The Plant Messiah

“Each gene is a word; each organism a book. Each plant species that dies out contains words that have been written only in that book. If a plant species becomes extinct, one book is lost, and with it the words and messages it carried. We are burning the library of Alexandria every time we destroy a hectare of pristine habitat.”
― Sr. Don Carlos Magdalena

I was labelled ‘El Mesías de las Plantas’ (The Plant Messiah) by Pablo Tuñón, a journalist who wrote about my work in the Spanish newspaper La Nueva España. I suspect the name was partly inspired by my post-biblical (though pre-hipster) beard and long hair, and also because I was spending a lot of my time trying to save plants on the brink of extinction. None other than Sir David Attenborough then mentioned it in an interview and the name has stuck.

Check out my book The Plant Messiah. Adventures in Search of the World’s Rarest Species Published by Penguin in 2018.

“An impassioned memoir of saving extraordinary plants on the brink of extinction, by a scientist who has been called a “codebreaker” ( Telegraph ) Goodreads

“Carlos is an inspiration to me. He’s the perfect spokesperson for the plants of the world.”
—Jane Goodall, primatologist and UN Messenger of Peace

“‘If you’re looking to explain to someone how botany can be exciting, then The Plant Messiah by Carlos Magdalena is an excellent place to start.” Alun Salt  Botany One

“Magdalena’s excitement about plants and their propagation is contagious, and even those lacking green thumbs should be fascinated by his travels and adventures in science.” Kirkus reviews

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