Plant blindness

If you show someone a picture of a plant and an animal, most people see the animal first – and often nothing else. They do not notice the plant in the picture at all or, at best, mention it as a background feature. Botanists refer to this phenomenon using the term ’plant blindness’. The term describes the inability to consciously perceive plants in a familiar environment. This lack of awareness often comes with an insensitivity to the aesthetic effect of plants as well as little knowledge of the importance of plants for life on Earth in general and one's own life in particular, be it as foods, spices, remedies or ornamental plants. Plants are often considered inferior living beings and are at best perceived in everyday life as a backdrop against which the lives of animals and humans play out.

Many studies have shown how important it is for people’s health to experience the plant world. A window overlooking a green space, for example, helps hospital patients recover more quickly, while a walk in the woods reduces stress levels. Children who play outdoors play more creatively than in a pre-designed environment, such as a playground. There are many reasons why we should increase our awareness of plants.

There is no quick fix for plant blindness, but there are many suitable remedies that guarantee lasting improvement. In particular, it is important to counteract the lack of basic knowledge about plants and to explain their central role in almost all ecosystems on Earth. Already at kindergarten age, we should teach children in a playful way to recognise plants as growing and distinguishable creatures that have their own needs. By offering a range of programmes, the Green School at the Botanical Garden aims to get young people excited about plants and combat plant blindness.