Website:  www.npsot.org/kerrville

 January, 2009

NATIVES ON THE GROW

Dedicated to the understanding, preservation and enjoyment of the native flora of the Hill Country

The Kerrville Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas holds monthly meetings on the first Tuesday of the month (September through June) at Riverside Nature Center, 150 Francisco Lemos St. in Kerrville.  These meetings are free and open to the public

 

January Meeting

 “Native Plants From the Ground Up”
Speaker:  Bill Lindemann
Kerrville Native Plant Society
2 pm Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Riverside Nature Center

Bill Lindemann is an area naturalist who authors a regular newspaper column on "Birding in the Hill Country," and is a popular speaker on native plants and wildlife.
Bill will share how the 5,000 native plant species found in Texas have developed their niches for thriving in the natural landscapes of the state dependent on rainfall, temperature, and soils occurring within the 10 vegetative zones.
 
Reminder If you come to the RNC from the south, the Lemos Bridge remains closed.

Looking Ahead
Feb (evening!) meeting - Tues, Feb 3, 7 pm  - "Harvesting Rainwater For Wildlife," speaker - Mike Mecke
 

President’s Message
 
Thank you, everyone for supporting our first annual plant exchange party. The food was great and the selection of plants was even better.  It was so good to see and talk to everyone.  More than thirteen guests attended who are interested in native plants.
 
I hope that everyone’s plants are surviving the dry weather in 2008.  At least native plants are more able than most plants to stay alive in our alternating floods and draughts.  Hurray for native plants!
 
The Earth Day Celebration and Plant Sale will be Saturday, April 18 at Riverside Nature Center.  Texas Native Plant Society, Kerrville Chapter and Riverside Nature Center sponsor this event every year.  There will be a members-only plant sale Friday April 17 so you can have first selection of these fine native plants. Mark these dates on your calendar.
 
Hope everyone had a great Christmas and holiday season and that the New Year brings joy and a nice amount of rain for your plants.
 
Edna Platte
 

Getting Ready!
 PLANT DONATIONS FOR THE NATIVE PLANT SALE

 Your donated plants are very important for the success of the spring and fall plant sales at Riverside Nature Center. Donating your plants also gives you the opportunity enjoy sharing your extra plants with others.

 Please review these guidelines before donating your plants.

 ·       Native plants are preferred, but we also sell well-behaved, adaptive plants.
 ·        Please put your plant in a pot at least several months before the plant sale so its roots have time to fill the pot before it is sold.
 ·        Pot sizes are generally 4 inch, 1 quart, 1 gallon, 2 gallon and 5 gallon and the pots should be appropriate for the size of the plant.
 ·        Please keep your plants healthy and happy.  Healthy plants make buyers happy so they will return for our next sale. 
 ·        Please write down the name of the plant if you know it and attach it firmly to the pot. 
 ·        Please bring your plants to the Riverside Nature Center pavilion from Tuesday through Thursday before the April 17 and 18 Plant Sale.  There will be a signup sheet on the table by the pavilion entrance.  If you leave your name and address and list your plants, Riverside will send you a donor letter for your plants.

 Thank you very much for helping our Plant Sale.

For more information contact the plant sale co-chairs:

 Edna Platte                                        Priscilla Stanley

257-2185                                           pjbstan@ktc.com

platte@ktc.com

 

  Library Garden

Watch the upcoming newsletters for garden workday schedule.

 An Important Message to Kerr County Residents

Many thanks to Hunt Garden Club member and long time Hunt resident, Pat Nelson,

for sharing the following information.

Invasive Plant to Avoid

 The ailanthus or Tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima) has found its way into Texas from the eastern United States, where it is regarded as a severe ecological threat.  It was imported from China in the 18^th and 19^th centuries.  This tree is a prolific seed producer. It can quickly take over a site, forming an impenetrable thicket.  At the same time, its roots produce a toxin that is poisonous to surrounding trees.  I first observed its ability to take control while driving through the state of Virginia.  The highway was lined with ailanthus trees more than 50 feet tall; there were no native hardwoods to be seen.

 Imagine our West Kerr County  roads lined with these trees, which are already visible along Highway 39 and Junction Highway 27.  Sightings include the area around Main Street and Francisco Lemos, around bridges near Ingram, above the Ingram Dam and in Hunt.  There is a small tree growing directly across from the Hunt Store and some more in the area toward the river.  Further out about two miles past the Hunt Store on Highway 39 and along the south side of the river is a thick cluster of more than 50 of these trees from seedlings to trees of 40 or 50 feet in height.  With the landowner’s permission, we have carefully treated these trees in a manner recommended for control.  Cutting down the trees only causes them to send out suckers and more trees.

 The ailanthus trees are deciduous.  They are also known as Chinese sumac and do resemble some of our native trees such as the prairie sumac (Rhus lanceolata).  They can be confused with pecans and walnut.  These trees emit an unpleasant odor.  They flower in the spring; flowers are yellowish.  Sighting these trees may take someone very familiar with their appearance.  There is a database (see www.texasinvasives.org) to record sightings of invasive trees. 

 Our roadways and lands are also overrun with other invasive plants, such as the Chinaberry (Melia azedarach).  Invasive trees are very hard to remove and reproduce abundantly.  Check with the websites re invasive plants before making selections for planting.  Today’s fast growing landscaping trees may become an ecological threat. 

 For more information and for visuals, check the website below or Google search:  Ailanthus altissima

Websites:  www.texasinvasives.org/Invasives_Database/Results/Detail.asp?Symbol=AIAL

www.nps.gov/plants/alien/fact/aiall.htm

 Pat Nelson

 Helpful hints about membership dues

 Membership dues cannot be accepted locally.  They must be sent to the State Office, which is now in Fredericksburg at the following address.

Native Plant Society of Texas
P.O. Box 3017
Fredericksburg, TX 78624

 The membership form is available at chapter meetings and the NPSOT website www.npsot.org.

When completing the form please indicate the Kerrville chapter name because our chapter gets refunded a portion of the dues for our chapter expenses.

If you are renewing your membership, please send your renewal to the address above and include your membership ID to ensure we credit the correct account.
Also include any address, phone or email changes.
(You will find your membership ID printed on the mailing label of the state newsletter.)

Membership Categories and Annual Dues:

 Benefits of Joining the Native Plant Society of Texas

Goals:

    To educate both its members and the general public and to foster a greater awareness and understanding of our native flora;
 To preserve rare and endangered species and their habitats;
 To encourage landscaping with appropriate native plants, for their beauty, ease of maintenance, and water-conserving qualities;
 To protect, conserve and restore native plants threatened by development;
 To encourage the responsible propagation of native plants;
 To promote an appreciation and understanding of current, historical and potential uses of native plants.

See membership information above.

Please support our sponsors!

 

DO YOU NEED A NPSOT NAME TAG?

Some new members do not have a nametag. Some members have misplaced their nametag.  Nametags are kept at RNC and brought out for each NPSOT meeting. If you do not have a nametag, please contact the VP-Membership, Mike Mecke mmecke@stx.rr.com or 830-896-0805 so we can make you one.