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Native Plant Society of Texas

Member News: Native Plant Student Art Showcased

Craig Dalton

By Liz Moyer, Trinity Forks Chapter

GREAT JOB & congratulations to the Trinity Forks Chapter on their 15th annual Texas Native Plant Art Exhibition of student art! The exhibition is an annual collaborative project sponsored by Trinity Forks, the Elm Fork Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalists, and Texas Woman’s University, College of Arts and Sciences. The purpose of the project is to raise awareness of the importance of native plants and educate students about the role of native plants in conservation and our natural heritage.

The exhibition began with one school in 2009 and has now expanded to 25 Denton ISD elementary schools. With Texas Native Plant Month and National Native Plant Month just around the corner in April, it’s never too early to start planning community outreach activities to help inspire and recruit new generations of native plant advocates!

For more information, contact Marilyn Blanton at marilynblanton42@gmail.com

The native plant artwork will be displayed at several more locations in Denton.
The traveling art exhibit also helps build awareness about the Society and all of its activities with young people and the general public.
In 2023, 837 pictures of native plants were created by fourth grade students in their art classes.

Did you like this article? It’s from our Winter 2024 Texas Native Plants magazine. Read more here

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