August Chapter Meeting – Craig Hensley

Speaker: Craig HensleyNative Plants, Butterflies, and other Pollinators: Making Connections Native plants and pollinators, including butterflies, fit together hand in glove. Without one you don’t have much of the other. Join TPWD Texas Nature Trackers Biologist Craig Hensley for a look at a variety of native plants that attract pollinators, whether for nectar, pollen or […]

“The Importance of Natives; Aren’t they Just Weeds” -by Deedy Wright

Community Class taught by Deedy Wright, location Canyon High School. Learn the many services native plants provide us and our environment to make ourlives better. Find out why natives are surging in popularity right now. You must register at: https://comalisd.ce.eleyo.com/search?redirected_yet=true&sf%5bcategory%5d=14

Effective Landscape: Use of Native Plants

Puzzled about how to plan your landscape using native plants? Are they differentfrom the non-native plants you are used to? Join us to learn some basiclandscaping “rules” that will help you be successful with your new landscape. Canyon High School Register at https://comalisd.ce.eleyo.com/search?redirected_yet=true&sf%5bcategory%5d=14

Growing Texas Wildflowers

Presented by Deedy Wright, 9 am to 10:30 am, Headwaters at the Comal, 333 E. Klingemann, New Braunfels, TX 78130  You must register for the class here: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/headwaters

September Chapter Meeting – Deedy Wright

"Native Plants in Chapter Fall Plant Sale", presented by Deedy Wright;  Social 5:45 pm, Business 6:15 pm, Program at 6:30 pm at New Braunfels Public library meeting room. Zoom link and passcode in September newsletter and on website.

Native Plants that Love our Soil and Weather in Comal County – by Deedy Wright

Want to know about plants that will grow in black gumbo clay in the NewBraunfels city limits, or what will grow in virtually no soil out toward CanyonLake? Come find out some native plants that can do that and like where they are. Canyon High School You must register at: https://comalisd.ce.eleyo.com/search?redirected_yet=true&sf%5bcategory%5d=14

Plant Sale

At the Headwaters at the Comal Headwaters - while supplies last

Seven Flags over Texas benefit

at Historic Old Town, Conservation Plaza, 1300 Churchill, New Braunfels, TX 78130  More details soon.

Founders Oak garden workdays

meet at Founders Oak in Landa Park and bring your favorite garden tools for planting and mulching.

How to Tame a Water-Thirsty Yard: Getting Started on Xeriscape

Is the water bill getting out of hand and the landscape still looks terrible? Or evenworse, is water being rationed? Find out how you can deal with this picture using the principles ofxeriscape. You can have a nicer looking landscape, reduce your water use and shrink the water bill Community class taught by Deedy Wright […]

Monarch Festival at Fisher Park

New Braunfels. NB NPSOT chapter president Mary Moses will present a "Biodiversity" sign to Fischer Park staff in recognition of the park's commitment to native plants and biodiversity. Volunteers who wish to staff the NB NPSOT table at the festival, contact Mary Moses.

Deep in the Heart documentary viewing

Deep in the Heart documentary presented for viewing, sponsored by CCCA and Tye Preston library, time 5:30 for meet and greet, 6:15 showing; location is Tye Preston Memorial Library, 16311 S. Access Rd, Canyon Lake, TX

I’m Being Invaded! What Can I Do? – by Deedy Wright

You may have heard the term “invasive plants” used but aren’t quite sure what itmeans—or why you should be concerned. Invasives are becoming a problem inour environment in many ways. Learn what these non-native plants are doing andwhat native plants can replace them in your landscape. Canyon High School You must register at: https://comalisd.ce.eleyo.com/search?redirected_yet=true&sf%5bcategory%5d=14

NPSOT Board Meeting

Zoom is the same as regular meetings: https://npsot.org/chapters/new-braunfels/

Chapter Meeting – Native Plant Nomenclature, What it Tells Us and Why We Care

NB NPSOT Chapter meeting: Program: Native Plant Nomenclature, What it Tells Us and Why We Care"  by chapter member Guillaume Dury, post doc grad student at UT Austin, tree researcher; Voting for 2024 Chapter board members also.  Social 5:45 pm, Business 6:15 pm, Program at 6:30 pm at New Braunfels Public library meeting room. Zoom link […]

Holiday Party

At Conservation Plaza

Chapter Meeting – Easy-to-Grow Native Plants for Bees, Butterflies & Birds to support & attract winged wildlife

It's a great introduction to habitat gardening; will start folks off with info & ideas for their 2024 gardens. Presented by Kathleen Scott at the New Braunfels Public Library meeting room. These are handouts for the meeting: Wildlife Habitat Basics Why Native Plants Eco-Friendly Gardening Practices CMG 2023 Programs Wildlife Plant List Bee Facts Social 5:45 pm, […]

Our Texas Our Future at the Brauntex

Mark Saturday, March 9, 2 p.m. on your calendar for the Brauntex Theatre in downtown New Braunfels! The Lindheimer and Guadalupe chapters of NPSOT have organized a showing of five short documentary films commissioned by HEB. Click on the HEB image above for a film trailer. These films were produced by Fin & Fur Films […]

Fall Plant Sale

The list of plants is here: https://www.npsot.org/posts/fall-plant-sale-2/

Chapter Meeting – Composting: What, How, & Why

Gary Johnstone, Comal Master Gardener Meeting at the New Braunfels Public Library meeting room. Social 5:45 pm, Business 6:15 pm, Program at 6:30 pmZoom link and passcode in January newsletter and on website.

Holiday Social

Thursday, December 5, 2024 NB NPSOT Holiday social, Forke Store at Conservation Plaza

Native Grasses and Soil Health – chapter meeting

Speaker Doug Dalglish, "Native Grasses and Soil Health" , Social 5:45 pm, Business 6:15 pm, Program at 6:30 pm at New Braunfels Public library meeting room. Zoom link and passcode in newsletter […]

Plant Sale!

NB NPSOT Plant Sale at the Headwaters at the Comal

Chapter Meeting – Wanted! Mountain Cedars, Dead and Alive

Program given by Elizabeth McGreevy, a Texas A&M graduate, a Natural Resources Ecologist and author of “Wanted! Mountain Cedars, Dead and Alive”. She is the owner of Land Steward where she produces ecosystem-based management plans for Hill Country landowners. In 2022, she founded Project Bedrock, now in partnership with The Watershed Association, to promote using […]

Spring Social

Date: Monday, May 12th; Start time 5:30 pm. Plan to eat at 6:15 pm. Welcome to come as early as 5 pm if you want to beat the NB traffic. 928 Schumanns Beach Road New Braunfels. Family-friendly, bring the kids/grandkids. Several play areas for kids. All welcome!ADA accessible. Please indicate on sign/up reservation if you […]

Chapter Meeting – Rain gardens

Shannon founded Ecosystem Regeneration Artisans (ERA) Landscaping to unite talented land stewards on projects that realize the vision of creating healthy ecological communities. From residential rainscapes at individual homes, to improving water management and native plant diversity for HOAs, to wildlife management plan implementation on large-acreage ranches, Shannon and her team create projects focused on […]

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