NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY OF TEXAS
Kerrville
Chapter
OCTOBER
NEWSLETTER - 2003
NATIVES
ON THE GROW
Dedicated
to the understanding, preservation and enjoyment of the native flora of
the Hill Country
October Program:
Bigtooth
Maples:
and
Why There Aren’t More of Them
Baxter Adams of Love Creek Nursery will give a presentation entitled “Bigtooth Maples and Why There Aren’t More of Them” at our October 7th meeting beginning at 2 PM. Adams owns and operates the Love Creek Nursery in Medina, where he is currently growing 7,000 bigtooth maple trees. He estimates that he has sold 25,000 bigtooth maples over the past six years.
After a career in Houston as a geologist, Adams moved to Medina in 1981 and purchased Love Creek Ranch. He and his wife, Carol, planted an experimental apple orchard, which eventually led to the current apple-growing industry in Texas. The Adams lived on their ranch for twenty years, and then sold 1400 pristine acres to The Nature Conservancy to become Love Creek Preserve. The Adams also own and operate the Cider Mill Restaurant and Country Store in Medina.
The only maple tree recommended by the Texas Forest Service for planting in the Hill Country’s alkaline soils is the bigtooth maple (Acer grandidentatum). Please join us for this unique talk by a recognized expert on bigtooth maples.
IN MEMORIUM: bETTY wINNINGHAM
We have very sad news for our members who have not heard. Betty Winningham passed away on August 29th. As most of you know, Betty was a long-time supporter of native plants, and was President of our Kerrville Chapter last year. Our sincere condolences go to her husband, David. A lovely Memorial service was held in her garden on their Ranch. Her many friends and fellow native plant enthusiasts came from far and near to pay their respects.
Betty was a wonderful person to know and work with and she will be greatly missed by all who knew her. Betty was always so generous in sharing her extensive knowledge and love of native plants with our Chapter and others. Betty will live on in our hearts and in the many thousands of native plants she has grown that are now flourishing throughout the Hill Country and beyond.
Calendar
Tuesday, September 30th at 7 PM “Seed Collecting: Where It All Begins” by Barbara Lowenthal at NPSOT – Fredericksburg at the Gillespie County Agricultural Center, 1906 North Llano St. in Fredericksburg
Saturday, October 4th 8 AM – 3 PM “Down By the Riverside” Mostly-Native Plant Sale and Festival at Riverside Nature Center For detailed information on this event, call 257-4837, or visit Riverside’s website at http://www.riversidenaturecenter.org.
Tuesday, October 7th at 2 PM “Bigtooth Maples and Why There Aren’t More of Them” by Baxter Adams of Love Creek Nursery in Medina at NPSOT - Kerrville Chapter meeting held at Riverside Nature Center, 150 Francisco Lemos St, Kerrville
Wednesday, October 8th at 9 AM: Garden maintenance at the Kerrville Library Native Plant Garden, call Gwynn Jackson at 792-5997 for more information.
Tuesday, November 4 at 2 PM “Backyard Wildscapes” by Rufus Stephens of Texas Parks & Wildlife in Boerne at NPSOT – Kerrville.
OUR Kerrville Chapter receives “golden spigot” award
At the September 16th Kerrville Area Chamber of Commerce banquet, the Water Education Taskforce presented our President, John Quinby, with the “Golden Spigot” award in recognition of our “outstanding work in promoting water conservation”. The Water Education Taskforce is a collaboration of local groups working to conserve Kerr County ’s water resources. Taskforce members include the Headwaters Groundwater Conservation District, the Upper Guadalupe River Authority, the Kerr County Commissioners Court and the cities of Kerrville and Ingram. Non-profit members include the Riverside Nature Center , Kerrville Convention and Visitors Bureau, and both the West Kerr and Kerrville Area chambers of commerce.
The award was presented by Headwaters district member Doug Cavazos who noted that our Chapter “gives several grants each year to support native plantings and/or educational activities that promote the use of native flora to restore the area to a more natural habitat and to reduce or eliminate landscape watering.” Recipients of our Chapter’s grants have included Kerrville-Schreiner State Park butterfly garden and playscape hillside, Riverside Nature Center ’s Wildflower Meadow Restoration project, landscaping at the Kerr County Cooperative Extension Office, native trees for the new Singing Winds Park playground, and landscaping at the Center Point Historical Park
Native Plant Display Garden at the Kerrville Library
In 1996, our NPSOT - Kerrville Chapter created a garden displaying native perennials (including cacti and succulents), shrubs and trees suitable for landscape use. Chapter members have cared for this garden for seven years as part of our mission to share knowledge of the benefits of native plants with the public. John Quinby has been in charge of maintaining the garden for the past year. He expressed concerns to the other Board members and to our membership at the September meeting about our ability to continue this worthwhile project.
The
reasons for potentially discontinuing this project are as follows:
1. Getting enough volunteers on a regular basis has been difficult.
As a result John feels that the garden has not been maintained to the
standards that a garden should be and still have the NPSOT name on it as a
sponsor.
2. Very few
people may know about and/or visit the garden.
3. There
has been a problem with the homeless in the area dropping trash and
belongings in the garden area. This, of course, makes it very
unsightly and has been a continuing problem.
4. There are
other projects sponsored by our Chapter and other organizations in town
that have required the use of volunteers. These volunteers are
typically the same individuals and they are being 'stretched' on their
volunteer time.
