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Native Plant Society of Texas

News and Events

News and announcements from our committee chairs, board members, and chapter leaders. Subscribe to our mailing list to stay up to date. For chapter news, visit Chapters. If you are looking for a calendar of events, see our Events Calendar.

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Two Law Officers, but I Got the ChickenThief

By Delmar Cain, Boerne Chapter – Native Plant Society of TexasPublished in the Boerne Star on February 14, 2014. Someone relayed a nasty rumor to me the other day that there were some folks who read this column regularly, but who didn’t always take my advice.  “I am shocked, shocked

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February 14, 2014

Writers sought for website

**ARCHIVED POST ** Our website is looking for more stories to publish. We are looking for content about native plants and habitats, as well as information about chapter activities, projects, pollinators, book reviews and so forth. Photography and art work is also sought.  Authors with experience writing for local newsletters

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February 1, 2014

Native in Texas, and from Coast to Coast

By Delmar Cain – Boerne Chapter, Native Plant Society of TexasPublished in the Boerne Star on January 31, 2014. The golf courses in our area will not see much activity today other than at their bars and grills.  It was 24 degrees Fahrenheit with wind chills into the teens.  The

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January 31, 2014

For Winter Inspiration, Just Follow the Snout

By Delmar Cain – Boerne Chapter, Native Plant Society of TexasPublished in the Boerne Star on January 17, 2014. It is not the most fertile time of the year for inspiration for an article about native plants.  The cold weather has eliminated the last remaining flowers and leaves on the

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January 17, 2014

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