Native plants do more than look beautiful — they bring landscapes to life. By providing essential food and shelter, native plants support birds and wildlife all year long, boost biodiversity, and attract natural predators that help keep pests in check.

Because they’re perfectly adapted to local soil and climate, native plants need less water, fertilizer, and pesticides, making them a smart choice for sustainable, low-maintenance landscapes. They also help reduce erosion, filter stormwater runoff, and fight climate change by capturing carbon.

The result? Healthier ecosystems that benefit birds, wildlife, people, and the planet!

At Aullwood, you can explore the world of native plants through hands-on learning experiences — and even purchase native plants to bring these benefits home to your own landscape.

Native Plant Speaker Series

Location: Charity A. Krueger Farm Discovery Center, 9101 Frederick Pike, Dayton, OH 45414

Sunday, February 15, 2026 – 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. – Native Plants for Beginners with Courtney Denning, Deeply Rooted Landscapes - Click here for program details and to pre-register!

Sunday, March 15, 2026 – 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. – Powers of Community Science: Using apps to get closer to Nature with Sam Romeo, Environmental Educator, Aullwood Audubon - Click here for program details and to pre-register!

Sunday, April 12, 2026 – 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. – Decoding the Wild: Cues to Care in Native Gardens with Courtney Denning, Deeply Rooted Landscapes - Click here for program details and to pre-register!

Native Plant Backyard Challenge

We challenge YOU to introduce native plants in your yard!

Register your household for the 2026 Aullwood Audubon Native Plant Backyard Challenge and join a community effort to transform outdoor spaces into thriving native habitats. The challenge supports and motivates local and regional participants through education and hands-on inspiration tied to Aullwood’s Native Plant Sale and Native Plant Speakers’ Series. Registrants receive a comprehensive Planning Guide, access to workshops with local experts, free admission to the Speaker Series, and entry into an exclusive Facebook group for advice, resources, and community discussion led by Aullwood staff. Participants can also sponsor another household to join the challenge at no cost, helping expand the impact of native plant landscaping.

For details and to register for the Native Plant Backyard Challenge, Click here!

Aullwood’s Native Plant Sale – Save the Dates!

Aullwood’s Native Plant Sale—one of the area’s largest and earliest of the season—returns Friday, April 24, 2026 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Saturday, April 25, 2026 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Charity A. Krueger Farm Discovery Center, 9101 Frederick Pike, Dayton, OH 45414. Shop from more than 12,000 plants representing 181 species suited for prairie, wetland, and woodland habitats, including spring ephemerals, flowering plants, grasses, sedges, shrubs, and trees. Proceeds support Aullwood’s environmental education and conservation programs. New this year, please bring your own boxes to carry and transport plants.

Click here to view the 2026 Native Plant Sale catalog; availability may vary due to potential crop failures.