We know some
members would be disappointed if we discontinued this project. Thus,
John explained this problem at our September meeting and asked for input
from our membership to any Board member.
There are potential solutions to most of the concerns expressed
above, but all of them require interest and participation by more of our
members. The Board needs to
determine if our membership is interested in rallying to help save our
Library
Native
Plant
Display
Garden
.
As a first step, the Board created the position of Volunteer Coordinator, which Gwynn Jackson graciously agreed to accept. Her appeal to our membership follows:
Volunteers! - Volunteers! - Volunteers! - Volunteers! - Volunteers!
If we are going
to continue the Native
Plant
Garden
at the Library we need
volunteers! If
you would be willing to help out for one to two hours a month, please call
Gwynn Jackson at 792-5997 with times that you would be available.
The plan is to try to
establish at least two work times per month.
You do not have to know anything about plants to help. For people new to this area, this is a great learning opportunity. This is also an opportunity for our experienced gardeners to share their knowledge of the plants, how they grow, how they should be pruned etc. Many of our members have learned about Hill Country native plants by working on volunteer projects such as this in the company of more experienced members.
If
we get volunteers to help, we can keep the garden. If
not, we may have to give it up. If
you haven't seen the garden this year, it is looking very good now.
If you are not sure about volunteering, please consider coming at
least once to see if you like it. Our
“plant nuturers” really have fun as they work.
NOW BLOOMING!
 |
||
| Photo
by Lady
Bird
Johnson
Wildflower
Center Gayfeather or Blazing Star Liatris mucronata |
Gayfeather (also known as Blazing Star) is a plant native to the Hill Country, having feathery purple flowers from August through October. This robust, perennial plant grows well in full sun on poor limestone soils and bare caliche. It may have one to several stiffly erect stems, reaching a height of 1 to 3 feet. The spike-like flower heads are 3 to 12 inches in length. Gayfeather can bring bright, dependable Fall color to your landscape.
Reference: Wildflowers of the Texas Hill Country by Marshall Enquist, p.208.
HOME-GROWN NATIVE PLANTS NEEDED
FOR EARTH DAY FUND RAISER IN APRIL
It may seem
early, but it really is time to plant those seeds for the Earth Day Plant
Sale for next year. The plants we grew and salvaged last year really
helped our profit and certainly gave us a wider variety. Try to grow
plants that are harder to find in the nursery and start them in the fall.
If you need seeds let me know and I can probably find some. The
thing that we learned last year was that it helped to have the plants in
consistent pots...so we will be providing 4" and 1 gal pots.
Let me know what you plan to grow so that we aren't all growing the same
thing, but get out and sow those seeds!
Please email Gwynn Jackson at yoga@ktc.com
or call her at 792-5997. By the way, it is also time to plant
your wildflower seeds in the garden.
Wildflower and Native Grass Catalogs Available
There is still time to plant wildflower seeds for a sea of blooms next Spring. Our sponsor, Native American Seed of Junction, TX, has sent us their new catalog, which includes advice on how and when to plant their seeds. We still have some catalogs that you can pick up at our October meeting. They have several new speical purpose seed mixes, Quail and Dove Mix, Hummers & Singers, Butterfly Retreat and Shade Friendly. Visit their website at www.seedsource.com .
“Down By the Riverside”: Mostly-Native Plant Sale and Festival:
October 4th at Riverside Nature Center
The Plant Sale begins at 8 AM, and admission to the Sale is free. The Festival begins at 10 AM, and has an admission charge of $5/family. For detailed information on this event, visit Riverside’s website at http://www.riversidenaturecenter.org or call 257-4837.
CHANGES IN OUR PLANT RAFFLE
Our Board has decided to modify our monthly Plant Raffle this year to give everyone an equal chance to take home a native plant. When both members and guests sign in at our welcoming table, each person will be given one free raffle ticket. Raffle tickets will not be sold, as in previous years.
For our September raffle, we would like to thank our sponsor, The Plant Haus 2 in Kerrville , for donating several native plants, including zexmenia, rose pavonia and mountain sage.
REFRESHMENTS!
Thanks go to Tommie Airhart and June Hartley for the delightful refreshments at our September meeting.
Refreshments at our October meeting will be provided by Jim and Priscilla Stanley.
Please send any suggestions or comments on this newsletter to the Editor: Priscilla Stanley at jpbstan@ktc.com
IN CELEBRATION OF THE COOLER WEATHER AND RAIN!
Many of our native plants bloomed faithfully through the summer, but most rested a bit in the August heat. Quite a few plants seem to be meeting the cooler, wetter autumn weather with renewed vigor and more colorful blooms. In particular, I have noticed that my Square-bud Primrose has become more floriferous.
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||
Photo by Priscilla Stanley SQUARE-BUD
PRIMROSE |
This Hill Country native is a bushy, semiwoody plant from 1 to 2 feet tall. The yellow flowers are about 2 inches wide with a black throat and a black stigma that extends well past the stamens. Some varieties have a yellow stigma and throat, or a combination in which one of these features is black and the other yellow. This perennial is reported to bloom from March to August. Obviously, my high-spirited Square-bud Primrose does not have a calendar since this photo was taken this week.
Reference: M. Enquist, Wildflowers of the Texas Hill Country, p. 113
Please send any suggestions or comments on this newsletter to the Editor: Priscilla Stanley at jpbstan@ktc.com