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Over 500 plant species hide in cracks in paving, wall joints and on paths in German cities. This resilient greenery can withstand foot and vehicle traffic, heat, drought and pollution. Urban plants also have benefits for people and the environment that should not be underestimated: they create micro-ecosystems for numerous insects and other organisms, are important for the urban climate, have a cooling effect and bind dust. The nationwide #Krautschau campaign week, now in its fifth year and initiated by the Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, aims to encourage more people to become aware of the often overlooked small wild plants in cities. For the first time, the Senckenberg Institute for Plant Diversity (SIP), which was founded last summer, is taking part in the campaign together with the KSJ City Forestry Office, the Friedrich Schiller University Jena and the Thuringian University and State Library, and invites all residents of Jena to join in.
Participation is very simple: plants found are marked with chalk, labeled with a German trivial name, photographed and - if desired - shared on social media under the hashtags #Krautschau and #MehrAlsUnkraut.
Together with Senckenberg researchers and supported by the team from the Jena City Forestry Office, interested parties can explore Jena's plant diversity directly on site and sharpen their eye for the "rebels" of the urban flora - from dock to cinnamon weed. The Flora Incognita app, developed in Jena and Ilmenau among other places, provides assistance with identification and rewards diligent users with digital badges. If you prefer analog, you can use the nature guide "Das wächst in deiner Stadt".
#Krautschau in Jena: urban diversity to kneel down for
Thursday, 28.5.2026, 16:00 hrs. Meeting point: Entrance Ernst-Abbe-Bücherei Engelplatz 2 - 07743 Jena
Wednesday, 27.5. 2026, 16:00 hrs. Meeting point: Entrance Ernst-Abbe-Bücherei Engelplatz 2 - 07743 Jena
The walks last approx. 2 hours and participation is free of charge. The event is expressly suitable for children.
Overview of all nationwide actions >> HERE <