The TRY plant trait database, established in 2007, has grown to become a comprehensive resource for plant trait data, providing open access to a vast array of information. The database covers a wide range of traits, including morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical, and phenological characteristics, which are crucial for understanding how plants respond to environmental factors and influence ecosystem properties. Since its inception, TRY has been supported by various institutions and initiatives, leading to its continuous development and expansion. The database currently includes over 588 data sets from 765 contributors, with 11.8 million trait records and 35 million ancillary data points for 2,091 traits and 280,000 plant taxa. The coverage of traits is characterized by long-tail distributions, with a few traits being well-covered while many others have very low coverage. Continuous traits, which are essential for ecological and earth system sciences, are particularly challenging to measure and often require specialized instruments and expertise. Despite the extensive coverage, the database still faces significant challenges in completeness and representativeness. The best species coverage is observed for categorical traits, such as plant growth form, leaf type, and photosynthetic pathway, which are crucial for classifying plant functional types (PFTs). However, continuous traits, which are more relevant for ecological and modeling purposes, often have limited data coverage. This imbalance is partly due to the high cost and complexity of measuring continuous traits, which often require individual plant measurements in their environmental context. The geographic coverage of trait measurements has improved significantly, with Europe, the United States, and China showing the highest density of measurement sites. However, there are still gaps in boreal regions and some parts of the tropics and subtropics, particularly in Africa. To address the limitations, the article evaluates the extent of trait data compiled in TRY and analyzes emerging patterns of data coverage and representativeness. It highlights the need for a coordinated approach to data mobilization and trait measurements to reduce data gaps and biases. The database's future role in supporting trait-based research and addressing data gaps is discussed, emphasizing the importance of collaboration with other initiatives to enhance its utility and impact.The TRY plant trait database, established in 2007, has grown to become a comprehensive resource for plant trait data, providing open access to a vast array of information. The database covers a wide range of traits, including morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical, and phenological characteristics, which are crucial for understanding how plants respond to environmental factors and influence ecosystem properties. Since its inception, TRY has been supported by various institutions and initiatives, leading to its continuous development and expansion. The database currently includes over 588 data sets from 765 contributors, with 11.8 million trait records and 35 million ancillary data points for 2,091 traits and 280,000 plant taxa. The coverage of traits is characterized by long-tail distributions, with a few traits being well-covered while many others have very low coverage. Continuous traits, which are essential for ecological and earth system sciences, are particularly challenging to measure and often require specialized instruments and expertise. Despite the extensive coverage, the database still faces significant challenges in completeness and representativeness. The best species coverage is observed for categorical traits, such as plant growth form, leaf type, and photosynthetic pathway, which are crucial for classifying plant functional types (PFTs). However, continuous traits, which are more relevant for ecological and modeling purposes, often have limited data coverage. This imbalance is partly due to the high cost and complexity of measuring continuous traits, which often require individual plant measurements in their environmental context. The geographic coverage of trait measurements has improved significantly, with Europe, the United States, and China showing the highest density of measurement sites. However, there are still gaps in boreal regions and some parts of the tropics and subtropics, particularly in Africa. To address the limitations, the article evaluates the extent of trait data compiled in TRY and analyzes emerging patterns of data coverage and representativeness. It highlights the need for a coordinated approach to data mobilization and trait measurements to reduce data gaps and biases. The database's future role in supporting trait-based research and addressing data gaps is discussed, emphasizing the importance of collaboration with other initiatives to enhance its utility and impact.