A person who specializes in the study of plants is called what?

A person who specializes in the study of plants is called a botanist.

Botanists work in the scientific field of botany, also called plant science or phytology. Their subjects can include plant structure, growth, reproduction, genetics, classification, evolution, ecology, and relationships with other organisms. Depending on their specialty, a botanist might study a forest community, a crop disease, plant cells, or the chemistry of medicinal plants.

The word botany comes from the Ancient Greek botanē, meaning pasture, herb, grass, or fodder. Human interest in plants began with practical needs such as identifying food, poisonous species, medicines, and useful fibers. Over time, this knowledge developed into a formal scientific discipline.

A common mix-up is treating “botanist” and “horticulturist” as exact synonyms. A horticulturist focuses mainly on cultivating and managing garden or crop plants, while a botanist studies plant life scientifically. Modern botanists also use DNA analysis and genomic data, not just observation of leaves, flowers, and seeds.