Since 1953, the American Horticultural Society’s Great American Gardeners Awards program has recognized individuals and organizations that have achieved horticultural excellence to fields such as plant research, garden stewardship, horticultural outreach, and teaching.
Bravo-Hollis, Dr. Helia (1901–2001)—discoverer, describer and scholar of taxa of Cactaceae in Mexico—one
of the founders of Sociedad Mexicana de Cactología (Mexican Cactus Society) in 1951.
Benson, Dr Lyman David (1909–1993)—botanist, teacher and taxonomist, specializing on cacti of the
United States of America and Canada.
Bolus, [née Kensit] Dr Harriet Margaret Louisa (1877-1970)—taxonomic botanist and describer of many new succulent taxa, with special interest in Mesembryanthemum.
Benson, Dr Lyman David (1909–1993)—botanist, teacher and taxonomist, specializing on cacti of the
United States of America and Canada.
Staples, Chuck (1932–2025)
Bally, Dr Peter René Oscar (1895–1980)— discoverer, describer and botanical illustrator of many succulent
plant species from Africa.
Bailey, Dr Liberty Hyde, Jr (1858–1954)—author of popular Hortus book and many scientific papers—known as the 'Dean of American Horticulture'.
Backeberg, Curt (1894–1966)—author of Die Cactaceae (in six volumes 1958–62) condensed into Das Kakteenlexikon (one volume, 1966) and describer of many new cactus genera and species.
Dr. Rose (1862–1928) is best known as the junior author of the great monograph, The Cactaceae, written in collaboration with Nathaniel Lord Britton
