Opened on 13 July 2019, the Singapore Botanic Gardens Seed Bank is a conservation, research and education facility in the Singapore Botanic Gardens that focuses on conserving plant species by preserving the seeds and germplasm of plants in Southeast Asia. The Seed Bank has an interpretive gallery that introduces the Seed Bank and explains its importance to plant conservation and research in Singapore and the region, as well as a seed dispersal garden with seed sculptures showing the different seed dispersal mechanisms.

 

Seed Bank Interpretive Gallery (Open daily 9am – 6pm)

Seed banking is a process with many stages. Through various interactive and infographic panels, visitors can find out what happens to seeds as they start their journey from the forest to the seed bank. Through windows looking into the laboratories and information panels, visitors can get a glimpse of the work that goes on in the Seed Bank.

 

Seed Dispersal Garden

Landscaped according to the various dispersal mechanisms of wind, water, animal, and self-dispersal, the Seed Dispersal Garden features plants unique to the region such as the Saga Daun Tajam (Adenanthera malayana), the Sea Pong-pong (Cerbera manghas) and the Javan Cucumber (Alsomitra macrocarpa). Visitors can look out for four sculptures which are creative interpretations of seeds and their environment.

 

Dispersal by Wind (Anemochory)

Wind dispersed seeds tend to be small and light. They are often equipped with wings or hairs to enable them to float or glide on air currents. The Javan Cucumber (Alstomitra macrocarpa) is an example of a seed that disperses by wind.

 

 

Self-Dispersal (Autochory)

Seed dispersal can be triggered by desiccation of fruit capsules which causes seeds to be ejected by explosive force from the parent plant, or by simply falling from the parent plant. The Saga Daun Tajam (Adenanthera malayana) is an example of a seed that self-disperses.

 

 

Dispersal by Water (Hydrochory)

Water dispersed seeds may have thick fibrous coverings or air-filled pockets to help them stay buoyant in water for extended periods of time. The Sea Pong-pong (Cerbera manghas) is an example of a seed that disperses by water.

 

 

 

 

Dispersal by Animals (Zoochory)

Animal dispersed seeds are usually dispersed by attracting animals to ingest them or by clinging to the animals' bodies with hooks or grapples. The Green Coffee Tree (Canthiumera robusta), Queen Coralbead (Cocculus orbiculatus), and Broad-leaf Bramble (Rubus moluccanus) are examples of seeds that disperse with the help of animals.

 

 

Operating Hours:

 

Daily 9am – 6pm

  

 

Download a brochure of the Seed Bank (10MB)