Field Trip to Doremus Nursery

Doremus Nursery is located at 2167 County Rd 1550, Warren, TX. Details will be posted at a later date.

Lightscape at San Antonio Botanical Gardens

San Antonio Botanical Gardens has invited our chapter members to an exclusive preview of Lightscape. on Wednesday, November 15, 2023, from 5:30 to 8:30 PM, with 25 reserved tickets. Your names will be listed at the Kiosk to facilitate a seamless check-in process. Email kathyloring@gmail.com to reserve your spot.

FREE to our members

Dowell Ranch Prairie Preserve: Black Friday Bird Walk

#OptOutside with NPAT Join us for a casual bird walk to see who’s flying around Dowell Ranch Prairie Preserve. The walk will be about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 miles round trip. It’s not uncommon to see Meadowlarks, Bluebirds, Raptors, and an assortment of “Little Brown Birds” this time of year. RSVP with rachel_rommel@texasprairie.org. 301 W. […]

Prairie Commons Tour with Bill Nieman

Sponsored by Native Plant Society of Texas – Trinity Forks Chapter Open to the public.  Free! Explore the unique integration of over seventy-five native plant species within a commercial real estate development. You will observe firsthand how sustainable landscaping practices can enhance biodiversity, conserve water, and promote night sky-friendly lighting. Bill and Leslie from Native […]

Field Trip: Memorial Park Kinder Land Bridge and Wolff Prairie

Meeting Location In Google Maps- Parking Lot- Memorial Park- Running Track (N Picnic Ln) - we will meet at the Rally Pavilion in the southern part of the parking area (GPS 29.76584, -95.44630). Things To Bring We may wander off trail, so boots/closed toe shoes and bug spray recommended. Please bring adequate hydration and other […]

Field Trip: Lawther-Deer Park Prairie

Meeting Location: Registration is required and limited space is available. The location will be sent to registered participants only. Email Della_Barbato@TexasPrairie.org to register.  She will e-mail you a liability waiver and important parking instructions. Things To Bring: We will wander off trail, so boots/closed toe shoes and bug spray recommended. Thereare some wetlands, and since […]

Opt Outside Black Friday Plant ID Hike

Join us at the a plant ID hike along the Violet Crown Trail for our response to Black Friday. Address to follow soon in an email to members. Join us know to get in on the fun!

Spring Field Trip to the Welder Wildlife Foundation Wildflower Workshop

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 […]

Field Trip: Green Star Wetland Plant Farm

On this farm visit we will see how wetland plants can be used throughout the Houston area for maintaining natural communities, providing water filtration and chemical sequestration.

Stiff Creek Wildflower Walk – 25th Anniversary Edition

Our 25th Stiff Creek Wildflower Walk is a great opportunity for people of all ages to learn about native plants. Knowledgeable chapter members will guide and help you identify native wildflowers along our walk. Date and Start Time: May 3 @ 9:30 What to Wear: Long pants, closed toe shoes, sunscreen, and insect repellent are […]

Field Trip: Spring Creek Parkway

This park on the terraced floodplains of the San Jacinto River has a rich fluvial deposition history leading to a myriad of soil types and hydrologic conditions present.

Go Native: Natives for Your Landscape

Joan Miller, a former president of NPSOT-SA and Drake White of The Nectar Bar, will share their extensive knowledge of all things related to native plants at Phil Hardberger Park.

Native Plants to Attract Hummingbirds

Speaker Kimberly Juarez. Tejas Prairie Location: Agrilife Extension Office 892 Airport Road, Rockport, TX Sponsored by Aransas / San Patricio Master Gardeners

Ethnobotany (Bring extra water due to heat)

Josie Gonzales, a Certified Interpretive Guide and Texas Master Naturalist, will share how people of a particular culture and region make use of native plants.

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