Hi Rachel,
I was just working on our museum's policies ahead of an exhibition containing many plants - below is a one-pager I give to vendors. I am also eager to see others' policies. In addition to the resources Saira posted, Annika Finne's student paper was also very helpful to me. Finding the right local vendor was a huge help - they were able to advise on appropriate plants given available light levels and climate conditions. In Pennsylvania, we look for companies that have PA Certified Horticulturists on staff and those that work with maintaining house or office plants - they understand the risks associated with pests and implement controls to minimize their introduction to their other clients' spaces. It was also helpful to speak with colleagues about their experiences in having plants/flowers in our museum, and to update policies after successful (or unsuccessful) experiences of our own. Having these specific case studies on hand can be helpful in getting colleagues or management on board. Hope this is helpful and thank you for posing the question! -Mary
Living plants are occasionally required for some CMOA exhibitions, but present the following risks to collection objects:
• introducing insects and fungi that consume art materials
• staining due to loose pollen
• water damage due to splashing/spilling during watering
• creating humid microclimates
• encouragement of mold growth
• supplying decaying plant matter for existing pests to feed on
For this reason, CMOA requests that plant vendors:
Help choose plants that can thrive in indoor museum conditions
o 68-72°F and 40-50% RH
o low, non-natural lighting (UV-cut halogen) (less than 30 fc or 300 lux)
o prefer dryer soil
Avoid plants that:
o have saps or sticky, sugary residues or nectars
o have the potential of pollen release (dusty fern spores, catkins, etc.)
o require frequent misting of foliage
Ensure plants enter pest-free by:
o choosing plants with good pest resistance
o choosing containers made from glazed ceramic, stone, metal, or plastic (no wood,
bamboo, or porous ceramics)
o confirming that all soil has been sterilized or that a people-safe insecticide has been
used (please provide info about insecticides used)
o contacting CMOA Conservation to inspect the plants once they are delivered to the
museum
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Mary Wilcop
Senior Manager of Conservation and Objects Conservator
Carnegie Museum of Art
4400 Forbes Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
wilcopm@cmoa.org------------------------------
Original Message:
Sent: 04-19-2023 08:54
From: Saira Haqqi
Subject: Plant and Flower Policies
Hi Rachel,
I will let others chime in with their respective institutional policies, but I found these resources that may be helpful:
The former resource has some guidelines for quarantining new plants to monitor for pests and fungal activity, which I would recommend. I would also advise using fake plants where possible. Regarding the courtyard, it may be worth having increased blunder traps and being particularly rigorous with pest monitoring in adjacent areas.
Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have additional questions or concerns.
Best,
Saira
-- Saira Haqqi (she/they)
Connecting to Collections Care Monitor
Conservator
National Archives and Records Administration
Archives II - Room 1600
8601 Adelphi Rd
College Park, MD 20740
301-837-3530
If we are setting up a meeting, please let me know if you need any accommodations!
Original Message:
Sent: 4/18/2023 4:46:00 PM
From: Rachel Lovelace-Portal
Subject: Plant and Flower Policies
Hello,
We are working on updating our plant and flower policies and I am wondering if anyone would be willing to share theirs. We are specifically interested on policies from museums or historic houses that do allow potted plants. Our historic house has an indoor courtyard that contains live, potted plants. If your museum allows live plants, are there specific places you purchase the plants from or a quarantine process when bringing in new plants?
Thank you!
Rachel
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Rachel Lovelace-Portal
Registrar/Curator of Collections
The Hyde Collection
Deadwood SD
(443) 867-8795
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