horticulturist

noun

hor·​ti·​cul·​tur·​ist ˌhȯr-tə-ˈkəl-chə-rist 

variants or less commonly horticulturalist

ˌhȯr-tə-ˈkəl-ch(ə-)rə-list 

plural horticulturists also horticulturalists

: a person whose work involves growing fruits, vegetables, flowers, or ornamental plants

As the city horticulturist for the past six years, Burton has made the parks and city areas of O'Fallon bloom.

—Lynn Venhaus

The finest hot chili pepper in Peter's test garden is 'Riot', which does double duty as an ornamental and in salads; it is a graduate of horticulturist Jim Baggett's breeding program at Oregon State University.

—Jim McCausland

I prefer buying plants from a nursery to buying at a garden center, and both are vastly preferable to the garden section of a discount store. Plant quality and accuracy of labeling are usually best at a nursery, where the staff is most likely to include professional horticulturists.

—Jeff Whitehead

De Witt Clinton was a man of parts—a patron of schools, charities, and the arts, a founder of the New York Historical Society, an amateur scientist and horticulturalist.

—James MacGregor Burns

Examples of horticulturist in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

George Pisegna, chief horticulturist at the New York Horticultural Society, a non-profit organization that creates green spaces in neighborhoods throughout New York. —Wendy Rose Gould, Martha Stewart, 15 June 2026

Tom MacCubbin is an urban horticulturist emeritus with the University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service. —Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 June 2026

Frank Hyman is a horticulturist, the owner of Cottage Garden Landscaping in North Carolina, and author of Ripe Tomato Revolution and more. —Cori Sears, The Spruce, 11 June 2026

What separates Babylonstoren from the many, many wineries and exceptional hotels in and around the Winelands though is its 12-acre garden, designed by French garden architect Patrice Taravella, that has since been nurtured and nourished by an incredible team of landscapists and horticulturists. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1799, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for horticulturist

• agriculturist
• culturist

Kids Definition

horticulturist

noun

hor·​ti·​cul·​tur·​ist

ˌhȯrt-ə-ˈkəlch(-ə)-rəst

variants also horticulturalist

-ˈkəlch(-ə)-rə-list

: a person who specializes in horticulture