Hey, plant friends! Are you looking to donate to a cause this holiday season that you really care about? The International Carnivorous Plant Society can use your help! Please read on!

Let me talk to you a little about how awesome the International Carnivorous Plant Society is!

If you’ve done any internet searching on carnivorous plant care, you’ve probably been helped by the articles on the ICPS website. Likewise, you’ve probably spent hours looking at pictures on Carnivorous Plant Photo Finder (I definitely have!).

Both of these websites are run by dedicated carnivorous plant nerds like us, who spend lots of volunteer hours making carnivorous plant care accessible on the internet.

The ICPS is also known for The Carnivorous Plant Newsletter, a quarterly journal available to ICPS members filled with the latest discoveries, research, registered cultivars, and more. All issues are available online for free, going all the way back to the first issue in April of 1972!

But arguably, the best thing about the ICPS is the Seed Bank. Members can purchase seeds SUPER cheaply ($2-$5) and have the opportunity to grow plants they wouldn’t ordinarily have access to. Everything in the seed bank is donated by members as well.

Recently though, the seed bank is not as robust as it has been. It can really use more variety in what’s available, and really just more in general. This is where the ICPS can use your help.

On behalf of the Bay Area Carnivorous Plant Society, and my fellow bloggers Sundews Etc. and Natch Greyes, we’re organizing an ICPS Seed Bank Donation Drive!

I just renewed my ICPS membership, which is $30 per year. For a mere $2.50 per month, you’re supporting a great organization, getting a fantastic newsletter four times a year, and can give and receive all kinds of seeds. But the seed bank is only as strong as what you put into it.

If you have spare carnivorous plant seeds of any kind, I highly encourage you to donate them to the ICPS Seed Bank! The more seeds and wider variety available to the community, the more we spread awareness and education of these plants in cultivation. As wild populations dwindle all over the world, this awareness is becoming increasingly important.

Growing new plants from seed increases genetic diversity, and may be the key to keeping certain species from going extinct.

That sounds awesome, Maria! How do I donate seed?

First, you need to become a member of the ICPS. Join here!

Once you’re in, read this page on donating seed. This page will tell where to mail your seeds, and provides links on how to clean and packetize your seeds.

When your seeds are all nicely cleaned and in their packets, share with us! How many seed packets can you stack up? Post photos on Instagram and in the Facebook event with the hashtag #ICPSHolidaySeedDrive!

Here’s what I got so far!

Once you’ve shown off your photos on social media, send those babies off in a padded envelope to:

International Carnivorous Plant Society

Seed Bank

2121 N. California Blvd., Suite 290

Walnut Creek, CA 94596-7351

Again, please follow the guidelines on this page before you send your seeds off!

If you don’t have seeds yet, but are waiting for a flower stalk to ripen, post pictures anyway! Show the process of that baby flowering, closing, and gradually dying off to give that beautiful seed.

Let’s send Santa to the ICPS this holiday season. 🙂 And by association, to carnivorous plant growers all over the world!

We’ll be plugging #ICPSHolidaySeedDrive from now until December 15th! Please spread the word and share this post with your friends!

You guys are awesome and I can’t wait to see all the seeds we send off!

Happy holidays! See ya around!

Maria