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Native Plant Society of Texas

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Collin County: July Meeting – Ecological Importance of Landscaping with Native Plants – Tree & Shrubs

July 1 @ 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm

Our July 1 chapter meeting will include a presentation by Roger Sanderson on “Ecological Importance of Landscaping with Native Plants – Trees & Shrubs“. The program can be joined either in-person at the Heard Museum in McKinney or virtually via Zoom.

Southern Blackhaw Viburnum, (Viburnum rufidulum)

The naturalist Doug Tallamy has brilliantly elucidated the critical need for using native plants in our home gardens and landscapes. Most people concerned about the natural world know that we need native plants to provide food for insects, which in turn are necessary to provide food for birds and other animals. They also provide fruits to feed them directly and flowers to maintain pollinator populations to ensure their reproduction. So which trees and shrubs are most beneficial, and provide the most uses to the most species of insects, birds, or animals – especially the ones we most want to share our backyards with? This presentation will cover a wide variety of trees and shrubs and what each provides. We will review which birds, bugs, or other wildlife use them, their advantages to the home landscape, and how they sustain the local ecology and a healthy environment.

Doors (and Zoom) open at 6:30 PM for socializing and setup. The meeting officially begins at 7:00 PM with a brief chapter update from President Rodney Thomas, followed by Roger’s presentation.

Join us in person at the Heard Museum or online via Zoom using the following details:

Zoom Link: https://tinyurl.com/yn85nbzd

Meeting ID: 885 5459 6572 / Passcode: 571904

Roger has a vast and varied background as a naturalist, with interests in native plants, snakes, birds, insects, and paleontology. He was Director of Horticulture at the Texas Discovery Gardens for over 7 years. In addition, he was the Director of Botanical Gardens / Wildlife Biologist at the Heard Natural Science Museum for the prior 11 years. Roger also owned his own landscape company, which he still operates part-time. A specialist on Pollinator Gardens, he created a huge Butterfly Garden and Hummingbird Garden of national acclaim at Texas Discovery Gardens. He also developed noteworthy pollinator gardens at the Heard Museum, Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge, the Dallas Mayor’s Pollinator Garden, and for numerous schools throughout the DFW area. Roger had a weekly column for several years in the Dallas Morning News on plants and gardening and continues to write articles about nature in several publications.

Heard Museum 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