David Douglas, the Scottish botanist brought over 240 North American plants for cultivation in Europe in the early 1800s. He focused on the Pacific Northwest and traveled 1,864 miles by birch bark canoe. Though Douglas was thought to be accident prone, he survived steep ravines, capsized boats, and tense Indian encounters. His finds included Sugar Pine, Sitka Spruce, Ponderosa pine and the later named “Douglas Fir.” He died mysteriously in Hawaii at 35, trampled by a bull in a pit—whether by accident or intrigue remains unknown.
Growing Home - David Douglas
