Trinity Forks Chapter

Newsletters-Trinity Forks Native Plant Press

  • 2025 Newsletters
    • May 2025 –  Join us on May 22 in person or on Zoom to learn about plant identification, enjoy an intro to the Homegrown National Park project, Engellmann’s daisy, and where to buy native plants. 
    • April 2025 – North Texas Wildflower Day Celebration events, Texas bluebonnets, the Texas Native Plant Art Exhibition reception, and the  TF NPSOT spring plant sale results
    • March 2025 – Managing soils as an ecosystem, our native plant sale on April 12, Wildflower Day celebration, and winter rosettes — weed or friend?
    • February 2025 – Preserving native habitat presentation, what to plant this spring, where to find native plants, about heart-leaved skullcap and chili pequin, member volunteer opportunities
    • January 2025 – Promoting Home Pollinator Gardens presentation, about Frostweed, 4th graders Native Plant Art Exhibition, 2025 Spring Plant Sale 
  • 2024 Newsletters
    • November-December 2024 – amazing pictures taken by Jeanne Erickson and Mary Curry using a loupe, learn about yaupon hollies, get timely tips for cold weather care, and meet two new key contributors to the Trinity Forks chapter
    • October 2024 –  Garden activities for fall, learn about Trailing Rhatany and Inland Sea Oats, and the Native Plant Challenge
    • September 2024 -Fall 2024 Grant recipients, The Native Plant Society of Texas is leading a Bioblitz challenge, learn about fall asters, snake apples, and gayfeather and where to find native plants for purchase.
    • August 2024 – Learn how to start native plants from seed, How to apply for a Trinity Forks Grants, Growing Turks cap, & Where to Buy Native Plants   
    • July 2024 – Learn about Native Plants in Schools at our monthly meeting, Autumn Sage plants, dragonflies,  and where to buy native plants in DFW
    • June 2024 – Creating Pollinator Habitat with Local Governments, Texas Rock Rose, All about ladybugs, List of native plant nurseries in DFW
    • May 2024 – Water Efficient Products Sales Tax Holiday, Henry Duelberg Salvia, Engaging the Next Generation
    • April 2024 – North Texas’ native bees presentation, Trinity Forks ALL native plant sale on April 27, Texas Wildflower Day, Texas bluebells and Mexican hat
    • March 2024 –  Lewisville Lake Environmental Learning Area (LLELA) presentation, our 2024 Spring grant recipients, what native plants to add to your landscape and where you can get them
    • February 2024 – Plant Propagation Essentials presentation, North Central Texas Wildflowers 2nd Edition, Mexican Plum,  NICE Spring: Texas Redbud, PlantArte, Volunteer Opportunities
    • January 2024 –  Using native prairie plants and grasses in your landscape and where to find the right native plants for North Texa
  • 2023 Newsletters
    • November/December 2023 – Argyle Fire Station Rewilding, Texas Native Plant Art Exhibit, Trinity Forks Annual Social, Fall Aster, Why you should save leaves
    • October 2023 – News and announcements, cowpen daisy, butterflies in verse, Indiangrass, where to buy native plants.
    • September 2023 – Trinity Forks NPSOT grant awards, fragrant sumac for fall color, using Lindheimer’s Muhley as a decorative landscape grass, Bringing the Prairie into the City (September 1995), volunteer opportunities for members,
    • August 2023 – Our exciting guest speaker for the August 24th meeting will introduce and show many of the native plants in her landscape (full list of plants on pages 4 and 5). Also learn about growing inland sea oats, luna moths, and our featured project — the children’s Texas Native Plant Art Exhibition.
    • July 2023 – Learn about Trinity Forks 2023 Grant Program, where to buy native plants in the DFW area, and featured articles on the Question Mark Butterfly and Cenizo shrubs
    • June 2023 – Poison hemlock, Fourpoint primrose and Desert willow, June Program by Jerry Hamby: “Monitoring Bluebirds”, NPSOT proposed bylaw revisions
    • May 2023 – successful plant sale, new website Live, native plants for birds and hummingbirds, May program by Susan Pohlen: “Snakes, they always seem to get a bad rap”
    • April 2023-plant sale information, all about frogfruit, April program by Daniel Cunningham: “Successful gardening in shady areas”
    • March 2023
    • February 2023
  • 2022 Newsletters

To  access earlier newsletters click on this link:  Native Plant Press 2003 through 2023

About the Region

Fall Symposium 2025 Logo - Teach for the Future

Salado, the location of our Fall 2025 Symposium, lies at the intersection of two ecoregions: the Edwards Plateau (Limestone Cut Plain) and Blackland Prairie (Northern Blackland Prairie).

The Edwards Plateau area is also called the Hill Country; however, this general term covers a much larger area extending farther north. Spring-fed creeks are found throughout the region; deep limestone canyons, rivers, and lakes (reservoirs) are common. Ashe juniper is perhaps the most common woody species found throughout the region. Additional woody species include various species of oak, with live oak (Quercus fusiformis) being the most common. Sycamores (Platanus occidentalis) and bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) border waterways. This area is well known for its spring wildflower displays, though they may be viewed in spring, late summer, and fall, as well. According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, average annual rainfall in the Edwards Plateau ranges from 15 to 34 inches.

The Blackland Prairie extends from the Red River south to San Antonio, bordered on the west by the Edwards Plateau and the Cross Timbers, and on the east by the Post Oak Savannah. Annual rainfall averages 30 to 40 inches, with higher averages to the east. This region is dominated by prairie species. The most common grass species include little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) and Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans) in the uplands and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) in the riparian areas and drainages. Common herbaceous flowering plants include salvias, penstemons, and silphiums. This area has suffered greatly from overgrazing and agricultural use. Few intact areas remain, though many of the plants can be found along county roadsides throughout the region.

Our four host chapters (New Braunfels, Lindheimer, Guadalupe, and the Hill Country chapters) are located in one or both of the ecoregions above. However, the eastern portion of Guadalupe County also falls within the Post Oak Savanna ecoregion. Annual rainfall averages 35 to 45 inches, with higher averages to the east. A wide variety of hardwood trees are found, including several species of oaks, elms, and in the Bastrop area, loblolly pine (Pinus taeda). Grasses and forbs dominate in the open savannas, with most common grass being little bluestem. Ranching, agriculture, and fire suppression have allowed woody species to encroach on the once-open savannas.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason