Triton College Library Website: Library Blog

Native Plants

Spring is here!

To celebrate, let's take a look at an interesting horticulture project that's taking off! The restoration of native plants is a conservation project that uses horticulture techniques to reintroduce native plants to their natural environs. 

Why Are Native Plants Important?

According to The Conservation Foundation's article on native plant gardens, "[b]y gardening with plants that are adapted to the Illinois environment, you harmonize your yard with the rhythms of our local ecosystem" (from Ali McIlvain's "How We Redesigned Our Native Plant Garden" article for The Conservation Foundation). Native plants support their local ecosystem. The animals and insects that are local to Illinois are best adapted to thrive off of native plants.

Illinois is one of the primary birthplaces for monarch butterflies. According to data gathered by the Monarch Joint Venture, "the Midwest produced relatively more monarch butterflies that migrate to Mexico than other breeding regions" (from Monarch Joint Venture's editors' article "New Publication Reveals Birthplaces of Eastern Monarchs"). Milkweed is a plant native to Illinois that is crucial for the conservation of the monarch butterfly. Monarchs lay their eggs on milkweed plants and monarch caterpillars eat the leaves and stems of the milkweed after they're born (from American Meadows' editors' article "Best Wildflowers For Attracting Monarchs To The Garden"). 

What Does a Native Garden Look Like?

(Photo Credit: from The Village of Northbrook IL's article "Native Plant Recommendations" Village Hall Demonstration Rain Garden).

To see more pictures of Northbrook's Village Hall Demonstration Rain Garden, check out their progress update as of January 2022.

(Photo Credit: from Northern Illinois University's Institute for the Study of Environment, Sustainability and Energy's article "Home Native Planting").

(Photo Credit: from Eastern Illinois University's H.F. Thut Greenhouse's article "The Secret Garden").

(Photo Credit: from Good-Natured Landscapes' Naperville Project Wildlife Habitat).

(Photo Credit: from the University of Illinois at Chicago's Green Campus Initiative's "Little Prairie on the Campus" Habitat).

Learning More About Native Plants

• Illinois Department of Natural Resources Division of Natural Heritage's Guide to Native Plant Restoration
• Plant Conservation Alliance's "An Introduction to Using Native Plants in Restoration Projects"
• The Illinois Native Plant Society
• The Conservation Foundation's article from Ali McIlvain: "How We Redesigned Our Native Plant Garden"
• Plant Native's article "Illinois Native Plants for Landscaping"
• Illinois Department of Natural Resources' article "Native Habitat Descriptions, Requirements, and Plant Lists"
• The Village of Northbrook IL's article "Native Plant Recommendations"

Books About Native Plants and Illinois Wildflowers

Triton College Horticulture Department

If you'd like to learn more about native plants, horticulture, or general plant care, you should check out what classes are offered by our Horticulture Department! You can also go for a garden walk in Triton's Botanical Garden and see what's growing! 

Thanks for reading! We hope to see you in the library again soon!