In 1773, naturalist William Bartram embarks on what becomes a multi-year scientific expedition across thousands of miles of the unmapped southeast. As he documents the native flora and fauna, Bartram searches for new medicinal plants and remedies that will improve the lives of the American colonists. In an epic push to reach the Mississippi River, Bartram traverses the entire Florida Territory, surviving perilous encounters with hostile Native Americans and deadly wildlife. Near the end of his journey, he must use all his newfound scientific knowledge to save his own life when he is suddenly afflicted with an unknown virus. At death’s door, he is saved by the very remedies he has been studying, and his story captures the imagination of thousands of Americans who dream of a future on the frontier.