Jean Robin (botanist)

Jean Robin (1550 – 1629) was a French botanist, apothecary, and herbalist who served as the royal botanist under Kings Henri III, Henri IV, and Louis XIII. He is best known for introducing and cultivating numerous foreign plants in France, significantly enriching the botanical landscape of the country.

Robin established a botanical garden in Paris, located near the Louvre, which became an important center for the study and propagation of new plant species. He documented these plants in his writings, including Catalogus stirpium tam indigenarum quam exoticarum quae aluntur in Horto Passaei prope Lutetiam (1601), a catalog of plants growing in his garden. This catalog, and subsequent editions, provided valuable information on the characteristics and cultivation of these plants.

Among the many plants introduced by Robin, the black locust tree (Robinia pseudoacacia) is perhaps the most famous. He received seeds of this tree from North America around 1601 and successfully cultivated it in his garden. The genus Robinia was later named in his honor and his son's honor (Vespasien Robin, who continued his father's botanical work).

Robin’s work contributed significantly to the advancement of botany in France and Europe during the early modern period. He played a crucial role in expanding knowledge of plant diversity and promoting the cultivation of useful and ornamental plants. His botanical garden served as a valuable resource for researchers and gardeners alike.