The Current Condition and Improvement Plan of Native Herbaceous Plants in Selling Online

Abstract

This study was performed to determine the status of native herbaceous plants in selling online that the public can easily access to purchase the plants, as a basis research for popularizing the garden culture. Results in June 2015, companies that sell native plants online were 130points (built its own blog or homepage were 50points, and 80 points were companies registered in two places aggregator). The public was able to purchase 75families 468genera and 248species of native herbaceous plants online including 31families 66genera 87species of endangered species of rare plants (CR), endangered species (EN), and Vulnerable species (VU), and 10families 13genera 14species of naturalized plants. This study surveyed the extent and accuracy of the information that plant’s dealers provide to purchasers since the online distribution of plants is based on the information given to purchasers who have not seen the actual dealers. As a Result, 74% plant’s dealers were selling cultivar and foreign species in wildflower category, and 60% plant’s dealers recognized herbaceous plants with wildflowers. Also, it is expected that the detailed classification categories of wildflowers listed without a rank will give buyers confusion and inconvenience. More than 50% of the plant ’s dealers were providing only literature information of plants such as visual characteristics and use properties, but it is also required for dealers to give practical information such as how to plant and manage plants. Furthermore dealers need to provide accurate information in fact that 74% of companies showed an error in naming of plants in their information sections. In order to activate distribution of native plants online based on this study which investigating the current situation of native herbaceous plants in selling online, there are things to consider as follow. First, the construction of portal site specialized in the Native Plants is needed for small quantity batch production of small companies. Second, it is required for relevant authorities to improve existing law or legislate for conservation and distribution of rare plants sold indiscriminately. Third, precise definitions, names and a detailed classification for native plants should be systematically placed so that the public can easily get useful information. Keywords: Indigenous herbaceous plant, Native plant aggregator, Online selling plants, Rare plants, Wildflower