NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY OF TEXAS
KERRVILLE CHAPTER

Website:  www.npsot.org/kerrville
May , 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

 May Meeting

Tues, May 5, 2 pm - Field trip to Butterfly Garden at Kerrville Schreiner Park.  (Public is invited)

Below is a photograph of the kiosk made possible through a grant from the NPSOT of Kerrville as well as a letter of thanks from Cathy Downs of the Kerrville State Park Butterfly Theater.

Attached please find a picture of the completed kiosk and it's builder, Bob Tanner, at the Butterfly Theater at Kerrville Schreiner Park. Our volunteer group would like to thank the Board and the Membership of Kerrville Chapter NPSOT for making this possible through your generous donation. The kiosk will be used to highlight interpretive information in reference to Butterfly ID, Monarch Conservation, advocacy for the use of native plants in the Butterfly Garden and notices or bulletins of current related events. The mission and support of the Native Plant Society has been and will continue to be vital to the work we do in the garden. Cathy Downs
Project Coordinator
KSP Butterfly Theater
mzdowns@hctc.net

Kerrville-Schreiner Park Butterfly Garden
The Butterfly Garden contains many native flowers that look lovely now with the new rain.
Cathy Downs will give a presentation on the Butterfly Garden and  Barbara Lowenthal will discuss how the Butterfly Garden originated.  Many of our members have participated in the development and maintenance of this garden.

It's recommended that attendees bring water, a hat, sun-block, insect repellent, walking shoes and the guidebook WILDFLOWERS OF THE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY, by Marshall Enquist, if you already own it.
After the meeting is over, you may want to walk along the river or through the meadows on your own to see what else is blooming, or come before the meeting and bring a picnic lunch.
Two options:
#1Meet at the Butterfly Garden at 2 pm. There is an admission fee to the Park: $4 per adult, $2 for 65+, maximum $10 per carload, or free with a Park annual pass.
To save on fees, anyone attending the meeting -- especially anyone with a Park pass -- is invited to meet at 1:45 at the Exxon Station/ Mini-Mart on 173, just east of Loop 534.There is parking available in front of and behind the small strip center, which is less than 2 blocks from the Park entrance.  We will put as many people in a car as it will safely hold.
#2 Drive directly to the Park and meet at the Butterfly Garden.

Directions to the Park from downtown Kerrville:  Take Sidney Baker/16 south across the Guadalupe River, then turn left onto Bandera Hwy/ 173 and continue through the Loop 534 intersection. The Park entrance will be on your left. The Butterfly Park will be behind the registration building and to the left.

Here's a link to a map of the Park. http://tx-kerrville.civicplus.com/DocumentView.asp?DID=1652  <http://tx-kerrville.civicplus.com/DocumentView.asp?DID=1652%C2%A0> ;

 Looking Ahead

* Note time change

June 2   7:00   Riverside Nature Center

Since Mr. Turner works, we will have an evening meeting on June 2.  

This is a terrific opportunity.   Matt Turner, author of Remarkable Plants of Texas: Uncommon Accounts of our Common Natives (University of Texas Press, 2009) will speak and autograph books at our June 2 meeting.  

 Brief biography:

Matt Warnock Turner, author of Remarkable Plants of Texas: Uncommon Accounts of Our Common Natives (University of Texas Press 2009), is a naturalist, teacher, and free-lance writer who works at the University of Texas McCombs School of Business.  An active member of the Native Plant Society of Texas, he has published both scientific and popular articles on botanical topics and has conducted nature walks at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.  A fifth-generation Texan, he is a native of Austin where he currently resides.

For more info and to order book: 

http://www.utexas.edu/utpress/excerpts/exturrem.html   

 Website:  www.drmattturner.com  

 President’s Message

Dear NPSOT members and friends,
Rain! Isn’t it wonderful to see all our plants green and blooming!
            The Earth Day plant sale was a success, thanks to everyone’s hard work. Many of NPSOT members participated in the sale--at the cashier’s table, donating plants, providing advice on the best plants, greeting visitors, selecting plants to sell, being at the NPSOT table or buying plants. Three NPSOT members, Mike Mecke and Sandy and Raul Peña gave the presentations about rainwater harvesting. Most plants were sold by noon. The Earth Day event and plant sale is sponsored by NPSOT and Riverside Nature Center. The proceeds from the plant sale are divided between NPSOT and RNC.
             Thank you so much for everything you did at Earth Day and for attending our meetings. We try to make a difference in people’s knowledge, appreciation and use of native plants in the Texas Hill Country. Your friends and acquaintances are always welcome at the meetings.

Edna Platte

 President

Native Plant Society of Texas, Kerrville Chapter

Library Garden

The native plant garden, located behind Butt-Holdsworth Public Library, looks good .  However, we need a “manager” and a few volunteers in order to continue sponsoring this garden. The garden is established, has at least 45 different native plants and is easy to visit. However, the garden needs more attention in order to present a good image for NPSOT.  Please help.

Come join us at the Library Garden on Tuesday, May 12. I will be there from 8:00 am until about 10:30.  Bring yourself, a few garden tools and gloves. 

Election of Officers

A brief business meeting will be held at the May 2 meeting. At this time officers for the upcoming year will be elected. The proposed slate is shared below.

Proposed Slate

2009-2010  

Featured Native Plant of the Month

Common Name: Texas Firecracker Plant, Flame Acanthus

Scientific Name: Anisacanthus quadrifidus var. wrightii

 Photographer: Bill Lindemann

Type: Shrub

Height: to 4 feet

Bloom Period: June to frost

Longevity: Perennial

Growth habit: Deciduous, colonizes

Growing conditions: Drought tolerant, sun

Branches: many, brittle, slender

Leaves: small, opposite, pale green

Flowers: numerous in elongated raceme inflorescence, long-tubular, reddish-orange, orange

Grows from: seeds, seedlings and cuttings

Availability: local nurseries that carry native plants

NOT deer resistant

Remarks: This small shrub is very desirable, especially in a butterfly garden. It blooms prolifically during the summer and early fall. It is visited by hummingbirds and butterflies. Flame acanthus is both a nectar plant and a larval plant for the Crimson Patch butterfly. 

 A great specimen of this plant may be found across from the milkweed pocket garden in the meadow at the Riverside Nature Center. Mid to late summer you will often find on the plants the white and black caterpillar of the Crimson Patch butterfly.

 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.

 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.