# Free botanical illustrations and plant drawings

> Free public-domain botanical illustrations: hand-coloured plates of flowers, fruit and plants from old herbals and museums, ready for print and design.

36 images from 6 sources (Library of Congress 9, Wikimedia Commons 9, Art Institute of Chicago 6, The Metropolitan Museum of Art 6, Cleveland Museum of Art 5, NASA Image and Video Library 1), updated 2026-11-03. Picked from a live search and refreshed daily.

- Same search in the browser: https://image.shep.bot/search?q=botanical+illustration&style=drawing
- Same search over the API: `curl "https://image.shep.bot/v1/search?q=botanical+illustration&style=drawing"`
- Details, files and the credit line: `GET https://image.shep.bot/v1/images/{id}` with an id from the table below.
- Licence verdicts: "Commercial use OK" (with or without credit) is cleared for commercial use; anything else must be checked or is non-commercial. "(editorial)" means people, insignia or brands appear without releases: not for ads. See https://image.shep.bot/docs/licences.md
- Images are never re-hosted: thumbnails, previews and downloads come straight from the source sites.

## Plants, drawn for science

Before photography, botanists relied on artists: Redouté's roses and lilies, the Curtis's Botanical Magazine plates, Japanese and Chinese flower paintings, and countless herbals with hand-coloured engravings. They are accurate, decorative and almost all in the public domain.

These pages collect botanical drawings and prints from the museums' open-access collections and from Wikimedia Commons, where libraries such as the Biodiversity Heritage Library have uploaded whole volumes.

## Using them

Botanical plates work for packaging, wedding stationery, wallpaper and textile patterns, wellness and food brands. Download the largest file for print and keep a note of the book or museum it came from: a credit such as *Pierre-Joseph Redouté, Les Roses, 1817* is appreciated even when it isn't required.

