I am beyond thrilled to share with you this exciting news/paper hot off the press: our efforts to propagate Rafflesia, the charismatic, critically endangered “panda of the plant world” and the largest flower on Earth, have finally paid off!

Molina, J. et al. (2026) “Growing a plant you cannot see: ex situ propagation of the endoparasite Rafflesia speciosa to strengthen in situ conservation”, Sibbaldia: the International Journal of Botanic Garden Horticulture, 25.
https://lnkd.in/e8W-3ApQ

This was over 10 years in the making, which began with a small crowdfunding campaign in 2014 https://lnkd.in/eRY-NesA

This marks the first successful cultivation of Rafflesia in the Western Hemisphere and represents a landmark contribution to plant conservation. This accomplishment would not have been possible without an international team including Pace University, the US Botanic Garden, the Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and the Municipality of Miagao in the Philippines, where Rafflesia speciosa came from, and where I have been going every year, working alongside indigenous Filipino communities. This success belongs as much to them as it does to the scientific community! It is also a celebration of the Philippines, one of the world’s most important biodiversity hotspots!