By Ken Moore
I have been fortunate to share a botanical life with Larry for four decades-plus!
I came to cherish him as a world class botanist, a keen plantsman, passionate gardener, and a dedicated teacher sharing his knowledge, expertise, and his plants at hundreds of venues where eager people were gathered.
Though Larry specialized on regional native plants, he had a fine grasp of the world flora – when anyone sought an identification of anything, the response was immediately: “Go ask Larry!!”
He was a propagator of all plants and premier hybridizer, particularly of Sarracenia species. Many he named are now in the trade.
Larry was always a requested presenter at symposia, conferences and other gatherings at home and abroad.
He was a popular leader of field trips throughout the eastern United States and he was a regular leader “of-the-pack” in support of the North Carolina Native Plant Society.
He shared his plant knowledge and skills in easy-to-read publications, too numerous to list. They are still available to an eager gardening public.
Perhaps there is no one but Larry who has shared with such a wide audience a passion for observing plants, knowing plants, and becoming engaged with plants.
If such an encounter did not fall on an already acknowledged passionate plantsman, then that individual very definitely became one!
Here are three cheers for Larry T. Mellichamp, truly the Plantsman of his Time!
Ken Moore, Abingdon VA. Retired, North Carolina Botanical Garden; past director, Cullowhee Native Plant Conference, and past president, North Carolina Wildflower Preservation Society (1975–1976).