London’s Kew Gardens breaks record for world’s largest living plant collection

London’s Kew Gardens set a new world record for having the largest collection of living plants at a single-site botanic garden.

The 320-acre UNESCO World Heritage site, which boasts an impressive 16,900 species of plants from all around the world, will be featured in 2022’s Guinness World Record book.

Among those house in the gardens is the world’s tallest and smelliest plant, the titum arum. It can grow up to 3m in height and gives off an almost impossible to stomach stench of rotting flesh that fills the glasshouse.

Richard Barley, Director of Horticulture and Learning at Kew’s Royal Botanic Gardens said it is a “fantastic accolade” and a “credit” for the work of the site’s horticulturalists and scientists.

“We are absolutely thrilled to hold the record for the largest living plant collection,” he said.

“It re-enforces the importance of botanic gardens around the world, as not only beautiful places to enjoy, but as essential hubs of inspiration and education, increasing awareness of the vital importance of plants to the health of our planet.”

One of many world records

This is just one of the many Guinness world records held by Kew Gardens.

The popular tourist attraction also holds the record for the world’s largest water lily species. The Victoria amazonica can grow leaves that reach a record-breaking 3m in diameter.

The gardens’ other record breaking blooms include the prickly cycad which was brought from South Africa to the UK in 1775 making it the world’s oldest surviving plant and the Nymphaea thermarum, which is officially the smallest water lily species in existence.

‘Fantastic to celebrate entire collection’

Adam Millward, Managing Editor from Guinness World Records said it’s been a pleasure to recognise some of RBG Kew’s record-breaking plants in recent years.

“I’ve had the (dubious) honour of smelling the pungent titan arum up close; contended with the steam and sprinklers to measure a prodigious pitcher trap; and put the giant waterlily’s robust pads to the test with a GWR certificate.

“Working closely with Botanic Gardens Conservation International, it’s fantastic to be able to celebrate the entire collection – surely one of the jewels of the botanical world – in the GWR 2022 book”

As well as functioning as a Botanic Gardens, Kew is also a hub for ground-breaking science and research, using plants and fungi to present answers to a number of global challenges including food security, clean air and biodiversity loss.