Eco Mural 12: Leafy Seadragon

Location: 931 South 46th Street, Philadelphia, PA

Artist: Designed, illustrated, and painted by Olivia Losee-Unger

Eco Mural: Leafy Seadragon by Olivia Losee-Unger

Leafies, Seahorses, and Pipefish

Many species threatened by climate change and environmental degradation are not well known to the public, and the leafy seadragon is no exception. Hagopian Arts is excited to introduce this lesser-known creature to Philadelphia as an example of the breathtaking diversity of species that are in crisis due to human interference, pollution, and global warming.

Leafy seadragons are endemic to the shallow coastal waters of eastern and southern Australia. They are fairly small creatures, reaching a maximum length of 14 inches, and feed on small crustaceans, plankton, and mysids (small shrimp). “Leafies” are within the Syngnathidae family, related to seahorses and pipefish.

Evolved Camouflage & Fatherhood

At a glance, the leafy seadragon may trick the viewer into thinking it is merely floating kelp. Millions of years of evolution shaped this perfect specimen of specialized camouflage, allowing Leafies to blend into its temperate coastal habitat. As a result, leafy seadragons are rarely victim to predators and face few hardships beyond finding food and suitable mating partners. Like seahorses, the male is responsible for incubating eggs, but Leafies do so in a unique manner. The female seadragon deposits up to 300 eggs on a spongy brood patch along the underside of the male’s tail, fertilizing them in the process. The eggs will then be incubated there until they are ready to hatch after four to six weeks.

Threats to the Species

Leafy seadragons are spectacular, awe-inspiring creatures, but while their unique and specialized form saves them from predators, their beauty makes them a target for poaching. Divers and aquarists took so many seadragons from the wild that in 1990, Australia placed them under a protective order, slowing their decline. While this has helped their populations stabilize, leafy seadragons face much larger issues when it comes to the health of their environment.

Australian coasts suffer from several human-caused factors: ocean warming, runoff pollution, plastic pollution, and ecological degradation through fishing and tourism. Southern and eastern Australia is home to some of the world’s most spectacular shallow coral reef systems, which are particularly delicate. These coral reefs are treasure troves of biodiversity, home to hundreds of thousands of species found nowhere else, like the leafy seadragon. To learn more about coral reefs, their importance, and how to preserve them, please visit our Kauai Coral Reef Life page.

Understanding the consequences of irresponsible fishing, stormwater and industrial runoff, poaching, ocean warming, and plastic pollution are good ways to start protecting the leafy seadragon and its habitat.

About the Eco Mural and Wild Medicine Projects
The Eco Mural Project by Hagopian Arts is an ongoing series of public art installations designed to educate and inspire action on ecological and cultural issues. Each mural is a meticulously detailed, one-of-a-kind piece, blending vibrant artistry with rigorous research. These murals transport viewers into immersive natural environments, revitalizing urban spaces while addressing pressing concerns about environmental degradation.

Within this initiative, the Wild Medicine Eco Mural Project focuses specifically on the cultural heritage of medicinal plants. Through detailed depictions and thoughtful programming, the series highlights the historical, cultural, and healing significance of plants, fostering a deeper connection between individuals and the natural world.

The Eco Mural Project is rooted in the belief that reconnecting communities with nature can profoundly impact mental and physical health. These murals showcase the beauty of local flora and fauna, enlivening public spaces and encouraging residents to see their environment in a new light. This engagement inspires a sense of pride, belonging, and collective responsibility for the natural world. To enhance accessibility, each mural includes a scannable QR code linking viewers to a webpage that provides detailed information about the artwork, the plants featured, and their historical and cultural significance. These pages also honor Indigenous histories by sharing the uses, markers, and cultural associations of the depicted flora and fauna.

Community-Driven Programming and Collaborations
Hagopian Arts amplifies the impact of its murals through live events, educational initiatives, and community partnerships that engage people across generations and cultures.

Hagopian Arts transforms urban landscapes through art that bridges the worlds of ecology, education, and cultural heritage. Each mural is a portal into the hidden wonders of the natural world. By blending intricate artistry with educational outreach, Hagopian Arts inspires communities to rediscover the beauty and importance of the environment they call home.

Honoring Indigenous Histories and Local Ecosystems
A standout project in the Wild Medicine Series is Eco Mural 21 at Bartram’s Garden, a series of freestanding mini murals showcasing medicinal plants historically used by the Lenni Lenape people. Designed with community input, the murals feature local flora, Lenape beadwork patterns, and depictions of children on the riverbank where passionflowers grow.

Hagopian Arts conducted extensive research into Bartram’s Garden’s historical catalog to honor the Lenape people’s contributions and highlight the cultural significance of the plants. At the unveiling event on September 15th, Melaney Gilchrist, a West Philadelphia herbalist, and mindfulness yoga practitioner Nakesha Moore of Breathe Moore led workshops for community families. These sessions explored the medicinal properties of the plants while fostering connections between art, history, and wellness practices.

Through its murals and programming, Hagopian Arts creates vibrant spaces for education, inspiration, and dialogue. The Eco Mural Project bridges art and environmental advocacy, encouraging communities to cherish their local ecosystems and honor the cultural and historical ties that bind them to the natural world.

Wild Medicine: A Multidimensional Creative Experience

This live event combined public art, botanical installations, body-painted models, and performance art to merge the worlds of creativity and herbal wisdom. Hosted in collaboration with women artists, herbalists, and grassroots organizers, the event invited participants to explore the healing connections between art and nature.

