Melbourne , Victoria, Australia — Oceania

The Blossfeld Expedition

— Royal Botanic Gardens - Melbourne —

Photographed by Dean Barton-Ancliffe, March 30, 2026

1. The Blossfeld Expedition Marker

Inscription. From 1936-1938, a remarkable international cacti-collecting expedition took place in South America. Ralph Field invested financially and, for £200, was guaranteed delivery of at least thousand varieties. The two-year expedition covered 6000 kilometres. Regular shipments of cacti were made to Ralph and by the time they arrived at the Melbourne Docks, some plants had been out of sold for up to five months.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Parks & Recreational Areas • Science & Medicine. A significant historical year for this entry is 1936.

Location. 37° 49.917′ S, 144° 58.993′ E. Marker is in Melbourne, Victoria. It can be reached from Anderson Street 0.1 kilometers west of Fairlie Court. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: Anderson Street, Melbourne VIC 3004, Australia. Touch for directions.

Regionally, it is in Oceania,

Australasia,

the Pacific Ocean,

South Pacific,

the Pacific Rim,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once a British colony.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance

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of this marker: The Field Collection (here, next to this marker); Design Inspiration (here, next to this marker); A prickly problem (a few steps from this marker); The Arid Garden (a few steps from this marker); A new view of Melbourne (within shouting distance of this marker); A Grand Design (within shouting distance of this marker); Resurrecting a volcano - Guilfoyle's Volcano (within shouting distance of this marker); Domain Road Gate (about 150 meters away, measured in a direct line). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Melbourne.

Also see . . . Robert Blossfeld.

The story starts with Robert Blossfeld.

Born in 1882, Blossfeld was a German botanist who settled in Potsdam. A collector of exotic plants, he gradually turned his hobby into a successful mail order business.

Blossfeld published catalogues listing plants and seeds he had available, orders would come in from around the world. His customers were varied: other plant enthusiasts, academics, and commercial cultivators.

Blossfeld’s particular interests were cacti and succulents, and he endeavoured to track down the rarest specimens. A typical catalogue
Photographed by Dean Barton-Ancliffe, March 30, 2026

2. The Blossfeld Expedition Marker in the Arid Garden
would list hundreds of species.

(Submitted on March 30, 2026, by Dean Barton-Ancliffe of Rowville, Victoria.)

Credits. This page was last revised on March 31, 2026. It was originally submitted on March 30, 2026, by Dean Barton-Ancliffe of Rowville, Victoria. This page has been viewed 8 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on March 30, 2026, by Dean Barton-Ancliffe of Rowville, Victoria. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.