At last week’s Mailorder Gardening Association conference, I learned of a resource of great interest to anyone in the gardening industry. Called Plant Information Online, it’s a tremendous database compiled by the University of Minnesota Libraries. Once a subscription-only service, it’s now available free, and includes, among other things:
- Current plant and seed sources for 109,819 plants from 1,102 North American firms that ship them
- Contact information and links for 2,534 North American retail and wholesale seed and nursery firms
- Links to expert-selected sites on growing plants in various regions of the US and Canada
In addition to Plant Information Online, Kathy Allen, Plant Services Librarian, suggests several other online resources she also relies on:
- USDA Plants Database
- Topicos (Missouri Botanical Garden)
- eXtension
Check them out!
