Elizabeth Scholtz

Elizabeth Scholtz (1922 - 2020) was a plantswoman and director of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden from 1972 to 1980.

Personal life and education Scholtz was born 29 April 1921. Her father was a medical doctor but died in 1932 and her mother later remarried. Scholtz studied at the University of Witwatersrand and graduated with BS degree in botany and zoology, specialising in bushveldt trees.

She died 22 April 2020.

Career She was the first woman director of a major urban botanical garden in the USA, after starting her career with medical research in South Africa. Following her degree, she studied medical technology and was employed at a laboratory in Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa and became involved in medical research for two decades. She continued her interest in plants in spare time. She met and ate with Louis Leipoldt. She was awarded honorary degrees by Pace University and Long Island University. She was a member of the board or committee of several other botanic gardens.

Legacy The Elizabeth Scholtz Woodland Garden within the Brooklyn Botanic Garden was opened in 2019.

Publications Scholtz was an author or co-author of several publications and films. These included: Dye Plants and Dyeing, 1964 The film Nature’s Colors: the Craft of Dyeing with Plants