“On March 27th, 2026, Senate Resolution 665 was approved with unanimous bipartisan consent designating April 2026 as National Native Plant Month.”
I started the Trillium Center in part to cultivate native plants and find ways to teach herbalism that support healing practices rooted in regenerative farming and foraging.
The center’s namesake, trillium is listed as a plant that is critically at-risk by United Plant Savers. Here is a snippet from a UpS article:
“United Plant Savers, a non-profit founded in 1994 dedicated to native medicinal plant conservation, listed trillium species on its “At-Risk” list, but has now moved it to “Critical”. There are several common species that are abundant and easy to cultivate and provide accessible analogs for the traditional uses of trillium. Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca) is an effective uterine tonic. Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) can be used as a plant that is very effective as an anti-hemorrhage herb as well as Shepherd’s purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris), which is also useful as an astringent. Raspberry leaf (Rubus idaeus) is used to tonify the reproductive system. United Plant Savers supports the work of those who are dedicated to cultivating trillium for the horticulture trade and for conservation purposes. Without any efforts to use cultivated sources of trillium for the commercial trade in herbal products, compounded by the fragility of such a slow growing woodland spring ephemeral, United Plant Savers advocates for the ending of the trillium trade in commercial herbal products.” View their website to learn more.
Native Plant Month is only for April 2026 unless further resolutions are passed to promote awareness of native plants. To learn more and support continuing resolutions, visit https://nationalnativeplantmonth.org/
Although we have a beautiful stand of trillium, I mostly leave them alone. When I come across seeds, I plant them in new places to help them spread. I use other plants, like those mentioned above, for anything with indications for trillium. I plan to create a trillium garden with multiple species at the new forest healing center that will become the hub for my classes, consultations, and other healing activities.
Support my work so I can buy plants and seeds for the garden! Your name will be listed on the garden's placard as a person who cares about the survival of native plants.