Specialized Vegetal Collections Conservatory

The Conservatoire des Collections Végétales Spécialisées (CCVS), known in English as the Specialized Vegetal Collections Conservatory, is a French association created in 1989 on the initiative of Jean-Noël Burte, then curator of the Jardin du Luxembourg at the French Senate in Paris, together with scientists and passionate amateur botanists. It is constituted under the French law of 1901 governing non-profit associations and is recognized as being of general interest (reconnue d'intérêt général), which allows it to issue tax receipts to donors. Its mission is to preserve the richness and diversity of plant heritage by federating collectors of wild and cultivated plants, whether public or private, including nurseries, horticulturists, municipal green-space services, botanical gardens and amateur collectors. The association's core activity is the identification and evaluation of major plant collections with a botanical or horticultural vocation. Collections that meet scientific criteria defined by an expert committee receive one of two labels: "Collection agréée CCVS" (Approved CCVS Collection) or the higher distinction "Collection nationale CCVS" (National CCVS Collection). More than 380 specialized plant collections are currently labelled by the CCVS. The organization operates through a Conseil d'Administration (board), a Bureau for day-to-day management, a Comité des Collections that examines applications, an independent Conseil Scientifique that reviews conclusions and advises on label attribution or renewal, and an editorial committee. A Charte des Collections and a Guide des bonnes pratiques set general criteria covering responsible origin of plants, multiplication of plants in other locations, and principles of monitoring and labelling. The CCVS is comparable to Plant Heritage in the United Kingdom and Netzwerk Pflanzensammlungen in Germany. It publishes a quarterly review, Hommes et plantes (ISSN 1163-4464), featuring reports on plant collections in France and abroad, and an annual directory of labelled collections. It has around 300 members. Its president is Jean-Pierre Morby and its honorary president is Françoise Lenoble-Prédine. The registered office is given as 43 rue du Roi René, 49250 La Ménitré, while Wikipedia records a Paris address at 46 Rue Beaunier. Labelled collections span genera such as Acer, Agave, Aloe, Begonia, Buxus, Camellia, Cattleya, Clematis, Ficus, Fuchsia, Pelargonium, Quercus, Rosa, Rhododendron, Salvia, Tilia, Tulipa and Yucca, held by nurseries, botanical gardens, municipalities and research institutes across France.

