The Rare Bloom Project

Botanica & WWF Australia – Together for Wildflower Habitats

Australia has more than 24,000 species of native flora, many of which play an important role in our unique and diverse ecosystem. The aftermath of the Australian bushfire crisis during the summer of 2019–20, saw 486 species of native Australian flora listed as in need of urgent attention, some in risk of extinction.

The Rare Bloom Project

In response to the threats facing Australia’s native wildflowers, including drought and bushfires, Botanica created ‘The Rare Bloom Project’ in 2021, in partnership with WWF and in collaboration with The Australian Seed Bank Partnership, to help preserve Australia’s native flora through a mix of proactive seed collection, germination trials, propagation, reintroductions and long-term seed banking.

Our ambition was to help protect and conserve Australia’s native flora and unique biodiversity for the benefit of future generations.

The Rare Bloom Project aimed to support the conservation of 120 of Australia’s native wildflowers from fire affected and high-conservation-value areas, securing plants from the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, the Northern Territory, South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania and Western Australia. The project provided conservation support for 183 species by January 2024.

For more information from The Australian Seed Bank Partnership and The Rare Bloom Project details: The Rare Bloom Project™ | Australian Seed Bank Partnership (seedpartnership.org.au)

Summary of Key Activities

Outcomes of the Rare Bloom Project

$750,000 donated to WWF

In the last 3 years we have donated over $750,000 to WWF to support the protection of native wildflowers from fire affected and high-conservation-value areas.

262 Seed collections

262 seed collections secured for 153 species. Providing opportunities for future conservation and research.

218 Germination trials

218 trials completed for 66 species. The results improving the conservation potential for the species stored in seed banks and managed in situ.

14 Flora surveys

14 Flora surveys completed for 14 species. The data collected allows conservation managers to prioritise future seed collection and bushfire response.

11 Species propagated

11 species were propagated for ex situ conservation purposes.

1 Scholarship

Supporting a 2023 Honours project aiming to improve our understanding of how seeds age under different storage conditions.

Woolworths Activations

From 2021-2023 in collaboration with Woolworths, we held an annual ‘Rare Bloom’ campaign where every Botanica product sold at Woolworths contributed up to $50,000 towards the protection of a specific endangered native wildflower each year.

2021: The endangered Corunna Daisy

Through the Rare Bloom Project, the Corunna Daisy, found in only one known location, saw seeds propagated allowing 500 plants to be established which in turn produced 55,000 seeds that were then collected, banked and propagated again

2022: The endangered Bussell’s Spider Orchid

Through the Rare Bloom Project this endangered species, with less than 50 plants remaining in the wild, was able to be successfully germinated from seed that was collected in 1999. A total of 216 plants were successfully translocated.

2023: The endangered Omeo Storksbill

Through the Rare Bloom Project the Omeo Storksbill, restricted to just four locations, seeds were sustainability collected and banked seed from the wild, where horticulturists developing the first documented seed germination and plant propagation protocols for this species.