Plant species utilized by Cherokees have been documented by several authors. However, many of the traditional uses of plants were lost or forgotten in the generations following the Trail of Tears. The pressures of overcoming the physical and psychological impact of the removal, adapting to a new landscape, rebuilding a government, rebuilding communities and families, and learning new farming and business practices all contributed to the loss. Combined with the physical absence of nearly one-third of the vegetation that they knew from the Southeast, the impact on traditional practices could easily have been as devastating as James Mooney's description makes it sound. In this article, the author discusses how Cherokee people overcame the loss of nearly one-third of the plants they relied on and adapted to the new landscape of the West. The author provides examples of the many strategies that prevented the outright abandonment of traditional plant usage from occurring. Many species were lost as a result of the Trail of Tears, but innovation and perseverance allowed many to be found again. (Contains 2 figures, 3 tables and 12 notes.)