The Conservatoire des Collections Végétales Spécialisées (CCVS) was created in 1989 on the initiative of Jean-Noël Burte, then curator of the Jardins du Luxembourg at the French Senate in Paris, together with scientists and passionate amateur botanists. It was constituted as an association under the French law of 1901 and is recognized as being of general interest, allowing it to issue tax receipts to donors. Its founding objective was to federate all private and public initiatives aimed at preserving horticultural and botanical heritage, in particular the cultivars and varieties selected by humans, in order to combat their disappearance. From the outset the association defined a set of objectives: to encourage the introduction, conservation and multiplication of uncommon or little-known plants; to study these plants and disseminate new information about them; to develop the constitution of specialized plant collections; to promote knowledge and enrichment of living heritage; and to valorize plant collections, with the help of scientists, for conservation, research and education. Its main activity became the labelling, after payment of a membership fee, of plant collections. Two types of recognition are awarded according to specific criteria: the Collection Nationale CCVS label for collections of national interest that reach a level of excellence, notably through the range of taxa represented, and the Collection Agréée CCVS label for collections that still need to be enriched or whose management and sustainability must be improved. The CCVS established a Charte des Collections setting general criteria for all collections, such as responsible origin of plants, the need to multiply plants in other locations, and principles of monitoring and labelling. Through this charter, member collectors commit to a genuinely scientific and participatory approach. A Guide des bonnes pratiques helps collectors prepare their application files. Collections are judged on the origin of plants, the scale of the collection, respect for nomenclature, maintenance of an inventory file and the sustainability of the collection. While most collections are based on a botanical genus, it is also possible to assemble a collection around a geographical region, a climatic zone, biological traits, breeders, or the life's work of an explorer. Collections cover ornamental as well as food and medicinal plants, in the form of seeds or bulbs, annual or perennial plants, shrubs or trees. The organization is governed by a Conseil d'Administration responsible for decisions on the association's operation, a Bureau handling day-to-day management and implementation of board decisions, a Comité des Collections that studies applications for new collections and changes of status for existing ones, an independent Conseil Scientifique that examines the committee's conclusions and advises the board on awarding or renewing labels, and an editorial committee. The CCVS has around 300 members and more than 380 specialized plant collections are today labelled by the association. Its president is Jean-Pierre Morby and its honorary president is Françoise Lenoble-Prédine. The registered office is given as 43 rue du Roi René, 49250 La Ménitré, with office hours on Tuesdays and Wednesdays; Wikipedia records a Paris address at 46 Rue Beaunier. The CCVS publishes a quarterly review, Hommes et plantes (ISSN 1163-4464), containing reports on existing plant collections in France and abroad, and an annual directory of labelled collections. Its international counterparts are Plant Heritage in the United Kingdom (formerly the National Council for the Conservation of Plants and Gardens) and Netzwerk Pflanzensammlungen in Germany. Labelled collections are held by a wide range of partners: nurseries such as Pépinières Gérard Cavatore, Pépinière Filippi, Pépinières Travers, Pépinière Adeline and Vacherot et Lecoufle; botanical gardens and research institutes such as the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle, the Conservatoire et jardins botaniques de Nancy, the Jardin botanique de l'Université Louis-Pasteur in Strasbourg and the Arboretum national des Barres; municipal and departmental bodies such as the Mairie de Paris, the Conseil départemental des Hauts-de-Seine, the Ville de Nice and the Ville de Bourges; and private collectors. Genera and themes represented include Acacia, Acer, Agave, Alnus, Aloe, tropical Araceae, Artemisia, Asaret, Astilbe, Begonia, Buxus, Caladium, Camellia, Cattleya and Laelia, Ceanothus, Chasmanthe, Chimonobambusa, Chrysanthemum, Cistus, Clematis, Convolvulaceae, Cornus, Ficus, Fuchsia, Ginkgo biloba, Hedychium, Liquidambar, Mandragora, Nicotiana, orchids, Paphiopedilum and Phragmipedium, Pelargonium, Quercus, Rosa, Rhododendron, Rubus, Salvia, Polygonatum (Sceau de Salomon), Tilia, Tulipa and Yucca. On 22 April 2026 the CCVS held its general assembly, reviewing past actions and future projects, followed by visits to the Turciflor and Pépinières Minier nurseries.

• 2026

  General assembly held on 22 April 2026, followed by visits to Turciflor and Pépinières Minier nurseries.

• 1989

  CCVS founded on the initiative of Jean-Noël Burte, curator of the Jardins du Luxembourg, Sénat, Paris, with scientists and amateur botanists; constituted as an association under the French law of 1901.

• CCVS establishes the Charte des Collections setting general criteria for responsible origin, multiplication and labelling of collections.

• Two labels introduced: Collection Nationale CCVS and Collection Agréée CCVS.

• More than 380 specialized plant collections labelled by the CCVS.

A French non-profit conservation body that federates public and private plant collectors and awards scientific labels to specialized botanical and horticultural collections, comparable to Plant Heritage (UK) and Netzwerk Pflanzensammlungen (Germany).

• Collection Nationale CCVS label

  Awarded to a collection of national interest that reaches a level of excellence, notably through the range of taxa represented.

• Collection Agréée CCVS label

  Awarded to a collection that still needs to be enriched or whose cultivation, origin knowledge, management or sustainability is insufficient for the national label.

• Hommes et plantes (ISSN 1163-4464)

  Quarterly review containing reports on existing plant collections in France and abroad.

• Annuaire des collections labellisées

  Annual directory of labelled collections.

• Charte des Collections and Guide des bonnes pratiques

  Documents setting general criteria and guiding collectors in preparing their application files.

1. 1Accueilccvs-france.org
2. 2Organisation du CCVSccvs-france.org
3. 3Devenir collectionneurccvs-france.org
4. 4Specialized Vegetal Collections Conservatorywikidata.org
5. 5Conservatoire des collections végétales spécialiséesfr.wikipedia.org