About & Contact
Meet The Plant Ecologist
Gabriella de Souza is a plant ecologist and science communicator on a mission to empower green thumbs with the knowledge to grow. Native to Wilmington, North Carolina, Gabriella built The Plant Ecologist to make plant science feel approachable, practical, and worth caring about.
Every enamel pin, keychain, and sticker in the collection features a native species, illustrated with scientific accuracy and paired with an informational card so wearers actually learn something about the plant or animal on their bag or keychain. This is a tribute to the native flora and fauna of North Carolina, underlining their ecological significance and the importance of protecting them.
Gabriella's designs merge real field-based ecological knowledge with artistic vision. Through her work, she seeks to connect people with nature in an intimate, everyday way — turning a pin or keychain into a small, wearable lesson that sparks curiosity about the plants and wildlife around them.
A passionate educator, Gabriella holds a B.S. in Biology and Environmental Sciences and a Master of Science in Biology from UNC Wilmington. With more than a decade of experience in plant science, she is dedicated to sharing her knowledge and helping people grow their own green-thumb confidence.
Let customers speak for us
Nicely detailed pin with a beautiful design. Purchased as a gift, would recommend.
The North Carolina Botanical Garden gift shop just started carrying Gabriella's pins and key chains. They are botanically accurate, beautiful and sell!
My friends and I went in together to place an order and we are all wild about our NC native plant pins and Venus fly trap pin!
Loved the design! Kept some and gave some away as gifts.
I am from NC, so I was tickled pink when my Florida-native nephew wanted a shirt with my state on it. He absolutely LOVED it and said it was exactly what he wanted!
We really enjoy our hoodies. Thank you!
The color of this shirt is great! It's also comfortable and we'll made, and of course the design on the back is gorgeous. I'm grateful I had the opportunity to contribute to a worthy cause by buying such a beautiful shirt.
Awesome shirt- well made and nicely weighted
Great shirts for a great cause!
Awesome stickers for a great cause!
This workshop was a fun way to relax while learning how to arrange fresh cut flowers. The host was knowledgeable and creative; and provided a unique experience that cultivated new skills and friendships. I would happily recommend and participate again.
You always do a great job explaining things and organizing the workshops!
The artwork is fantastic
The environment was nice - it was fun to have a glass of wine with the workshop. Gabriella was fabulous; both approachable and knowledgeable. Good quality product and very nice outcome! Youve got it - no improvements!
My favorite part of the workshop was actually making the arrangement and being creative! Gabriella is an amazing teacher. Really enjoyed her flower pressing class. She had an abundant amount of flowers and leaves to choose from right at our fingertips and was readily available if we had any questions.