The Gardens’ Oregon Geraniums bloomed again this year even though last year someone gathered their seeds. Human collectors take their toll every time they pick a leaf, dig a
specimen, or eat the fruit of a threatened plant species. Perhaps the reason why Bonhoeffer Botanical Gardens are unique is because our focus on the next generation’s education is always overwhelmed in the long term by humans’ need to “gather.” Our work with WWU’s SAM Project suggests an extinction probability >99.9% for this pretty flower (without a focused effort to conserve it and the 200 other NW plant species of our 900 native species now threatened).
https://plants.usda.gov/home/plantProfile?symbol=GEOR2
https://burkeherbarium.org/imagecollection/taxon.php?Taxon=Geranium%20oreganum
https://www.burkemuseum.org/collections-and-research/biology/plants-and-fungi/collections-database/results.php?Genus=Geranium&Species=oreganum&SourcePage=search.php&IncludeSynonyms=Y&SortBy=DESC&SortOrder=Year
https://www.plc215.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/2013-Conditional-Use-Permit-Narrative.pdf
http://naeb.brit.org/uses/search/?string=oregon+geranium
Oregon Geraniums are threatened, but those who buy this native at nurseries assist in its escape from extinction with manmade:
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