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Native Plant Society of Texas

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LOCATION CHANGE – Annual Meeting and Native Texas Plants Database Overview/Demonstration – Williamson County Chapter Meeting, July 10

July 10 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

Updated July 7, 2025. NEWS! Due to the severe rains in Central Texas, the July 10 in-person location will be the Georgetown Public Library, 2nd floor. A water main break and road closures are affecting the previously announced location which was the Georgetown Parks & Rec Admin Building.

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Join NPSOT-Williamson County Thursday, July 10, 2025, for our annual chapter meeting and a Native Texas Plants Database Overview/Demonstration focusing on Williamson County with Randy Pensabene and Gary Bowers. Free and open to the public. The meeting begins at 7:00 PM.  

  • Results of the chapter board election will be announced and membership anniversary pins will be presented to recipients attending in person. (If not attending this meeting in person, the pins will be provided another way after the meeting.)
  • A presentation featuring NPSOT-Williamson County Chapter’s new Texas native plants database (more info below).

About the featured topic: Randy Pensabene and Gary Bowers will present a new plant database website developed by the Williamson County Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas (NPSOT-Wilco). Designed specifically for residents of Williamson County, the site offers a clear, concise, and user-friendly way to discover recommended native Texas plants for home landscapes.

About our speakers: Randy Pensabene is a past president of the Native Plant Society of Texas, Williamson County Chapter, and is involved in the chapter’s native plant garden projects and native plant sales. She has also converted her yard from the typical hedges and non-natives to a beautiful low-water, National Wildlife Federation Certified Wildlife Habitat using Texas native plants. She enjoys sharing her enthusiasm for our Texas native plants and teaching others about their beauty, drought-tolerance, and benefits.

Gary Bowers grew up in northeastern Tennessee and has always had a keen interest in nature and the outdoors — though he harbors a special passion for trees. Since moving to Central Texas in 2012, he has discovered the wonderful variety of Texas native plants. Gary is a past president of the NPSOT-Williamson County Chapter and has also served the chapter as an instructor for the chapter’s Native Landscape Certification Program (NLCP), a field trip leader, and more. Gary works as a software developer in order to pay for new plants.

NEWS! NOTE: this month’s in-person location is the Georgetown Public Library, 2nd floor, 402 West 8th St, Georgetown, TX 78626. Georgetown Parks & Rec Administration Building, 1101 N College St, Georgetown, Texas 78626. 

Come early (6:30 PM) for expert advice, to check out the seed swap board, or just to visit.

==> To attend via Zoom, register at https://npsot-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/vKF9n7OAQhS6FikdcS7oVQ#/registration

The original meeting announcement is here on the Williamson County Chapter’s blog page.

Williamson County Chapter

View Organizer Website

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