The Plant Geeks

TEXT AND PHOTOS BY KEN COPPOLA

Desert Legume Program, 1988 to……infinity

Thirty years ago, the Desert Legume Program began with optimistic goals and an uncertain future. The idea for developing a comprehensive collection of dryland legume seeds probably seemed exciting enough to create a massive global yawn to some; fortunately, a group of enthusiastic volunteers and two graduate students created a vortex of energy that rarely flickered. I arrived as horticulturist for DELEP near the end of that first year and I became enthused by the energy of this group of plant geeks who were strangers to me. Having also been a plant geek for my entire life, I immediately agreed on the importance of DELEP’s goals and I became a section in the Desert Legume Program quilt.

The Boyce Thompson Arboretum and University of Arizona campus contained a tapestry of native, nonnative, and desert-adapted plants that provided a comprehensive palette of seeds for our young seed bank. Public outreach through our newsletter ARIDUS helped the program grow, and occasional seed contributions added to the diversity and volume of species in our seed bank. Plants were grown in fields and greenhouses to increase seed numbers from those carefully cataloged plant accessions.

Kathy Stadt, Cathy Babcock, Matt Johnson, Doug Stadt, and Gonzalo Ruiz wrap a tree preparing it for transport to the Arboretum.

During the first ten years we grew and stewarded thousands of plants, subsequently collecting seeds from hundreds of species, and allowing DELEP to be one of the greatest seed sharing organizations in the world. In recent years, portions of our seed collections were accepted for backup storage and protection at the National Center for Genetic Resources Preservation in Ft. Collins, Colorado and at the Global Seed Vault in Svalbard, Norway. Several dozen species have been introduced into the landscape industry as the result of our work, and we are happy to share seeds and knowledge in reciprocal relationships with several gardens.

Joe Principe and Matt Johnson

Volunteers continue to be a major force of the program. Part of my job is as the coordinator of DELEP’s volunteer program. More than 200 volunteers, in groups of 5 to 45 individuals, participated at 280 monthly volunteer sessions during our first 29 years. Some even volunteered from remote areas. Volunteer time commitments were larger during the first 15 years of the program, but their passion for helping us fulfill our missions has never ceased. Volunteers have helped in our participation at The Tucson Festival of Books for 8 years.

Spanning from those first days in mid-1988 to now, volunteers have worked 40,600 hours doing plant propagation in greenhouses and in fields, plant care and seed collection, field work in Tucson and Yuma, AZ, laboratory research, literature review, donor relations, mailing projects, and event hospitality. Several dozen student employees made significant contributions to our work during our first 15 years. Many of them found careers in horticulture and natural resources fields after working at DELEP. Plant scientists from around the U.S. and in the local area have been active with our advisory board. We continue to rely on the expertise of these professionals in guiding us into our 30th year.

Thornless Honey Locust - Gleditsia triacanthos

As time passes, our work with seeds balances a garden of plants that were rarely seen in cultivation before DELEP. Please contact us at Boyce Thompson Arboretum to be a part of the fun.