## Images

| ImageAsset | id | What | Source | Licence | Commercial use | Direct download |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Botanical Study](https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/360446) | `met:360446` | Art, Drawing / print, 1767 | The Metropolitan Museum of Art | Public domain (museum open access, CC0) | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [The Botanical Magazine or Flower Garden Displayed: White Cape - Coast Lily](https://clevelandart.org/art/1955.142) | `cleveland:132618` | Drawings & prints, Drawing / print, 4750 × 3846, 1806 | Cleveland Museum of Art | Public domain (museum open access, CC0) | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Botanical Garden, Moscow](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Botanical_Garden,_Moscow.jpg) | `wikimediacommons:Botanical_Garden,_Moscow.jpg` | Flowers & plants, Photo, 3200 × 2133, 2014 | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 4.0 | Restricted: read the conditions | yes |
| [NASA astronaut Jessica Meir activates tubes filled with microbial and botanical samples](https://images.nasa.gov/details/iss074e0711168) | `nasa:iss074e0711168` | Rockets & astronauts, Photo, 8256 × 5504, 2026 | NASA Image and Video Library | NASA media (public domain in the US) | Commercial use OK with credit (editorial) | yes |
| [Botanic Garden. Greenhouse of Botanical Garden](https://www.loc.gov/item/2019675284/) | `loc:2019675284` | Flowers & plants, Photo, 345 × 420, vertical, 1920 | Library of Congress | Rights advisory (Library of Congress) | Unclear: check the terms | yes |
| [Botanical Specimen](https://www.artic.edu/artworks/38927) | `artic:38927` | Drawings & prints, Photo, 1853 × 2250, vertical, 1830 | Art Institute of Chicago | Public domain (museum open access, CC0) | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [[Botanical Specimen]](https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/283063) | `met:283063` | Flowers & plants, Photo, 1833 | The Metropolitan Museum of Art | Public domain (museum open access, CC0) | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [The Botanical Magazine or Flower Garden Displayed: Umbel-Flowering Bulb-Bearing Orange-Lily](https://clevelandart.org/art/1955.144) | `cleveland:132620` | Drawings & prints, Drawing / print, 4008 × 3354, 1807 | Cleveland Museum of Art | Public domain (museum open access, CC0) | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Стаклењак, Ботаничка башта Јевремовац (greenhouse Jevremovac Botanical Garden, Belgrade, Serbia)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%D0%A1%D1%82%D0%B0%D0%BA%D0%BB%D0%B5%D1%9A%D0%B0%D0%BA,_%D0%91%D0%BE%D1%82%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B8%D1%87%D0%BA%D0%B0_%D0%B1%D0%B0%D1%88%D1%82%D0%B0_%D0%88%D0%B5%D0%B2%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%BC%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B0%D1%86_(greenhouse_Jevremovac_Botanical_Garden,_Belgrade,_Serbia).jpg) | `wikimediacommons:Стаклењак,_Ботаничка_башта_Јевремовац_(greenhouse_Jevremovac_Botanical_Garden,_Belgrade,_Serbia).jpg` | Flowers & plants, Photo, 5280 × 3344, 2025 | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 4.0 | Restricted: read the conditions | yes |
| [Botanical Studies (recto); Botanical Studies (verso)](https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/362545) | `met:362545` | Drawings & prints, Drawing / print, 1815 | The Metropolitan Museum of Art | Public domain (museum open access, CC0) | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Botanical Gardens, Executive Bldg.](https://www.loc.gov/item/2014694824/) | `loc:2014694824` | Flowers & plants, Photo, 1024 × 749, 1910 | Library of Congress | No known restrictions on publication | Commercial use OK | yes |
| ["- My God! Madame Bombec, what happened to you? - Don't mention it, my dear, it's horrible. The world is going from bad to worse, I would rather be janitor at the botanical garden! You know that Bézuchet from the fifth floor, the one that always insists that her good-for-nothing daughter who is fat around the hips has become..... I only replied: Ah, well! - And that's the person who… - Of course, even a blind man can see that!,” plate 30 from Types Parisiens](https://www.artic.edu/artworks/21535) | `artic:21535` | Drawings & prints, Drawing / print, 2919 × 2250, 1840 | Art Institute of Chicago | Public domain (museum open access, CC0) | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [(Botanical: Maurándia semperflorens)](https://clevelandart.org/art/1949.412) | `cleveland:127080` | Drawings & prints, Drawing / print, 3067 × 4669, vertical, 1836 | Cleveland Museum of Art | Public domain (museum open access, CC0) | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Wuhan Botanical Garden](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wuhan_Botanical_Garden.jpg) | `wikimediacommons:Wuhan_Botanical_Garden.jpg` | Flowers & plants, 4246 × 2530, 2018 | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 4.0 | Restricted: read the conditions | yes |
| [Botanical Studies](https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/362627) | `met:362627` | Drawings & prints, Drawing / print, 1815 | The Metropolitan Museum of Art | Public domain (museum open access, CC0) | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Botanical Gardens. Sydney](https://www.loc.gov/item/2017657735/) | `loc:2017657735` | Drawings & prints, Drawing / print, 1024 × 764, 1890 | Library of Congress | No known restrictions on publication | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Madame Cabassol going for a romantic stroll in the botanical gardens together with the youngest friend of her husband's. Sudden encounter with the latter not far from a stag, plate 4 from Les Amis](https://www.artic.edu/artworks/141936) | `artic:141936` | Drawings & prints, Drawing / print, 1737 × 2250, vertical, 1845 | Art Institute of Chicago | Public domain (museum open access, CC0) | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Polyanthus or Cluster Narcissus (Botanical: Narcissus tazetta)](https://clevelandart.org/art/1949.411) | `cleveland:127079` | Drawings & prints, Drawing / print, 3067 × 4669, vertical, 1836 | Cleveland Museum of Art | Public domain (museum open access, CC0) | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Park Garden Botanical Garden Greenery Lal Bagh (48186393327)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Park_Garden_Botanical_Garden_Greenery_Lal_Bagh_(48186393327).jpg) | `wikimediacommons:Park_Garden_Botanical_Garden_Greenery_Lal_Bagh_(48186393327).jpg` | Flowers & plants, 960 × 639, 2019 | Wikimedia Commons | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Botanical Garden](https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/264591) | `met:264591` | Flowers & plants, Photo, 1860 | The Metropolitan Museum of Art | Public domain (museum open access, CC0) | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Reproduction of a botanical drawing](https://www.loc.gov/item/2008675577/) | `loc:2008675577` | Flowers & plants, Photo, 1024 × 836, 1915 | Library of Congress | No known restrictions on publication | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [10 O'clock in the Morning. “Monsieur Coquelet having accidentally met Miss Palissandre in the Botanical Garden, to whom he had the good fortune to offer a fairy rose the first of May 1804, had obtained a first date. After having gone to great expense buying a new pair of gloves at 29 Sous, he throws a glance at the mirror before going out to try his good fortune,” plate 4 from La Journé Du Célibataire](https://www.artic.edu/artworks/21581) | `artic:21581` | Drawings & prints, Drawing / print, 1683 × 2250, vertical, 1839 | Art Institute of Chicago | Public domain (museum open access, CC0) | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [West facade from Botanical Gardens](https://www.loc.gov/item/2009630843/) | `loc:2009630843` | Drawings & prints, Drawing / print, 1024 × 759, 1860 | Library of Congress | No known restrictions on publication | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Cape Verde Santiago National Botanical Garden](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cape_Verde_Santiago_National_Botanical_Garden.jpg) | `wikimediacommons:Cape_Verde_Santiago_National_Botanical_Garden.jpg` | Flowers & plants, Photo, 4256 × 2832, 2011 | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Restricted: read the conditions | yes |
| [The Botanical Magazine or Flower Garden Displayed: Stately Crinum](https://clevelandart.org/art/1955.147) | `cleveland:132623` | Drawings & prints, Drawing / print, 4592 × 3718, 1823 | Cleveland Museum of Art | Public domain (museum open access, CC0) | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Roses in a Vase](https://www.artic.edu/artworks/150828) | `artic:150828` | Drawings & prints, Drawing / print, 1927 × 2250, vertical, 1881 | Art Institute of Chicago | Public domain (museum open access, CC0) | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Botanical illustration: Vanilla aromatica](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Botanical_illustration-_Vanilla_aromatica_MET_DP875308.jpg) | `wikimediacommons:Botanical_illustration-_Vanilla_aromatica_MET_DP875308.jpg` | Drawings & prints, Illustration, Drawing / print, 3727 × 2981, 1850 | Wikimedia Commons | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Botanical Gardens](https://www.loc.gov/item/2017648032/) | `loc:2017648032` | Drawings & prints, Photo, 1024 × 542, 1880 | Library of Congress | No known restrictions on publication | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Botanical Plate](https://www.artic.edu/artworks/276654) | `artic:276654` | Sculpture & objects, 8372 × 8372, square, 1750 | Art Institute of Chicago | Public domain (museum open access, CC0) | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Albuquerque Botanical gardens maples and pines 2022](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Albuquerque_Botanical_gardens_maples_and_pines_2022.jpg) | `wikimediacommons:Albuquerque_Botanical_gardens_maples_and_pines_2022.jpg` | Flowers & plants, 4080 × 3072, 2022 | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 4.0 | Restricted: read the conditions | yes |
| [Botanical Garden: Avenue of Imperial Palms.](https://www.loc.gov/item/2021669500/) | `loc:2021669500` | Flowers & plants, 6027 × 8704, vertical, 1862 | Library of Congress | Rights not stated | Unclear: check the terms | yes |
| [Madhavaram Botanical garden](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Madhavaram_Botanical_garden.jpg) | `wikimediacommons:Madhavaram_Botanical_garden.jpg` | Flowers & plants, 1920 × 4160, vertical, 2022 | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 4.0 | Restricted: read the conditions | yes |
| [Conservatory, Botanical Gardens](https://www.loc.gov/item/2017648033/) | `loc:2017648033` | Drawings & prints, Photo, 1024 × 535, 1860 | Library of Congress | No known restrictions on publication | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [VU Botanical Garden Kairenai Japanese park 20190621](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:VU_Botanical_Garden_Kairenai_Japanese_park_20190621.jpg) | `wikimediacommons:VU_Botanical_Garden_Kairenai_Japanese_park_20190621.jpg` | Flowers & plants, 3968 × 2976, 2021 | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 4.0 | Restricted: read the conditions | yes |
| [[Botanical Gardens, Calcutta]](https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/287842) | `met:287842` | Flowers & plants, Photo, 1850 | The Metropolitan Museum of Art | Public domain (museum open access, CC0) | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Botanical Gardens, Washington, D.C.](https://www.loc.gov/item/2006680379/) | `loc:2006680379` | Drawings & prints, Photo, 1024 × 514, 1865 | Library of Congress | No known restrictions on publication | Commercial use OK | yes |

## Questions

**Are vintage botanical prints free to use?**

Plates published more than a century ago are public domain, and the scans from museums and Wikimedia Commons are mostly CC0 or public domain. Check the verdict on each image.

**Can I remove the background from a botanical plate?**

Yes, for public-domain and CC0 images. Many plates have plain paper backgrounds that are easy to remove for packaging and patterns.

## Related collections

- [Free flower photos and plant pictures](https://image.shep.bot/collections/free-flower-photos.md): Free photos of flowers and plants, from tulips and roses to cacti and ferns, from Wikimedia Commons and Openverse, with licence verdicts and credit lines.
- [Japanese woodblock prints (ukiyo-e), free](https://image.shep.bot/collections/japanese-woodblock-prints.md): Free public-domain Japanese woodblock prints: Hokusai, Hiroshige, Utamaro and more, from museum open-access collections, with sizes and CC0 licences shown.
- [Public-domain Impressionist paintings](https://image.shep.bot/collections/public-domain-impressionist-paintings.md): Free Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings from museum open access (Monet, Renoir, Van Gogh, Cézanne), released as CC0 by the Met and other museums.

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Source: https://image.shep.bot/collections/botanical-illustrations