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Natural History Museum

How Plants Communicate with Each Other

A new exhibition on plant communication marks the inclusion of botany at the University of Zurich’s Natural History Museum. With the exhibition, which illustrates the diverse forms of communication among plants, the museums for anthropology, botany, paleontology and zoology have now been brought together under one roof.
Oversized flower models explain different types of communication. (Image: Maud Lecornier)

Opening on 20 May 2025, the new permanent exhibition “Pflanzen sprechen mit!” (Plants Talk) aims to open visitors’ eyes and noses and introduce them to the fascinating world of plant communication. With the arrival of the new exhibits – some of which are interactive – the integration of the former botanical museum into the UZH Natural History Museum is complete. This means the subjects of anthropology, botany, paleontology and zoology can now be explored in one building.

The exhibition portrays the different levels at which botanical communication takes place – within a plant, between plants of the same species and between different species. Plants also “talk” to many other living organisms, such as microorganisms, fungi and animals. “Most people experience plants as mute beings,” explains curator Alex Kocyan. “But plants use a wide range of methods to communicate and exchange information in order to grow, survive and reproduce.”

Communicating with scent and color

Visitors are introduced to the ways in which plants “communicate” with each other right at the beginning of the exhibition. Creatively designed, colorful wall displays that combine nature and art in a playful manner add a further element. The centerpiece of the exhibition is an enormous table, where visitors are invited to explore the impressive variety of botanical communication methods, for example via scent or color. Objects from the botanical collection, including some striking flower models of historical and cultural significance, complement this information.

“To assemble the exhibition, we contacted numerous UZH and ETH scholars who are carrying out research in the field of plant communication,” says Juanita Schläpfer-Miller. She is project leader of the Plant Science Center, which was involved in developing the exhibition. “It’s important to us that the public has insight into the highly fascinating research activities that are going on in Zurich. Thanks to sophisticated research methods, we’re now finally starting to gain a better understanding of the vast domain of plant communication.”

Insight into the diversity of plant seeds

At a listening station positioned under a root system, visitors learn about the widely perceived concept that trees exchange information via a fungal network under the ground and even support each other. There are scientific explanations – which also throw up new questions. The exhibition purposely indicates that research in this field still has a long way to go. A wall – reminiscent of a starry sky – illustrates the incredible diversity of plant seeds and fruits, which are an essential aspect of plant communication.

Appreciating and protecting our flora

Before leaving the exhibition, visitors are encouraged to think about how they themselves can contribute to the protection to our native flora. “We hope the exhibition plays a part in motivating people to better appreciate the plants in their surroundings and recognize their role as communicating, living entities within a closely intertwined network of life,” says Juanita Schläpfer-Miller.

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