Plant　structural　parameters　are　important　for　ecological　studies　and　for　monitoring　the　environment.　Terrestrial　laser　scanning　has　become　a　widely　accepted　technique　for　acquiring　accurate　high-density　three-dimensional　information　about　plant　surfaces;　however,　this　instrument　is　expensive,　technically　challenging　to　operate,　heavy,　and　difficult　to　transport　to　hard-to-reach　areas　such　as　dense　forests　and　undeveloped　areas　without　easy　vehicle　access.　Using　Haloxylon　ammodendron,　a　plant　widely　distributed　in　arid　lands,　as　an　example,　we　used　a　consumer-grade　handheld　camera　to　take　a　series　of　overlapping　images　of　this　plant.　Computer　vision　and　photogrammetric　software　were　used　to　reconstruct　highly　detailed　three-dimensional　data　of　the　plant　surface.　This　surface　data　was　compared　to　the　point　cloud　of　the　plant　acquired　from　concomitant　terrestrial　laser　scanning.　We　demonstrated　that　the　accuracy　and　degree　of　completeness　of　the　image-derived　point　clouds　are　comparable　to　that　of　laser　scanning.　Plant　structural　parameters　(such　as　tree　height　and　crown　width)　and　three-dimensional　models　extracted　from　the　point　clouds　also　agree　well　with　a　relative　difference　of　less　than　5%.　Our　case　study　shows　that　a　common　camera　and　image　processing　software　can　be　an　affordable,　highly　portable,　and　viable　option　for　acquiring　accurate　and　detailed　high-density　and　high-resolution　three-dimensional　information　about　plant　structure　in　the　environment.　This　digitization　technique　can　record　the　plant　and　its　surrounding　environment　effectively　and　efficiently,　and　it　can　be　applied　to　many　ecological　fields　and　studies.　©　2018　The　Authors.　Ecology　and　Evolution　published　by　John　Wiley　&　Sons　Ltd.