Ancient Ancestral Connections

Eco Mural 18: Women’s Wild Medicine celebrates the ancestral bond between women and medicinal plants, featuring women from diverse cultural backgrounds alongside flora from their heritage. Installed at Penn OB/GYN, the mural also serves as a pilot for the Women’s Wild Medicine Initiative, a community-driven effort that highlights the healing power of native plants and their historical ties to women.

Wild Medicine Coloring Journal and Foraging Guide

In collaboration with educator and illustrator Katie Lillard, Hagopian Arts produced the Wild Medicine Journal and Coloring Illustration Booklet, inspired by the two murals created for Wild Medicine Eco Mural 15: Mugwort, Mullein, and Mallow. The booklet features twenty medicinal plants rendered in Hagopian Arts’ signature style, blending pattern, naturalism, and realism.

Hagopian Arts distributed the journal and accompanying foraging guides to schools and community organizations to introduce youth aged 3-18 to ecological awareness in both traditional and nontraditional learning settings. These resources were also shared during a mural unveiling, empowering community members to safely connect with wild plants and explore their uses in daily life.

Highlighting Interconnectivity: Eco Mural 20
As part of the Wild Medicine Eco Mural Project, Hagopian Arts created Eco Mural 20: Artelo to celebrate the interdependent relationships between plants, pollinators, and human communities. This mural was a collaborative effort with Square Roots Collective and 14 other public artists contributing uniquely to the Artelo hotel project. While each artist brought a distinct vision to the hotel’s art-filled rooms, Hagopian Arts focused on the ecological and cultural themes central to the Wild Medicine Eco Mural Project.

To expand its reach, Hagopian Arts hosted interactive workshops that engaged community members in the creative process: At Hyacinth Montessori School in West Philadelphia, children aged 6–12 participated in a painting workshop, learning about local flora and pollinators while contributing sections to the mural. This activity incorporated yoga and mindfulness practices led by Breathe Moore, blending creativity and well-being.

At John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge, community members painted portions of the mural while learning about the featured species and their roles in local ecosystems.

In September 2024, Hagopian Arts partnered with the Kennett Trails Alliance and Artelo for a public mural painting event during the Hispanic Heritage Festival in Kennett Square. Using a paint-by-number system and hand-mixed colors, participants painted sections inspired by the flora, fauna, and geometric patterns of Eco Mural 20. The mural, once finalized by Hagopian Arts, will be installed in Kennett Square in 2025, further expanding its impact and reach.

Eco Mural 17: Cecropia, Luna, Buckeye

Amidst the rich patchwork of Pennsylvania’s flora and fauna, few inspire more wonder or enchantment than our native butterflies and moths. With their vibrant colors and patterning, delicate forms, and graceful flight, these winged mosaics have captivated our collective imagination for centuries. Moths and butterflies are both members of the order Lepidoptera, a name derived from the Greek terms “lepis,” meaning scale, and “pteron,” meaning wing. In fact, all moths and butterflies are entirely covered in tiny scales! Another defining feature of Lepidopteran species is complete metamorphosis, meaning they undergo distinct life stages, each completely different from one another. Butterflies and moths have a symbiotic relationship with the native flora, meaning a close, long-term interaction, in which each organism is mutually benefited.

Wild Medicine: Mugwort, Mullein, and Mallow

Nestled between tree roots, sprouting along riverbanks, and dotting wide open fields, a careful eye will find precious gifts of nature—wild medicine. Philadelphia is gifted with a great variety of edible and medicinal plants and fungi. Our neighborhoods provide a landscape for foraging natural treasures like fruit trees, nuts and berries, and wild plants—often mistaken for “useless weeds.” For centuries, local flora has provided medical benefits and sustenance that soothe maladies from ear infections to high blood pressure, and boost wellness by aiding sleep, relaxing muscles, and more.

Eco Mural 9: Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly

Through a partnership with Cedar Park Neighbors and University City District, a large-scale version of our butterfly panel from the Eco Mural Project 2: Symbiosis mural was placed in the pedestrian triangle at Cedar Park in West Philadelphia. We are so pleased to have an Eco Mural at ground level for children and residents to interact with and enjoy.

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Eco Mural 18: Women’s Wild Medicine

This mural celebrates the ancestral bond between women and medicinal plants, featuring women from diverse cultural backgrounds alongside flora from their heritage. Installed at Penn OB/GYN, the mural also serves as a pilot for the Women’s Wild Medicine Initiative, a community-driven effort that highlights the healing power of native plants and their historical ties to women.

Wild Medicine Coloring Journal and Foraging Guide

Wild Medicine Eco Mural 19: Crown and Feather

Wild Medicine Eco Mural 19 is a vibrant homage to the therapeutic power of medicinal plants, their cultural significance, and their timeless contributions to traditional and functional medicine practices worldwide. Installed at Crown and Feather Tattoo Co., the mural highlights not only the extraordinary healing properties of these plants but also the critical importance of preserving the ecosystems where they thrive.

Learn More & Get Involved:

Project Seahorse

Ocean Conservancy

Oceana

Australasian Coastal Restoration Network

Australian Marine Conservation Society

International Coral Reef Initiative

SYMBIOSIS

A female-led mural initiative with an environmental focus