One team of 4 Diploma, BSc, MSc or PhD students (with one reserve) can enter the competition from each institution. Where there is a lot of interest (and why wouldn’t there be?!) why not hold an internal contest to select team members and the reserve?
The first rounds will be on-line and consist of multiple choice questions on topics including plant ID, ecology, conservation, plant pathology, biochemistry, molecular genetics, plant uses and also plants and botanists in history and culture.
The first two rounds will be on 11, and 18 February 2026, streaming on YouTube. The quarterfinal will be on-line on 25 February and the 4 teams with the highest scores will be asked to take part in the live semi-final and final on 19 August at the University of Reading.
Several distinguished botanists have agreed to ask the questions in the on-line rounds. They are: Professor Yoselin Benitez-Alfonso, Professor of Plant Sciences and UKRI Future Leaders Fellow at the University of Leeds and Dr Karen Bacon Lecturer in Botany and Plant Sciences at the University of Galway.
Day 1
After the first knock-out round of 50 multiple-choice questions on 11 February, the 8 teams with the lowest scores left the competition. They were from the Universities of Dundee, Durham, Essex, Liverpool, Nottingham, Oxford Brookes, Royal Holloway and Sheffield. Our commiserations! Dr Martin Barker , Senior Lecturer in the School of Biological Sciences at University of Aberdeen asked the questions. He and John Warren provided a commentary on the teams’ answers.
A recording of Day 1 is available on YouTube.
The remaining 24 teams will compete again on 18 February, when the teams with the highest scores will go through to the Quarterfinal.
Team name competition – public vote!
Vote for the three teams you think has the best name! Use this link. Only vote once!!
Play along sheets for the February knock out rounds and the Quarterfinals
Fourth Student Botany Festival
The fourth Student Botany Festival, 20–21 August 2025, will be a vibrant two‑day gathering of BUC students and professional plant enthusiasts. All students who have taken part in BUC2026 will be invited. This year’s festival coincides with the Centenary Celebrations of the University of Reading Charter, and will be marked by an exhibition showcasing a century of botanical achievement at Reading and celebrating the future.
Day one festival highlights include student flash talks, guided tours of the Walled Garden and Harris Garden, and a campus nature walk. Networking opportunities will abound with a plant swap during lunch, while the afternoon features expert discussions, creative activities, and interviews for the “BUC‑umentary” (a documentary charting the history, achievements, and impact of BUC). The evening brings a buffet dinner and a social programme with student‑led plant games, a sci‑art showcase, and a screening of the Margaret Mee Moon Flower documentary.
Day two shifts focus to careers and skills. A panel discussion will explore opportunities in academia, consultancy, industry, and plant health, followed by one‑to‑one conversations with careers personnel and industry stalls. Interactive workshops will cover herbarium practice, forensic botany, science communication, and more. The festival closes with keynote speaker Dr Jamie Thompson sharing his career journey with plants, ensuring inspiration for the next generation of botanists.