Our Plant Exchange shares plants to save plants
The annual free plant swap gives all members of Plant Heritage access to rare and unusual plants. It is a great way to find plants that could be eligible for the Plant Guardian scheme. In 2026 we shared nearly 1,000 plants. Why not join Plant Heritage to take part next year?
Plant Exchange 2027 - coming soon
Planning for the 2027 Plant Exchange is in process. Please check back later for details of how to offer plants and make requests.
If you have any questions, please speak to your local coordinator or email collections@plantheritage.org.uk
Lucy Pitman, Conservation Adviser helping the exchange run smoothly
How does it work?
Offering and requesting plants
All Plant Heritage members are welcome to take part. You can request one plant or several, whether or not you have plants to offer in return. The process begins in autumn, when members propagate plants and submit their offers and requests. Volunteer plant exchange coordinators, working with the central conservation team, collect and organise members’ requests.
Local coordinators bring the plants offered by members in their area to the Plant Exchange. They then take the plants allocated to their local members back with them for collection.
Some plants are more popular than others, so we cannot guarantee that you will receive every plant you request. However, we hope everyone who takes part will receive at least one of their requested plants. We will do our best to make this happen!
Which plants are suitable?
The aim of the Plant Exchange is to keep rare and unusual plants in circulation. We therefore prioritise plants that are not readily available to buy from commercial nurseries and suppliers. To check whether your plant is suitable:
1. Search online using the plants full name.
2. Check the RHS Plant Finder to see how many suppliers list the plant.
3. If two or fewer suppliers are known, your plant will probably qualify for the Plant Exchange. Remember to register your own plant with the Plant Guardian scheme.
If you’re unsure, contact your local exchange coordinator or the Plant Heritage conservation team for advice.
What do I do with plants I receive?
Grow and enjoy your plants!
Record them in the Plant Guardian scheme to help us monitor rare plants and support our Threatened Plants Programme.
Propagate and share them through future Plant Exchanges or local group plant sales.
NB: Some plants are protected by Plant Breeders’ Rights (PBR). If they are, you aren't allowed to make copies for other people (you can check by searching for your plant here).
Plant health, biosecurity and plant passports
Always check that plants you bring into your garden or share with others are healthy and disease-free.
Plant swaps organised by clubs and societies are understood not to be covered by plant passporting regulations, so assume plants will not have a passport. Read the National Trust’s helpful guide to biosecurity to learn more.
We record where plants come from and where they go, so we can trace them if problems arise.