The Coral Plant is a stunning tropical shrub that can add a touch of exotic beauty to any garden or indoor space. It gets its name from its attractive coral-like appearance and unique foliage!
Australian plants in space
21.08.2023 - 11:48 / theunconventionalgardener.com / Emma Doughty
I was talking recently about the way different cultures put their own spin on space exploration, using the example of the UAE’s desire to grow palm trees on Mars. Their first step was to send some palm seeds to the International Space Station (ISS) for a germination test.
In May 2008, Space Shuttle Discovery delivered a set of native Australian seeds to the ISS for a similar experiment. Canadian-born astronaut Dr Gregory Chamitoff carried a package of seeds from The New South Wales Seedbank (now the Australian PlantBank).
The species sent into space were:
The seeds of the Golden Wattle are amongst the toughest in the world and can survive for more than 100 years. As quick-growing oxygen producers, the wattle could be a useful plant for colonising the Moon or Mars. And wattle seed is a nutritious food and has been a staple of the indigenous Australian diet for thousands of years. It’s now in high demand, with commercial growers struggling to keep up with demand.
The Wollemi Pine is a conservation success story, having gone from fewer than a hundred wild plants to being propagated and sold for cultivation all over the world. Sending its seeds into space was symbolic of this success.
The seeds were stored in microgravity conditions on the ISS for six months, orbiting the Earth more than 2,800 times. A duplicate set of seeds remained on Earth as a control group.
At the time, Botanic Gardens Trust Executive Director Dr Tim Entwisle said:
“Other seeds have been sent into space, mostly vegetables, but none from Australia. It’s hoped this small experiment will show how Australian seeds respond to microgravity and ionising radiation, perhaps demonstrating they are the toughest on Earth and in space.”
NASA had their eye on useful plants
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