Botanical means relating to plants or the scientific study of plants. A botanical garden is a place where different types of plants are grown, labeled, and displayed so people can learn about them. When scientists make botanical illustrations, they draw plants with careful attention to every detail: the shape of leaves, the structure of flowers, and how stems attach to branches.

The word comes from botany, which is the branch of science devoted to studying plants. Botanists examine everything from tiny mosses to towering redwood trees, learning how plants grow, reproduce, and survive in different environments. They might study how desert cacti store water, why some flowers bloom only at night, or which plants ancient civilizations used for medicine.

You'll often see botanical describing things that feature plant designs or ingredients. Botanical prints show detailed drawings of plants and flowers. Botanical soap might contain plant oils like lavender or mint. Museums sometimes have botanical collections that preserve pressed flowers and leaves from hundreds of years ago, helping scientists understand how plant species have changed over time.