The Plant Messiah

Adventures in Search of the World's Rarest Species

By: Carlos Magdalena

Narrated by: Roy McMillan

An impassioned memoir of saving extraordinary plants on the brink of extinction, by a scientist who has been called a "codebreaker" (Telegraph) and "an inspiration" (Jane Goodall)

Carlos Magdalena is not your average horticulturist. He's a man on a mission to save the world's most endangered plants. First captivated by the flora of his native Spain, he has travelled to the remotest parts of the globe in search of exotic species. Renowned for his pioneering work, he has committed his life to protecting plants from man-made ecological destruction and thieves hunting for wealthy collectors.

In The Plant Messiah, Magdalena takes listeners from the Amazon to the jungles of Mauritius to deep within the Australian Outback in search of the rare and the vulnerable. Back in the lab, we watch as he develops groundbreaking, left-field techniques for rescuing species from extinction, encouraging them to propagate and thrive once again. Along the way, he offers moving, heartfelt stories about the secrets contained within these incredible organisms.

Passionate and absorbing, The Plant Messiah is a tribute to the diversity of life on our planet, and the importance of preserving it.

Much better than expected.

I chose this title simply to flesh out my own base of knowledge in some areas of interest. And I have to admit: this was a better book than expected. The authors enthusiasm shown through quite well and although I do wish there were more pages for more exotic plants vs. the obvious fascination the author has with water Lillie’s, overall this was a worthwhile read/listen.

Great for anyone who cares about conservation and is interested in botany

Interesting personal story of Carlos Magdalena and anecdotes of species that he helped bring back. Nice introduction to horticultural practices as well.

Nice autobio

Nice autobiography of/by Carlos Magdalena. I'm a fairly recent fan of plant and plant pathology books. However I've been interested in plants since highschool genetics class and learning about Mendel's pea plant + my HS green house class.

This book maybe wasn't what I expected when I selected it.

Magdalena is a good storyteller and clearly passionate about plants. The one thing this genre has trouble with globally is the ability to tell me practical ways of helping.

I would like to read a book by Magdalena on maybe how to identify or propagate plants, how to ensure I don't accidentally introduce a chaotic invasive species into my local environment on some evangelical mission to preserve some exotic rare plant.

Or even how to figure out which species of plants are endangered in my area and the techniques and methods to test or determine propagation. Maybe even how or where to share this knowledge? Basically, how to be a citizen scientist.

4.5 stars.

An amazing book for the botanist in everyone.

A fascinating journey throught the life and career of a truly passionate man. Carlos is a true and clear voice for the plant kingdom in these uncertain times. His efforts have already saved several plant species from certain extinction. We owe this man a debt of gratitude for his unending work for the nature world.

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I Loved it. A must listen. Carlos shows the rarity and beauty of the planet.