By hannover-web.com The Los Angeles Arboretum, nestled in Arcadia, serves as both an educational resource and a showcase of plant life. Recent coverage from the Pasadena Star News has brought to light a troubling rise in plant thefts across the San Gabriel Valley. Notably, the Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens in San Marino has reported several incidents of succulent theft, while the L.A. Arboretum itself has encountered similar issues multiple times in recent years, highlighting the gravity of this growing concern.
This past summer, the Huntington Botanical Gardens, which focus on the preservation of native habitat plants, reported that ten plants were stolen. Sean Lahmeyer, the deputy director of plant collections, conservation, and research at the gardens, elaborated on the distinctiveness of their collection, mentioning, “This is a botanical garden, not a park, filled with all kinds of rare plants, especially succulents.”
James Henrich, curator of living collections at the Los Angeles Arboretum, shared his apprehensions about the situation, stating, “Our plant collection is meant for public display and education, not for private collection.” He pointed out that special or rare plants, such as orchids, cacti, plumerias, camellias, and various succulents, tend to attract more attention and are thus more susceptible to theft. The increasing number of thefts has made Henrich cautious about introducing new or rare plant species to the gardens.
Plant thieves utilize a range of tactics, from cutting plants directly from displays to uprooting them entirely. Henrich recounted instances where individuals would repeatedly trim roses in the garden until “there was nothing left.”
Fruit trees are another target of interest. “We plant fruit trees for collection purposes, not for harvesting,” Henrich explained, noting that many visitors seem inclined to pick oranges or avocados. Over the past two decades, dozens of plants have been either destroyed or stolen. Since 2019, the Los Angeles Arboretum has put a tracking system in place to combat these thefts.
For Henrich, plant theft is a concern that has lingered since the start of his career in the 1980s, when he witnessed new rose and iris varieties being taken while working in a garden in St. Louis. He finds it difficult to assign a monetary value to stolen plants, as it involves considering not only the species but also the time and effort invested in their care, with some rare plants being irreplaceable.
When acquiring new rare plants, Henrich and his team take great care before displaying them to the public. “I usually plant them in a greenhouse or nursery at the back of the garden first,” he noted. Once they are on public display, protective measures are seldom in place—a common challenge faced by many botanical gardens. Despite the presence of fences, Henrich remarked, “Fences only keep out honest people.”
The botanical gardens will continue to monitor the issue of plant thefts and are actively seeking improved protective measures. Nicole Cavender, director of plants at the Huntington Botanical Gardens, affirmed their dedication to maintaining plant integrity, stating, “Our goal is to protect the plants’ original state for everyone to appreciate.”
