The Plant Life

The Plant Life. Chamberlain and the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Most of the native plants you see here are direct descendants of those found by Lewis and Clark when they arrived in the fall of 1804. As they traveled, the captains always noted stands of timber because they needed wood for kindling and because deer and other game were abundant in the woods. Near Chamberlain they found willow, red cedar, cottonwood, elm, white oak, and wild plum trees., The captains found the yucca, or soap plant, which was used for many purposes by Native Americans. , South Dakota Tourism , South Dakota Tourism , South Dakota Tourism, Lewis and Clark gathered and returned to President Jefferson more than 230 plant specimens and many seeds and plant cuttings. Many of these were unknown to scientists of the day. Plants you see here which became part of the collection include hackberry, buckbrush, wild plum, skunkbrush sumac, chokecherry, and snowberry. , South Dakota Tourism