Earl Lemley Core (January 20, 1902 – December 8, 1984) was an American botanist and botanical educator, researcher, author and historian of West Virginia.

He was founder of the Southern Appalachian Botanical Club and editor of its journal, Castanea, for thirty-five years.

He also prepared a collection of weekly botanical writings for the Charleston (West Virginia) Gazette entitled The Wondrous Year.

Late in life he embarked upon an extensive five-volume history of Monongalia County, West Virginia (1974–84), completing the last volume shortly before his death.

This material had been published over a period of 12 years in a weekly column of the Morgantown Dominion Post newspaper.