In 2019 NCZP specimens were transferred to University of North Carolina at Pembroke Herbarium (PEMB). NCZP includes approximately 2600 specimen records, representing 1400 species. Most were collected from the vicinity of the North Carolina Zoological Park south of Asheboro in Randolph County, North Carolina, but cultivated plants and exotic plants common to the diets of zoo animals are also in the collection. The collection was the brainchild of NCZP's first curator and primary collector, Pete Diamond. The collection was expanded by subsequent Curators Dana Garner & Nell Allen.