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Native Plant Society of Texas

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San Antonio Chapter Meeting October 2025

Plants with Purpose

October 28 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Arrive at 6:30pm to share or find native plants at the Plants x Donation table.

This will be a “hybrid” meeting, attend in-person or online.

  • In person: The Gathering Center at the Urban Ecology Center at Phil Hardberger Park, 8400 NW Military Hwy
  • Online: Please register in advance to attend via Zoom.

Presentation by Monika Maeckle
Plants with Purpose

Can you eat it? Make tea from it? Does it serve wildlife? Does it taste good or provide a health benefit? Is it low maintenance? Does it have a fun story? Does it provide a unique landscape service? Oh, and is it attractive?

These are the questions Monika Maeckle asked of each plant upon assembling my new book Plants with Purpose: Twenty-five Ecosystem Multitaskers. To qualify, the plant had to answer YES to at least three besides attractiveness.

Beauty alone is no longer reason enough to choose a plant that will occupy valuable real estate in your landscape. We owe functional plants–plants that do more than look good–to the ecosystem.

Join us for a presentation/discussion about choosing plants that go beyond beauty and actually give back to the ecosystem. Books available for purchase and author autograph.

If you are attending in person, there is no need to register. However, if you are attending via Zoom, please register here before the meeting begins as late registration and entry will not be allowed. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Note: The Zoom recording will be available within days after the meeting on our  YouTube channel.

San Antonio Chapter

View Organizer Website

Register for Zoom

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 fall Symposium host chapter, the Tonkawa Chapter, includes both of these ecoregions.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason