The Finger Lakes Native Plant Society was founded in 1997 and is located in central New York. It is dedicated to promoting the appreciation of our native flora. Their newsletter-Solidago is published quarterly and is available on their website.
The Native Plant Center at Westchester Community College offers classes and certificates in sustainable use and conservation of native plants. They also have yearly plant sales.
New York Flora Association is open to anyone interested in New York’s flora. The NYFA Newsletter is published quarterly and includes information that pertains to all things flora in the state of New York.
According to their website the Long Island Native Plant Initiative (LINPI) was established in 2011 to make available local genotype plant material that is better adapted to Long Island’s unique environmental and cultural conditions. LINPI is a volunteer cooperative effort of over 30 non-profit organizations, governmental agencies, nursery professionals and citizens working together to preserve biodiversity and ecosystem function on Long Island by providing commercial sources of genetically appropriate local (ecotypic) plant materials for use in nursery, landscaping and habitat restoration activities.
The Fringed polygala, Polygaloides pauciflora, was chosen as New York’s 2016 Wildflower of the Year by New York Flora. This plant is also known as gaywings, fringed milkwort, bird-on-the-wing, and flowering wintergreen. This is an unusual looking wildflower and can be mistaken for an orchid or wintergreen when not in flower.
For information on how to grow native plants in New York City please see the New York Botanical Garden's Plant Information Guide on this topic.
Elizabeth Knight Britton (1858-1934) was an American botanist, bryologist and educator and along with her husband, Nathaniel Lord Britton, founded the New York Botanical Garden in 1891. She could be seen walking the garden tactfully reproaching the guests who were picking the flowers (a great many flowers) which led to the founding of the Wildflower Preservation Society of America in 1902.