Summary: This issue of Aquilegia reflects on a year of growth, conservation achievements, and community engagement within the Colorado Native Plant Society. Highlights include organizational accomplishments in advocacy and rare plant protection, recognition of volunteers and botanists whose work advanced the Society’s mission, and an overview of educational programs that reached hundreds of participants across Colorado. The feature article, Colorado Native Plant Survey: Voices of the Green Industry, examines the expanding role of native plants in restoration, landscaping, and sustainable horticulture, emphasizing both market opportunities and ecological responsibility. Additional pieces celebrate botanical illustration, announce new educational resources for native landscaping, honor the legacy of alpine ecologist Bettie Willard, and promote workshops, symposia, and chapter activities designed to strengthen public understanding and appreciation of Colorado’s native flora.

Plant Species: Plant species and plant groups mentioned in this issue include Penstemon grahamii, Ptilagrostis porteri, mosses, lichens, milkweeds, problem weeds, grasses, willows, Senecio, alpine wildflowers, cottongrass (Eriophorum gracile), Comarum palustre, buffalograss, smooth brome (Bromopsis inermis), Ute ladies’-tresses orchid (Spiranthes diluvialis), native trees, native shrubs, Castilleja lanata (Woolly Paintbrush), Phlox mesoleuca (White-Eyed Phlox), Salvia summa (Supreme Sage), chimpanzees’ habitat vegetation, alpine flora, and Colorado’s rare plant communities.

Keywords: year in review, society business, annual meeting, conservation advocacy, native plant survey, green industry, restoration ecology, native landscaping, sustainable horticulture, biodiversity, invasive species, noxious weeds, habitat restoration, water conservation, xeriscaping, ecological stewardship, botanical illustration, public outreach, education programs, chapter activities, research grants, rare plant conservation, alpine ecology, Bettie Willard, volunteer recognition, native plant workshops, horticulture, plant communities, environmental education, and community engagement.

Summary: This Annual Meeting Edition of Aquilegia centers on the Colorado Native Plant Society’s annual gathering and explores the ecological significance of the Front Range transition zone where mountains meet the plains. The issue highlights the threats facing these interconnected ecosystems, including urban development, altered fire regimes, and invasive weeds, while emphasizing the importance of restoration and stewardship. Readers are introduced to the meeting’s educational sessions covering foothill ecology, grassland restoration, invasive species management, native landscaping, and the habitat needs of the threatened Preble’s meadow jumping mouse. Additional content includes a field report documenting volunteer efforts to remove invasive weeds from the Indian Peaks Wilderness, poetry celebrating native landscapes, educational opportunities through Denver Botanic Gardens, chapter events, and an extensive catalog of native plant publications and resources available to members. Together, these articles reflect the Society’s commitment to conservation, public education, volunteerism, and the appreciation of Colorado’s diverse native ecosystems.

Plant Species: Plant species and plant groups mentioned in this issue include American currant, wildflowers, native plants, Dodecatheon pauciflorum (shooting stars), yellow pond lilies, rose pussytoes, Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense), yellow toadflax (Linaria vulgaris), Cirsium centaureae, Cirsium eatonii, lanceleaf moonwort (Botrychium lanceolatum), arctic gentian (Pneumonanthe affinis), bottle gentian (Gentianodes algida), yellow monkeyflower (Mimulus floribundus), alpine avens (Acomastylis rossii), ground-pine (Lycopodium annotinum), Senecio triangularis, Senecio spartiodes, cow parsnip (Heracleum sphondylium ssp. montanum), grasses, lichens, riparian plants, prairie plants, shrubs, trees, penstemons, mushrooms, legumes, sagebrush, berries, vines, and Colorado’s rare plants.

Keywords: annual meeting, Front Range ecology, mountains and plains, transition zone, foothill ecosystems, prairie ecosystems, habitat conservation, Preble’s meadow jumping mouse, invasive weeds, weed management, ecological restoration, grassland restoration, urban-wildland interface, fire history, forest change, native landscaping, water-wise gardening, volunteer stewardship, field reports, wilderness conservation, Denver Botanic Gardens, plant identification, environmental education, chapter activities, native plant publications, rare plant conservation, botanical resources, public outreach, conservation awareness, and community engagement.

Summary: This issue of Aquilegia blends society updates with a rich exploration of ethnobotanical traditions associated with Colorado’s native flora. A featured article by Donald L. Hazlett examines the cultural significance and traditional uses of five native plants sold in regional boticas (herb stores), highlighting the intersection of Indigenous, Spanish American, and modern plant knowledge. The newsletter also reports on leadership transitions within the Colorado Native Plant Society, recognizes research grant recipients supporting botanical study and conservation, and honors the life and contributions of longtime member Mary Elizabeth Edwards. Additional sections include book reviews, chapter programming focused on restoration, propagation, phytoremediation, and native gardening, as well as opportunities for members to engage through workshops, volunteer leadership, and educational events. Together, these articles reflect the Society’s commitment to conservation, scientific inquiry, cultural understanding, and community participation in the stewardship of Colorado’s native plants.

Plant Species: Plant species and plant groups mentioned in this issue include Monarda fistulosa (wild bergamot), Physaria bellii (Bell’s twinpod), bryophytes, Sphaeralcea coccinea (scarlet globemallow, yerba de la negrita), Liatris punctata (blazing star, cachana), Asclepias asperula (antelope horn, inmortal), Equisetum spp. (horsetail, scouring rush), Ephedra spp. (Mormon tea), Chloris virgata (five-finger grass, zacate de cinco dedos), Chiranthodendron pentadactylon (flor de manita), Mandragora officinarum (mandrake), columbines (Aquilegia spp.), Paraquilegia spp., Semiaquilegia spp., penstemons (Penstemon spp.), trees, shrubs, vines, cacti, agaves, orchids, sedges, ferns, butterfly garden plants, alpine plants, and native species used in restoration and environmental remediation.

Keywords: ethnobotany, boticas, traditional plant use, Spanish American herbal traditions, native plant conservation, research grants, botanical education, cultural plant knowledge, medicinal plants, plant folklore, restoration ecology, phytoremediation, native plant propagation, butterfly gardening, soil-plant-microbe relationships, paleobotany, native landscaping, environmental cleanup, botanical literature, chapter activities, volunteer leadership, plant identification, community outreach, citizen science, conservation research, educational workshops, native gardening, and Colorado flora.