Botany Classes

Do you have a desire to be closer to nature? Take a botany class and gain a deeper understanding of how plants connect us to the natural world. Botanical studies explore all aspects of plant growth and development, plant communities, and the role of plants in ecosystems. At the everyday level, botany can be your gateway to herbal healing, foraging for wild edibles, cross-cultural understanding, or just a deeper appreciation of nature's seasonal beauty.

Click here for an overview of the Certificate Program.


April

As the mushroom season awakens, discover how and where to hunt for Oysters, Inky Caps, Wine Caps, Dryad's Saddle, Reishi, and the early spring Chicken Mushroom. Even the elusive Morels occur throughout the metropolitan region, and spring is the ideal more...
244BOT330 04/25 Th 10:00am-1:00pm Sadowski
NYBG

May

This is the class for plant-lovers eager to up their game! Learn the terminology and basic botanical nomenclature that will help you recognize and describe key differences in common plants.
244BOT308AO 05/04 Sa 10:30am-12:30pm Bucuvalas
ONLINE

Herbaceous plants occupy prairies, wetlands, forest understories, and many other habitats. The identifying characteristics of this diverse group of plants are often quite different from those of woody plants. You'll learn the fundamental herbaceous plant identification characteristics, as well as more...
244BOT376 05/09 Th 5:00pm-8:00pm Hagen
NYBG

Explore the myriad structures and diverse life cycles of plants, algae, fungi, and bacteria. Discover how and why scientists have divided and classified these organisms.
244BOT317O 05/15 We 6:00pm-9:00pm Kutos
ONLINE

Historical bartenders and modern mixologists have long used a great variety of herbal and botanical ingredients to add flavor, body, and visual flair to drinks. Go beyond the garnish to explore the world of oleo-saccharums, infusions, simple syrups, and tinctures more...
244CKG240 05/22 We 5:00pm-7:00pm Freeman
NYBG

June

Do you find yourself daydreaming about the plants around you—wondering how they grow and thrive? Indulge your curiosity as we introduce you to the fascinating world of plant science.
244PLT110B 06/05   Alvarez
ONLINE-FLEX

Learn to identify native and introduced herbs, ferns, shrubs, and trees as they appear in summer, and get to know plants that may be found in fields, on roadsides, and in woodlands and wetlands. Learn about basic plant structure and more...
244BOT334 06/07 Fr 10:00am-1:00pm Holmes
NYBG

July

This is the class for plant-lovers eager to up their game! Learn the terminology and basic botanical nomenclature that will help you recognize and describe key differences in common plants.
251BOT308BO 07/15 Mo 5:30pm-7:30pm Holmes
ONLINE

Have you ever wondered why a strawberry is not considered a berry, but a tomato is? Or what part of a plant is celery? Dig deeper into the histories of common fruits and vegetables and explore the science behind the more...
251BOT293 07/20 Sa 10:00am-12:00pm Lorenzetti
NYBG

August

Explore these two beautiful and intriguing groups of herbaceous plants. NYBG's Director of the William and Lynda Steere Herbarium Dr. Emily Sessa will take you through the basic aspects of ferns and lycophytes. Gain an understanding of their form and more...
251BOT360 08/09 Fr 10:00am-1:00pm Sessa
NYBG

This is the class for plant-lovers eager to up their game! Learn the terminology and basic botanical nomenclature that will help you recognize and describe key differences in common plants.
251BOT308CO 08/13 Tu 5:30pm-7:30pm Bucuvalas
ONLINE

Chanterelles, Milk Caps, Black Trumpets, Boletes of all kinds, and many other choice edibles make their appearance in the steamy summer months. Learn how to sort through this abundance with hands-on techniques and observations.
251BOT356 08/15 Th 10:00am-1:00pm Sadowski
NYBG

September

In autumn our native Northeast flora can be spectacular, but difficult to identify. With a 10X power hand lens and a plant key, you'll learn to identify these wildflowers, shrubs, and trees on the Garden grounds.
251BOT331 09/07 Sa 10:00am-1:00pm Slowik
NYBG

Get a solid grounding in the basic plant body-from the cell to the roots, stems, leaves, flowers, and fruit. We'll use dissecting and compound light microscopes to observe plant anatomy, then introduce the base-level chemistry required to understand the world more...
251BOT315O 09/09 Mo 6:00pm-9:00pm Kutos
ONLINE

Discover how trees communicate via chemical signals in the air (to warn of insect attacks) and transfer nutrients to one another through complex underground fungal networks (sometimes to assist sick trees).
251BOT385O 09/12 Th 6:00pm-8:00pm Kutos
ONLINE

This is the class for plant-lovers eager to up their game! Learn the terminology and basic botanical nomenclature that will help you recognize and describe key differences in common plants.
251BOT308DO 09/13 Fr 10:30am-12:30pm Holmes
ONLINE

In NYC, fall is the best time to hunt for edible fungi. Paul Sadowski, 25-year veteran of the NY Mycological Society, will lead a mushroom hunt, and show you how to identify many species and their look-alikes, where to find more...
251BOT368 09/19 Th 10:00am-1:00pm Sadowski
NYBG

Learn to identify the native and naturalized trees, shrubs, and woody vines of the Northeast by their vegetative characteristics using their scientific and common names. You'll also hone your ability to use taxonomic keys and field guides.
251BOT375BL 09/24 Tu 6:00pm-8:00pm Kaechele
BLENDED