This will initially take place in the taxonomic groups for which the WFO consortium offers consensus taxonomies via Taxonomic Expert Networks (TENs). In the course of this change, we will also replace the old family classification established in our database according to Engler's system.
Taxonomy and nomenclature of European and Mediterranean taxa follow the Euro+Med PlantBase, with the exception of updates already incorporated into our database in accordance with the WFO. Outside Europe, the standard floras of the respective country will be used.
Author citations follow the standard abbreviations in the International Plant Names Index (IPNI, 2025).