The PLANTS Database

The purpose of the PLANTS database system is to provide plant information to NRCS natural resource conservation efforts, NRCS clients, our cooperating agencies, and the public that have use for similar information. Federal agencies use the PLANTS database as the Federal plant data standard and PLANTS provides plant data to the Integrated Taxonomic Information System, a federation of U.S. and Canadian agencies.

PLANTS is a long-term, dynamic database system intended to reflect the current state of knowledge from the botanical and agricultural communities and provide a standard for scientific communications and scientific database operations. It provides scientific and common names, plant symbols, distributional information, crop growth parameters, wetland indicator status, duration, nativity, and other attributes for vascular and nonvascular plants. Geographically, the data pertain primarily to the United States and its territories. NRCS is responsible for developing and maintaining the PLANTS database. The PLANTS project involves the cooperation of many organizations, plant scientists, computer scientists, and other individuals. Data acquisition, development, management and access to the PLANTS database are the responsibility of the National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Software is being developed by the NRCS Information Technology Center (ITC), Fort Collins, Colorado. The PLANTS Software Project Manager is Phil Smith. Software includes applications that are required by NRCS, the PLANTS National database, VegSpec, and a data workbench utilized by the NPDC and its cooperators.

PLANTS and its predecessor, the National List of Scientific Plant Names, have served the federal government and the public for over three decades. The NRCS proactively works to build partnerships with agencies, states, organizations, and the public in the development of this plant information system. Interagency work is currently focusing on the USDA Customer Service Toolkit, NRCS/US Forest Service cooperation, and the Integrated Taxonomy Information System (ITIS).