Where plants come from - Provenance & Origin
There is a wide range of definitions used to describe different seed and
plant sources. The terms 'Provenance', 'Origin', 'Wild', 'Native' &
'Local' are widely used and unfortunately are often interchanged and confused
one with the other by both buyers and sellers. This can cause problems for
anyone wishing to 'create' native plant communities using appropriate planting
material.
To avoid confusion, we adhere to the
Flora Locale
& Plantlife Code of Practice and use
their recommended 'Specification for Native Plants'.
For clarification, the following terms are used to describe Scottish Origins
seed and Plants, and throughout this website;
Green = Appropriate planting material specification
for seeds and plants to be used in habitat creation and ecological restoration
related work.
Red = Specification NOT adequate to evidence
appropriate planting material for habitat creation and ecological restoration
related work.
- ...... - Provenance:
Seed or
plants that can be traced back to a specific location where the seed or
plant was collected from, ie. the place that the parent plant is
growing. This location can be anywhere in the world.
- Origin: Seed or plants that can be traced back to a specific site
and the parent plant origin is also known to be the same site. This
term should only be used if the origin of parent plants can be reliably
traced back many generations. In other words, the term origin should
be used if the genetic origin of the seed or plants can be traced to
the site over time.
- Wild Provenance: Seed or plants that
can be traced back to a wild site but where the parent plants origin is unknown.
- Local Seed or plants that
can be traced back to a site but where the parent plants origin is unknown.
Although the parent plant may appear native and well adapted to the site
which can be useful, this description should not be taken to
mean that the genetic origin of the seed or plants is local to the
same site.
- Wild Origin: Seed or plants that can be
traced back to a wild site but where the parent plants origin is unknown.
- Local Origin: Seed or plants that can be
traced back to a specific local site and the parent plant origin is also
known to be the same local site. The usefulness of the term 'local' in
this context depends entirely on how local the collection site is to
the receptor site. Caution:
This
term does not necessarily describe plants that are native to Scotland or for
the rest of the UK. It is merely a description of genetic traceability
over time to a 'local' site. It is however unlikely that non-native
seed or plants will be labeled this way.
- Native Origin: Seed and plants that can be
traced back to a wild site and where the wild origin of the parent plants is
documented and known. eg. seed and plants collected from ancient woodlands,
meadows or wetlands - where both the 'native' and 'genetic' history can be
traced back through time.
- Scottish Native Origin: Native origin seed
and plants appropriate for habitat creation and ecological restoration in
Scotland.
It should also be noted that generally the source of
native origin seed or plants should be as local to the receptor site as
possible. However, serious consideration should be given to climatic,
geological and hydrological conditions as these very much determine plant
responses and growth rates when introduced to a receptor site.
Environmental conditions between the 'native origin' site and the 'receptor'
site should be as similar as possible and this should take precedence over
'local' status if the choice is available.
If you have any queries regarding the above glossary of terms, please do not
hesitate to contact us;
info@scotorigins.co.uk
or 01577 861437
