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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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Volunteer Highlights – Fall 2022

**ARCHIVED POST ** The Clear Lake Chapter volunteered at the Parks for Pollinators Bioblitz at Armand Bayou Nature Center on Saturday. The event featured native plant and seed giveaways, seed ball making, games for children where they learned about pollinators and their habitats, and a fun craft that taught the

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January 1, 1970

A few of our native milkweeds

Two of the most important for monarch butterflies are Antelope Horns and Green Milkweed because they are common milkweeds that grow in pastures and along roadsides throughout the central flyway of Texas, the path that most Monarchs take on their migration through Texas.

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January 1, 1970

Donations Can Impact Kate Hillhouse Undergraduate Scholarships!

**ARCHIVED POST ** Please keep the Kate Hillhouse Undergraduate Scholarship fund in mind if you or your chapter are looking for an impactful way to spend funds on our Society’s mission. This scholarship is awarded to students who will be junior or senior college undergraduates in the fall, who plan to pursue a

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January 1, 1970

Scholarship Applications Open! Due May 1

**ARCHIVED POST ** Both scholarship applications are due May 1, 2022, and winners will be announced in early summer. This spring, the Native Plant Society of Texas is offering two student awards: the Dr. Alfred Richardson Scholarship and the Kate Hillhouse Scholarship. Applications are now open and can be accessed

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January 1, 1970

Mid-Summer’s morning in a Central Texas habitat

**ARCHIVED POST ** Took a few walks around my yard and nearby locations, to see if the Phemeranthus calycinus aka Rock Pink or Flame Flower, might be in bloom, since we had had several days of rain recently. No such luck. There had been at least 20 specimens in the

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January 1, 1970

Fall symposium opens on November 2

**ARCHIVED POST ** Our fall symposium will be in Huntsville this year with the theme **ARCHIVED POST** **ARCHIVED POST LINKS & PICTURES MAY NOT WORK** **ARCHIVED POST AUTHOR: Bill Hopkins

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January 1, 1970

Mealy blue sage

**ARCHIVED POST ** Low-maintenance and long-blooming perennial Mealy Blue Sage, Salvia farinacea, also known as Mealycup Sage, is an herbaceous perennial. It is native to New Mexico and Texas; its native habitat includes prairies and the edges of woodlands. Its names “Mealy” and “farinacea” both refer to the way the

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January 1, 1970
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About the Region

New Braunfels, the location of our Fall 2024 Symposium, straddles both the Edwards Plateau Ecoregion and the Blackland Prairie ecoregion. Interstate 35 divides the city of New Braunfels; its path through the city closely parallels the boundary of these two ecoregions, with the Edwards Plateau on the west side and the Blackland Prairies region to the east. 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 four host chapters (New Braunfels, Lindheimer, Guadalupe, and the Hill Country chapters) are located in one or both of the ecoregions above. However, the eastern portion of Guadalupe County also falls within the Post Oak Savanna ecoregion. Annual rainfall averages 35 to 45 inches, with higher averages to the east. A wide variety of hardwood trees are found, including several species of oaks, elms, and in the Bastrop area, loblolly pine (Pinus taeda). Grasses and forbs dominate in the open savannas, with most common grass being little bluestem. Ranching, agriculture, and fire suppression have allowed woody species to encroach on the once-open savannas.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason