This all started with some turtles and a large backyard. Brian comes from a long line of plants men, who specialize in everything from Palms to Cactus. When Brian was a boy his dad transformed their backyard into a Palm filled oasis. As we know with any oasis watering is top priority. As a kid it was Brian’s chore to keep the oasis watered. Brian was not interested in plants at this point in his life he was interested in his pet turtles. Brian wanted to make a natural habitat for his turtles so he built them a pond. After the pond was completed there was something missing. Plants! Brian decided then that he wanted to make his pond look prehistoric for his turtles.

Brian, at age 6, in front of his childhood home.

This is when he began to be interested in aquatic and carnivorous plants. There was one plant that solidified Brian’s addiction Cyrtosperma johnstonii. Brian was on a family vacation to Florida when his dad decided to stop at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. It was there the Brian encountered the 7 foot tall Cyrtosperma johnstonii. He was amazed by its striped thorny steams and its pink veins. It took Brian 3 years of endless searching to obtain the plant he had seen in the botanical garden that day. While on his quest for johnstonii Brian discovered other odd plants that peaked his interest. These plants all belonged to the aroid family. The quest for one plant turned in to a collection of aroids.

Julius Boos using his hand to show the scale for the leaf of Cyrtosperma johnstonii.

After years of collecting plant Brian decided that he wanted to share his collection with others. It was then that he started Brian’s Botanical out of one of his father’s greenhouses. Brian had a bucket list of plants that he wanted to obtain like any good collector. After collecting the last plant on the list it seemed like the hunt was over. That was until Brian had a life changing conversation with his mentors Julius Boos and John Banta. The conversation was about hybrids. His imagination immediately went into overdrive with the endless combinations. His excitement for breeding compounded each day he found new pollen or saw a flower bloom.

Brian Williams started his journey as a young kid looking for plants for his turtles but has turned in to a breeder and plants man that is passionate about aroids. This passion is the backbone of his business and influences every decision that is made.

Brian in Costa Rica