Henry B. Plant High School was built in 1926 and has 2,456 students. Plant High School is 87 and the second oldest in Hillsborough County. Plant leads the district in Florida Academic Scholars and Gold Seal Graduates.
The Plant’s mascot is a panther, and the school colors are black and gold. Plant’s motto is “Strength through Unity.” The school is named after railroad pioneer Henry B. Plant, who donated the land to the school districts in the 20s. Most of that building stands today, with administration preserving the main building facing Himes Avenue. Although Plant is a public school without magnet programs, nearly 95 percent of Plant students plan to attend college after graduation.
Panther Pride
Athletically, Plant has excelled under the direction of Coach Robert Wiener. During his coaching, he led the Panthers to a state championship title four times and produced several great quarterbacks, including Robert Marve (Miami-Purdue), Aaron Murray (Georgia) and Philip Ely (Alabama). Plant also has a fantastic music program comprising a full orchestra, marching band, and choir.
Founder
Henry Bradley Plant founded the Plant System of railroads and steamship lines that, in the 1880s, helped connect Tampa and the entire state to places such as Havana, Mobile, Jamaica, and Key West. Throughout the years, Plant founded some of the most luxurious hotels in Florida, including Tampa Bay Hotel, the campus of the University of Tampa and the Hotel Belleview in Clearwater. Henry B. Plant is named after many notable buildings in Tampa Bay, including Morton Plant Hospital and Plant High School.