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Native Plant Society of Texas

South Texas Chapter

Upcoming Events

Have an idea for a program or field trip? Email us and let us know!

March 8 meeting 10:00 am at Gill Garden Center, Corpus Christi Sustaining Wildlife with Native Plants by Wyatt Page, Assistant Manager of Gill Garden and a member of the Native Plant Society of Texas

Our Spring Field trip opportunity is to attend the Welder Wildlife Foundation Wildflower workshop.

Welder Wildflower Workshop Friday April 4, 2025 9:00 am-4:00 pm Activities include education in wildflower ecology, native plant collection on the private Welder Wildlife Refuge, plant identification, and plant preparation & pressing to create your own herbarium or plant material for craft projects. The $50 registration includes educational resources, supplies and equipment, and lunch. Follow this link to register online; welderwildlife.org

Directions to Welder Wildlife Foundation—From the intersection of Texas highways 188, 181, and 89 east of Sinton, turn onto TX 89 and travel 2.0 miles to US 77. Turn right to enter the ramp onto US Hwy 77 north. Go 6.1 miles on 77 to the white Spanish-style gatehouse entrance to Welder. From Refugio, go south on US 77 17.1 miles from the intersection of 77 and Alt 77/183. Turn at the white Spanish-style gatehouse and wait at the gate for the Welder escort

Spring Fling focusing on Native Plants

Lake Corpus Christi State Park, Saturday May 4, 12 pm – 3 pm

  • Some of the activities:
  • Native Plant Sale
  • Make a Seed Ball
  • Wanted: Invasives
  • DIY Insect Antenna
  • Pollinator Coloring Sheet Station
  • DIY Pollinator Friend
  • Drip Line Irrigation How-To
  • Using iNaturalist & Field Guides
  • Native Wildflower Seed Give Away-
  • Native Plant Society of South Texas

Monarch Butterfly Tent with Native Plants, HummerBird Celebration,
September 19,20,21, at Fulton Community Center

Native Plant Sale by Mid-Coast Texas Master Naturalists at the HummerBird Celebration,
September 19,20,21 at Fulton Community Center

Fall Dedication of Monarch Waystation and Monarch Butterfly Program at South Texas Botanical Gardens & Nature Center. Date TBA

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