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Native Plant Society of Texas

North Central Chapter

Programs — Demonstration Gardens

Our demonstration gardens are open to the public and serve as both an educational resource and a source for inspiration. Volunteers help care for the gardens every month; some gardens are tended every week. If you are interested in lending a hand, please contact us. We’d love to see you there!
 

Container Pollinator Garden at UUMC

LOCATION: 2416 West Berry Street, Fort Worth TX 76110 at University United Methodist Church. Enter the parking lost on Forest Park Blvd, across from Paschal

Bed of native plants with a sign that reads "Texas Native Plant Demonstration Garden"

Southwest Sub-Courthouse Garden

LOCATION: 6551 Granbury Rd, Fort Worth, TX 76133 Volunteer Workdays: to be scheduled, please contact us to be added to the volunteer list for this

O.S. Gray Natural Area

LOCATION: O.S. Gray Natural Area, Arlington TX. Volunteer Workdays: Second Saturday of each month. Please contact us if you’d like to be added to the

The Molly Hollar Wildscape

LOCATION: 2866 Spanish Trail, Arlington, TX 76016 Workdays: Every Wednesday, and first Saturday, of the month. If you’d like to volunteer at this garden, please

Fort Worth Zoo Pollinator Garden

LOCATION: 1989 Colonial Parkway, Fort Worth, TX. Located on the east side of the Fort Worth Zoo’s parking lot. Workdays: 2nd and 4th Fridays of

White Settlement Monarch Waystation

LOCATION: 8213 White Settlement Rd, White Settlement TX, 76108 Volunteer Days: Every Wednesday, 9:00 am to 11:00 am. (Summer hours start at 8:00am) In the

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