Active learning pedagogies offer opportunities to increase student engagement and interest in plants. The Mystery Plant Project is a hands-on, semester-long active learning pedagogy I developed for an introductory, undergraduate Plant Biology course. Students investigate various aspects of their mystery plant species using observations, and knowledge and skills acquired through lectures and laboratory sessions. The culmination of this inquiry involves identification of the mystery plant. During the first week, students receive unidentified seeds they germinate and grow in the greenhouse for 14-15 weeks. Students are responsible for determining what to examine and how, interpreting their observations, and their projects' endpoint. The course's structured and scaffolded lecture and laboratory components support student progress on the project. In addition to a comprehensive paper describing their plant's botany, students share their findings in a creative presentation. Students value the hands-on reflective learning approach, practical application of their newfound knowledge, the opportunity to take ownership of their learning, and their enhanced plant awareness. This pedagogical approach offers instructors an alternative strategy to enhance student engagement and curiosity about plants. It can be a valuable tool to address plant awareness disparity and can be integrated into any undergraduate Plant Biology course.