Native Plant Society of Texas

Museum of Texas Handmade Furniture Demonstration Garden Workday
2025-09-25 10:00 - 11:30, 2025-10-08 10:00 - 11:30 (America/Chicago)
We are thrilled to invite you to our upcoming Demonstration Garden Workday! This is a fantastic opportunity to get your hands dirty, learn new gardening techniques, and contribute to the beauty and sustainability of our community garden. Contact Craig Bruska for more details: craigbruska@hotmail.com. The garden is located at 1370 Church Hill Dr., New Braunfels, Tx 78130 in the Heritage Village.

What to Expect:

Hands-On Learning: Gain practical experience in planting, pruning, and maintaining a variety of plants.

Expert Guidance: Our knowledgeable garden coordinators will be on hand to share tips and answer your gardening questions.

Community Spirit: Meet fellow garden lovers, share stories, and enjoy the camaraderie of working together.

What to Bring:

Comfortable clothing and gardening gloves

A hat, water, pest repellent, and sunscreen

Your enthusiasm and love for gardening!

Common gardening tools, such as pruners, weeders, and the like. Whatever you use in your garden, as tools will not be provided.

Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just starting out, this workday is for everyone. Let’s come together to make our demonstration garden a thriving, beautiful space for all to enjoy.

Bringing More Native Plants to our Communities - Trinity Forks 2024 Grants Recipient Reports and Short Business Meeting
2025-09-25 18:30 - 20:30 (America/Chicago)
Come and hear how recipients of grants from Trinity Forks have used the funds to get more native plants in the ground in public places:

The Seed Library at the Town of Flower Mound

Berm Restoration – Parks of Corinth HOA

Josey Ranch Pocket Prairie “Soft Landings” – Denton County Master Gardener Association

Lantana Monarch Waystation

Reseeding the Mound Frontage

6:30pm – Social time7:00pm – Zoom opens and meeting begins

Open to the public.

We hope you can join our meeting in person at TWU’s Ann Stuart Science Complex. Campus parking is open after 6:00pm.

If you can’t join us in person, we invite you to our Zoom meeting.

ZOOM PARTICIPANTS ONLY: Please Register in advance for this meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/O3MOpFeKTYmq7lwngfH2HA

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting

Avian Migration Patterns
2025-09-26 18:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago)
We see our gardens magically bloom in sync with bird migrations every Spring and Fall. More and more, we are learning to garden for wildlife, not merely for our enjoyment. But there is still so much we have to learn. Come spend an evening with someone seeking answers, Dr. Andrea Contina, Assistant Professor, School of Integrative Biological and Chemical Sciences at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.

Dr. Contina studies avian communities and their movements across North and Central America. At Contina Lab, Dr. Contina and his students study the ecological mechanisms underlying species resilience under local and global change, with emphasis on migratory populations. Their research informs conservation plans that increases wildlife protection, sustainable resource management, and creates opportunities for interdisciplinary education in the Lower Rio Grande Valley.

(You may have seen Dr. Contina on the news last week regarding their SONAR project.)

Grasses of Phil Hardberger Park (Read WARNING note)
2025-09-27 08:00 - 10:30 (America/Chicago)
Location: Phil Hardberger Park, 8400 NW Military Hwy, San Antonio, TX 78231

WARNING: Be sure to wear long pants. Bring water and a hat as well as use a heavy amount of repellent and sunscreen. We may be walking in the sun, on grassy areas prone to chiggers!

The purposes of our event include appreciating the beauty of our natural area, observing how nature changes through the seasons, and learning about our native and invasive grasses.

Our presenter is Cleve Powell, NPSOT-SA member, a self-described plant nerd heavy into collecting, identifying, and propagating natives. With an MS from TCU in Environmental Science, his expertise in grass identification is only exceeded by his willingness to share knowledge. This will give you a chance to see more grass and more fully-developed grasses, especially grass inflorescences, than is possible earlier in the year as well as see the progress expanding our savanna area.

Please arrive by 7:45 am to sign up for an 8:00 am start. The event begins with a talk in the small classroom covering What is a grass, grass and spikelet structure, and grass terminology. There will be pictures of the common grasses seen on the savanna, with close ups of the structural characteristics that help ID the grasses. After the talk we will walk in the savanna restoration area and some grassy areas of adjoining trails. There will be brief explanations of grass species encountered along the way with ample time for participant questions.

Minors only when accompanied by an adult parent/guardian. Dogs not allowed as the talk is in the small classroom. DIFFICULTY: Easy, definitely suitable for families. Flat terrain, slow-paced. This will only be about a one mile walk and with the talk last about two and a half hours ending back at the Urban Ecology Center around 10:30 am

The trail is a natural surface so be sure to wear sturdy shoes and, dependent on the weather, bring water, sun protection, and dress appropriate for the day and season. Suggested $3 individual or $5 family donations to the PHP Conservancy to support enhancements to the park.

This event’s general sponsors are the Phil Hardberger Park Conservancy, the San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department’s Natural Areas Office, the Alamo Area Master Naturalists, and the Alamo Group of the Sierra Club. The SA chapter of The Native Plant Society of Texas is a special sponsor.

Contact Stan Drezek (stanwendre@gmail.com) for additional information or questions.

LEARN MORE AND RSVP

Chandor Nature Trail "Spruce Up", Volunteer Opportunity, Cross Timbers Chapter, Weatherford, Saturday, 9/27/2025 at 9 a.m.
2025-09-27 09:00 - 11:00 (America/Chicago)
Spruce Up Days

Please join us for the Chandor Nature Trail “Spruce Up” volunteer day from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Late comers are welcome. Interested volunteers can contact Cross Timbers trail steward Christie Tull, at greenwoodfarminc@aol.com or call 817-307-9307. See you on the trail!

If you can’t do manual labor be an education liason – community service volunteers need guidance to introduce them to the nature trail’s needs and to help identify plants. You can play an important role helping educate and supervising the volunteers. We will hold the August workday Saturday, September 27th from 9:00 – 11:00.

Volunteer hours count towards Texas Master Naturalist and Texas Master Gardeners.

About the Nature Trail

Chandor Nature Trail is just under one mile long and is open for hikers and their leashed dogs free of charge during Chandor Garden hours. The Garden’s address is 711 W Lee Street in Weatherford.

Sept. 27 Lakes & Pines Chapter Fall 2025 Native Plant Sale at Yantis Prairie Day
2025-09-27 09:00 - 14:00 (America/Chicago)
The Lakes and Pines Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas will be having a Fall native plant sale at the Yantis Prairie Day, 124 West Oak in Yantis, Tx. Join us in the fun and festivities at the Yantis Prairie Day and take home some native Texas plants! September 27, 9:00am – 2:00pm.

For more info, click HERE.

Wildscapes: After Dark - September 27, 2025
2025-09-27 09:00 - 15:00 (America/Chicago)
The Wildscapes Workshop and Native Plant Sale is our annual one-day educational event and local native plant sale. This year’s theme is After Dark, focusing on the intersection of native habitats and their nocturnal inhabitants.

Return to Houston Chapter Page

Natives 101 class teaching basic info about native plants
2025-09-27 09:30 - 23:30 (America/Chicago)

Wildscapes Workshop!
2025-09-27 10:00 - 15:00 (America/Chicago)
What is a “wildscape”? A wildscape is simply a landscape designed to provide habitat for wildlife from bees and butterflies to birds and beyond, supporting a healthy community based on natural relationships. Want to learn more? Event details and registration can be found here. Native Plant Society of Texas

On September 27th, the Lindheimer Chapter will commemorate its 25th Anniversary by hosting a Wildscapes Workshop at the Tye Preston Memorial Library, located at 16311 S. Access Road, Canyon Lake, Texas. This all-day event includes educational presentations, guided native plant walks, a raffle, and a native plant sale ends the day. Workshop attendees will have exclusive early access to the plant sale.

David Will, our chapter’s founding President, and Sara Torres, our current Chapter President, will open the Workshop. Presentations include:

Nessa Spence of Ripples and Roots Wildscaping and MicroLife will present: The Soil Solution: Restoring Texas Wildscapes with Underground Ecology.

Susan James (NPSOT, Master Naturalist) will present: Surrendering to Nature: Getting More by Doing Less, an anecdotal and site-specific presentation.

Andrea DeLong-Amaya, Director of Horticulture at the LBJ Wildflower Center will present: Beauty and the Bees: Understanding pollinators and designing landscapes to support them. She is also the author of The Texas Native Plant Primer: 225 Plants for an Earth-Friendly Garden. Copies of her book will be available for sale as part of the event and attendees will have the opportunity to get their copies signed.

Check-in begins at 9:30 AM, the event begins at 10:00, and ends with a plant sale. Workshop attendees will have exclusive early access to the plant sale.

Pricing:

Member: $50

Non-Member: $65

The registration fee includes refreshments and a boxed lunch. Those that register by September 12th will receive a free event t-shirt. Please bring your water bottle, sunscreen, and dress appropriately for the outdoor guided plant walk.

Proceeds from the event will benefit the expansion of the Native Seed Library Program statewide and the Native Plant Rescue Project, currently expanding into Comal County.

Habitat Workday @ EIH
2025-09-30 09:00 - 11:00, 2025-10-07 09:00 - 11:00 (America/New_York)
Habitat volunteers help weed and mulch flower beds, plant native plants, maintain pathways, and trim trees and bushes. Volunteers may also help clean out the pond on select work days.

No experience necessary—we’ll show you what goes and what stays

Bring your own tools or use ours (we have gloves too)

Don’t forget to bring a reusable water bottle, hat, and sunscreen!

Volunteers must be 18 or older to participate in EIH’s workdays unless prior arrangements have been made.

We do not hold workdays when the university is officially closed. Also, workdays are canceled during inclement weather, though a light sprinkle or drizzle rarely keeps us out of the garden. If you’re not sure, please call 281-283-3950 or 281-283-3045, and we’ll let you know if we’re digging in.

LocationEnvironmental Institute of Houston (Click link for Google Map)University of Houston-Clear LakeNorth Office Annex (NOA) 1 Building2700 Bay Area Blvd.Houston, TX 77058

Oct. 1 Lakes & Pines Chapter Meeting: "Milkweed 101 - Growing Milkweed From Seeds" presentation/workshop with Diana Black
2025-10-01 14:00 - 15:30 (America/Chicago)
For more info, click HERE

Boerne City Campus Natural Area (BCCNA) Workday
2025-10-02 09:00 - 11:30 (America/Chicago)
Join us for BCCNA workdays!

The BCCNA project involves the restoration and enhancement of the Boerne City Campus Natural Area (BCCNA). The BCCNA is comprised of 13-acres on either side of the Old No. 9 Trail, behind the library. We are working towards restoring this area to a native pollinator habitat, creating a wildlife corridor and haven within the city.

BCCNA Workdays take place on the first and third Thursdays of each month.

Our meeting place will be in the Boerne Patrick Heath Public Library parking lot near the windmill. If you don’t see us at the windmill, walk out behind the library across the creek as we’ve likely already started!

Each volunteer will be required to fill out the City of Boerne’s liability waiver the first time he or she volunteers.

Contact Jeff Schwarz at jeffschwarz27@gmail.com for more info.

Workdays at the Heritage Museum of the Texas Hill Country Demonstration Garden
2025-10-02 09:30 - 11:00 (America/Chicago)
We are thrilled to invite you to our upcoming Demonstration Garden Workday! This is a fantastic opportunity to get your hands dirty, learn new gardening techniques, and contribute to the beauty and sustainability of our community garden. The garden is located at 4831 FM 2673, Canyon Lake, TX. Contact Mickey Riviere, mr0752@gvtc.com, for details.

What to Expect:

Hands-On Learning: Gain practical experience in planting, pruning, and maintaining a variety of native plants.

Expert Guidance: Our knowledgeable gardeners will be on hand to share tips and answer your gardening questions.

Community Spirit: Meet fellow garden lovers, share stories, and enjoy the camaraderie of working together.

What to Bring:

Comfortable clothing and gardening gloves

A hat, sunscreen, and water

Your boundless enthusiasm and love for gardening!

Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just starting out, this workday is for everyone. Let’s come together to make our demonstration garden a thriving, beautiful space for all to enjoy.

Meet the RGV Chapter - Native Plant Society of Texas
2025-10-02 17:30 - 19:00 (America/Chicago)
Save the Date!

Time to find your gloves and sharpen your shovel. It’s planting time in the RGV!

Come learn why now is the best time to plant in the RGV and what do we mean by ‘right plant; right place’. You’ll also learn more about the Native Plant Society of Texas, our Chapter in South Texas, and prepare yourself for our Spring offering of classes as part of our Native Landscape Certification Program.

Hope to see you there!

OCTOBER CHAPTER MEETING- October 2nd- “How Earth’s Changing Climate is Changing Ecosystems”
2025-10-02 18:00 - 19:30 (America/Chicago)
October’s presentation provides context for our Society’s efforts to protect and sustain Texas ecosystems into a future being changed by climate. Speaker Vince Cronin has studied, researched, taught and worked in applied Geoscience since 1975. A licensed professional geologist in Texas as well as nationally certified, he is also the author of the most widely used laboratory textbook in physical geology and co-creator of its chapter on Earth’s dynamic climate.

Post Oak NPSOT October 2025 meeting

Native Plant Exchange, North Central Chapter Meeting
2025-10-02 18:30 - 20:30 (America/Chicago)
Native Plant Exchange

Bring your favorite native plant to exchange for another. Some things to share with our members; name (common and scientific), conditions, location, how the plant benefits your environment, characteristics you love.. Take a new native plant home for your garden. Even if you don’t have one in a pot to bring, come anyway. We have extras and we love to share!

To research more about your plant visit our Native Plant Database at https://www.npsot.org/resources/native-plants/native-plants-database/ or the ITIS database at itis.gov.

Fort Worth Botanic Garden in the Orchid & Iris Room

3220 Botanic Garden Blvd, Fort Worth, Texas 76107

6:30 pm Socializing & snacks

In person only, No Zoom option is available.

Austin Chapter Meeting - Trees of Hope
2025-10-02 18:30 - 20:30 (America/Chicago) | Lakewood Clubhouse, 7317 Lakewood Dr., Austin, Texas, 78750, United States
Trees of Hope

Guest Speaker: Bailey Hoops

Drought, water restrictions and intense winter storms, oh my! Are you ready to plant some new native trees in your landscape? Looking to replace dead or fallen trees with natives that are beautiful to experience and vital to the wildlife in your neighborhood? Please join us as we discuss a wide variety of native trees including canopy and understory trees. You will learn tree characteristics, preferred growing conditions and how your tree choice can leave a legacy to the people and wildlife around you. Trees of Hope class offers choices so you can feel empowered to make a positive change in your yard, to better our community.

Bailey Hoops is a clinically trained herbalist, certified permaculture designer and certified with the Native Plant Society of Texas in Landscaping with Native Plants. Her greatest passions are butterflies, native medicinal plants, and leading plant walks. She has spent 10 years building a medicinal food forest at her home, with a large emphasis on native pollinator plants. You can currently find her working with the Oak hill VFW post # 4443, helping run the Paul Pena Community Garden

This is a hybrid online and in-person meeting, with the in-person meeting at

Lakewood Clubhouse 7317 Lakewood Dr. Austin, TX 78750

This is off 360.

We will have seeds for swapping and sharing. Collect seeds from your yard and bring some to share with us. Excess seeds may be shared at future meetings or donated to the Central Texas Seed Savers collections at the Austin Public Library.

You are invited (but not expected) to bring a small dish or drink to share.

You can register for the Zoom meeting to attend online.

Social time begins at 6:30pm. Main speaker begins at 7pm, followed by the Austin Chapter business meeting.

NPSOT Hybrid Fall Symposium
2025-10-03 08:00 - 2025-10-05 17:00 (America/Chicago)
2025 Fall Symposium

The Native Plant Society of Texas 2025 Fall Symposium is coming to Salado, TX, October 3rd-5th!

This year’s theme is “Teach for the Future!”

Virtual Event Overview:

Virtual Registration

In-Person Event Overview

The Salado Middle School will serve as the symposium headquarters and NPSOT group-rate lodging is available for a limited time at hotels and other accommodations throughout the city. The full schedule will include insightful plenary sessions, open-seating concurrent sessions, a choice of guided-field trips through the region, the Annual State Meeting of Members, the Annual Awards Banquet, and much more.

Attendees can attend a meet and greet, participate in our silent auction, visit vendor, exhibitor, and sponsor displays at the Middle School, and take self-guided field trips in Salado, and when traveling to and from the Symposium.

This hybrid event includes registration options for in-person and virtual attendance, with in-person Society member and scholastic discounts.

Fall Native Tree and Plant Sale
2025-10-04 09:00 - 12:00 (America/Chicago)
9:00 am Early Access for Members of NPSOT-Kerrville, RNC & TMN-Hill Country.General Public admission at 9:30

Experts will be available to help you select plants that will thrive in your specific landscape conditions.

Native Trees

Shrubs

Perennials

Grasses

SPECIAL FEATURE: Riparian plants & flood recovery info!

TAX FREE DAY!

Visit RiversideNatureCenter.org for more details as they become available.

Clear Lake Chapter Board Meeting
2025-10-06 18:30 (America/Chicago)
Our Chapter Board, which includes officers and committee chairs, meets the first Monday of each month to discuss chapter business and plan future events.

Chapter board meetings are open to the public. Request Zoom meeting information at clear-lake-chapter@npsot.org.

Boerne NPSOT Chapter Special 25th Anniversary Meeting, Cibolo Nature Center Auditorium, 6:00-8:00
2025-10-07 18:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago)
Topic: Boerne Chapter 25th Anniversary Meeting

Join us for a special celebration on October 7, as we mark our 25th anniversary! This milestone event will be filled with fun activities, engaging presentations, and a chance to reflect on our shared accomplishments in native plant conservation. Whether you’re a longtime member or new to the group, you won’t want to miss this festive evening. Come celebrate with us and help make this a memorable occasion!

Meeting Location: Cibolo Nature Center Auditorium, 140 City Park Rd, Boerne, TX 78006

Collin County October Meeting - Drought-tolerant Native Texas Plants
2025-10-07 18:30 - 20:30 (America/Chicago)
Presentation by Randy Pensabene

Randy will guide us through the native plants and practices that will help turn your yard from a typical high-water, non-native landscape into a beautiful, low-water, drought-tolerant native Texas landscape.

Our meetings are open to the public and you can join us in person at the Heard Museum’s Laughlin Hall, via the south entrance to the building, or online through Zoom using the following details:

Zoom: https://tinyurl.com/yn85nbzd (Meeting ID: 885 5459 6572 / Passcode: [REDACTED]

Randy is a past president of the Native Plant Society of Texas, Williamson County Chapter. Since joining NPSOT, she has taught Native Landscape Certification Program (NLCP) classes, managed the chapter’s native plant sales, transformed her own landscape, assisted with demonstration gardens, and given multiple presentations on landscaping with native plants. She helped create the chapter’s newly launched native Texas plant database for Williamson County, Texas (WilcoScape.org). She enjoys sharing her enthusiasm for native Texas plants and teaching others about their beauty, drought-tolerance, and benefits.

NPSOT-Houston Board Meeting
2025-10-07 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago)
The Houston chapter is always looking for dedicated volunteers who are passionate about the native plant mission in their city. Join our team to participate in important habitat, outreach, and planning efforts the support our mission. Anyone is welcome to attend our board meetings on zoom. We would love to have you join one of our committees and start the fun and rewarding work that goes into our various projects.

We use Slack to organize and communicate. Please email us at nphouston1@gmail.com for the slack link.

Meeting ID: 845 237 64852Passcode: [REDACTED]

Return to Houston Chapter Page

The Soil Food Web Under the Lens of a Microscope – Williamson County Chapter Meeting, October 9
2025-10-09 19:00 - 20:30 (America/Chicago)
Updated 10/3/2025 for new in-person location. See below for details.

Join NPSOT-Williamson County on Thursday, October 9, 2025, when our featured topic will be The Soil Food Web Under the Lens of a Microscope with Laurie Dixon. Free and open to the public. The meeting begins at 7:00 PM. The guest presentation begins after a short business meeting.

About our topic: When we think of ecosystems, we often picture trees, pollinators, and wildlife—but the foundation of an ecosystem’s vitality begins underground. Join us for a fascinating, microscope-guided exploration of the soil food web, the complex underground ecosystem that powers native plant communities. From beneficial fungi that form root partnerships to tiny predators that balance soil populations, this talk reveals the often-overlooked organisms essential to plant health, nutrient cycling, and ecological restoration.

About our speaker: Laurie Dixon is a landscape design consultant with a strong focus on ecological principles and the founder of Biotic Lens, a consultancy dedicated to soil microscopy education and applications. She combines her background in landscape design with specialized soil microscopy to help growers and landscapers implement a biological approach. Laurie is a long time Master Gardener and serves on the board of the Texas Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (TOFGA).

Due to A/C maintenance at the Georgetown Public Library, the in-person location for the meeting on Thursday, October 9, has moved to the Community Room at the Georgetown Parks & Rec Administration Building (address below). The Zoom information has not changed.

NOTE: this month’s in-person location is the Georgetown Parks & Rec Administration Building, 1101 N College St, Georgetown, Texas 78626 (not the public library). 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/zDUfv6hKQMqLTpNQjtM-vA#/registration

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

HEB Native Plant Outreach
2025-10-11 00:00 - 23:59 (America/Chicago)
LOCATION: TBD

Please save the date! NPSOT and HEB have again partnered to release native plants this fall, and the San Antonio chapter will be staffing information tables at two San Antonio HEBs on Saturday. We do not yet know which stores will be selected by HEB, but once we know, we will be sending out a recruitment email with a SignUp Genius link. So if you would like to work a shift on one of these dates, please save the date on your calendar.

Organizer: npsotsavolunteers@gmail.com

Outreach: Bay Area Plant Swap & Shop
2025-10-11 08:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York)
Stop by our booth to chat with Patricia, Linda, and Peggy. Learn about native plants and why they are important. Seed and/or native plant giveaways when available and while supplies last.

LocationJohnnie Arolfo Civic Center400 West WalkerLeague City, TX 77573

NLCP Level 2: Landscape Design with Native Plants
2025-10-11 08:30 - 16:00 (America/Chicago)
Location: Urban Ecology Center Gathering Hall, Phil Hardberger Park West, 8400 NW Military Hwy, San Antonio, TX 78230

Description

Learn about 45 natives and how to design your native plant landscape! NLCP is a state-wide program, but classes focus on the characteristics and plants in the region in which they are taught. This class is specific to the San Antonio area.

This class involves an in-person class and an online test after class completion.

To learn more details and view the class outline, click here.

REGISTER HERE AS OF AUGUST 1, 2025

The Native Landscape Certification Program (NLCP) is a four-level certification program that teaches the value of including and preserving native plants in landscapes. Classes focus on the characteristics and plants of the region in which they are taught. Please register for classes located in the region in which you wish to landscape. Check it out!

Organizer: npsot.sanantonio@gmail.com

Disappearing Rare and Native Plants of the RGV
2025-10-11 09:00 - 10:00 (America/Chicago)
Explore the unique native plants of the Rio Grande Valley.
