My Dad was an agronomist (PhD in Agronomy) and was a seed 'breeder'. He did research in cotton and soybeans and was well known for his research in sunflowers.

He knew a lot of the Latin names for various plants in our Texas Panhandle area but he also taught me about common plants (and their names) and how to find them and use them - prickly pear cactus, pencil cholla (strawberry type fruit), ephedra, cattails, wild grapes, etc. As a young boy, it was always fascinating to go out with him.

Now, when I take our Scouts out in East Texas they ask me about plants and I have to confess that I don't know them since I didn't grow up here. But, we get to learn together and that makes things interest I think.