Celebrate Texas Native Plant Week 2021

**ARCHIVED POST **

Texas Native Plant Week 2021

Since 2009 the Texas legislature has designated the third full week in October as Texas Native Plant Week. This year, that week is October 17 – October 23, 2021. Members of the Native Plant Society of Texas were instrumental in establishing the designation, and over the years we have celebrated in a number of ways, with plant sales, BioBlitz, and our annual fall symposium. In 2021, we celebrated the installation of new signs at the Monarch Waystations with ribbon cuttings at rest areas along Interstate 35 in Bell County and Hill County. Earlier this month we held the fall symposium where we learned about the many ways Texans are utilizing and advocating for native plants.

How to celebrate Texas Native Plant Week

Here are a few ways you can celebrate Texas Native Plant week this year:

Annual Bioblitz

Go to iNaturalist BioBlitz Challenge 2021

The Native Plant Society of Texas is leading a bioblitz challenge for anyone to document the wild plants(plants that aren’t cultivated or planted) anywhere within the state. Observations need to be made from October 17 through October 23, and they need to have photo evidence so they can be verified by others. (NOTE: Plants observed should be wild and not cultivated. If you do document a cultivated plant, please mark it as cultivated!)

How to use iNaturalist for BioBlitz challenge

Watch the 2021 Fall Symposium live stream videos on YouTube

If you could not make the symposium, that is okay! Catch up with a handful of important livestreams on our YouTube.

Plant Sales 2021

Purchase native plants from one of our many chapters across the state. Upcoming sales include the following:

    • October 23, Boerne. Fall plant sale by Boerne Chapter at Herff Farm, 9am-2pm.
    • October 30, Arlington. The North Central Chapter is having their annual fall plant sale at River Legacy Park Elm Grove Pavilion 10 am to 2 pm.
    • October 30, Dallas. The Dallas Chapter will have their plant sale from 9am-12pm at Raincatcher’s Garden Pavilion on the property of Midway Hills Christian Church, 11001 Midway Rd. There will be a seed scavenger hunt, native plant coloring books for hand out and costumes welcome!

NLCP Classes

The Native Landscape Certification Program (NLCP) offers a variety of courses for all levels of home gardeners and professional landscapers. Classes available for Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, and Houston! See the class schedule.

Celebrate Together!

However you decide to celebrate this year’s Texas Native Plant Week whether by volunteering for your local chapter, shopping a plant sale, or participating in the bioblitz, be sure to let us know! You can find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

**ARCHIVED POST**

**ARCHIVED POST LINKS & PICTURES MAY NOT WORK**

**ARCHIVED POST AUTHOR: stephanie

About the Region

2026 Fall Symposium Logo

This low-elevations region of Texas extends inland from the barrier islands, about 60 or so miles, and stretches from Brownsville to Louisiana. In total, it covers about 9.5 million acres, with a high point of 150 feet in elevation. More than 1000 species of plants can be found in this region. On the southern end, species more common in Mexico (such as Sabal mexicana) and Central America occur.

The barrier islands provide us with dune systems, and clay flats to the inland side, which have species found in these areas alone. Many plants here, such as Ipomoea pes-caprae (beach morning glory), can be found throughout tropical regions of the globe. I’ve encountered the same species on the beaches of Guam.

Once inland, vast marshes and wet prairies occur. Occasionally, oak (Quercus fusiformis) groves can be found. Common grasses include species of Bothriochloa, Paspalum, and Sporobolus; eastern gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides); and switchgrass (Panicum species). Many rivers and creeks cut through the Gulf Prairies, and along these riparian areas various species of trees, Sabal minor, and other plants adapted to clay soils can be found. Due to overgrazing, farming, and fire suppression, woody species such as mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) and huisache (Acacia farnesiana), and invasive species such as chinaberry (Melia azedarach), Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius), and Chinese tallow (Sapium sebiferum) have increased and displaced our native flora.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason