Native Plants
Smith, R.W.
Robert Smith is not a botanist, but he's been interested in botany for many years, starting as a grade-schooler in West Virginia. If life circumstances had been different, he might have become a botanist.Robert is now retired from the State of Michigan where he was a social worker and administrator, mostly in child welfare. He's been a frequent contributor to the University of Michigan herbarium, and owes much to the staff there, especially Ed Voss, Tony Reznicek and Bev Walter who have mentored his efforts. Robert got his first camera while serving in Viet Nam in 1966, and has been involved in photography periodically ever since. From 1977 to 1982, Robert did regional art fairs. His main photographic interest was natural subjects, particularly wildflowers.
In 1979, Robert stopped near his home in Adrian, Michigan to check out an interesting spot. It turned out to be so interesting he became more involved in botanizing and conservation, and mostly let photography go. That spot became the Nature Conservancy's Ives Road Fen Preserve, a globally endangered habitat.
For Christmas of 2009, Robert's wife gave him a digital Canon camera, and you're now seeing the results. So, Robert has no formal training in botany or photography, but he happily reports, "I sure am having fun in retirement!"
The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is committed to developing the premier resource for native plant images in North America through continued growth of the Plant Image Gallery. You can help us achieve our mission ...to increase the sustainable use and conservation of native wildflowers, plants, and landscapes... by becoming a contributor.
scientific name | common name(s) | image gallery |
Yucca gloriosa | Moundlily Yucca | |
Yucca harrimaniae | Spanish Bayonet | |
Yucca harrimaniae | Spanish Bayonet | |
Zanthoxylum americanum | Common Pricklyash Toothache Tree Prickly Ash | |
Zanthoxylum hirsutum | Texas Hercules' Club Texas Prickly Ash Limetone Prickly Ash Toothache Tree Tickle-tongue Tingle-tongue | |
Zizia aptera | Heart-leaved Meadow Parsnip Heartleaf Meadow Parsnip Meadow Parsnip Heartleaf Alexanders Meadow Zizia Zizia | |
Zizia aurea | Golden Zizia Golden Alexanders | |
Zizia aurea | Golden Zizia Golden Alexanders | |
Zizia aurea | Golden Zizia Golden Alexanders | |
Zigadenus elegans ssp. elegans | Mountain Deathcamas | |
scientific name | common name(s) | image gallery |