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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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State

Creating a Wildlife Habitat with Native Plants

The heavily wooded lot includes Cedar Elms (Ulmus crassifolia), Live Oaks (Quercus virginiana), and Pecan Trees (Carya illinoinensis). By Lindsey Townsend, Tyler Chapter Every garden begins with an idea—and a dream. Then the work begins. Debra McStay wanted to establish a natural sanctuary where her neighborhood creatures could thrive. “For

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Grants & Scholarships

2025 Undergraduate Scholarship Applications Open February 1

ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS February 1 – March 15, 2025 The Native Plant Society of Texas is offering two undergraduate student awards: the Dr. Alfred Richardson Undergraduate Scholarship and the Kate Hillhouse Undergraduate Scholarship. Applications can be accessed on the Scholarships page after February 1. Both scholarships are available to biology and ecology

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Big Bend

Program: Texas Native Seeds

The Big Bend Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas will hold this month’s program on Saturday January 18 at 1:00 PM in the AEP room of the Alpine Public Library. Colin Shackelford from Texas Native Seeds will be discussing the West Texas Native Seed Project. The goal of

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Highland Lakes

Chapter meeting January 18

We are very excited to share with you that Colleen Dieter, a top gardening educator, will present “Drought Tolerant Plants for the Hill Country” at our next Highland Lakes Native Plant Society meeting on Saturday, 18 January 2025, 1:00-3:00 at the Marble Falls Library, 101 Main Street. The educational presentation

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Fredericksburg Announces its new Board of Directors for 2025

The Fredericksburg chapter of NPSOT is pleased to announce the election of its new Board of Directors for 2025. It includes a mix of continuing and new leadership, with Jonathan Watt stepping into the role of President.

Watt has been deeply involved with plants, from botanic garden-sponsored expeditions in Central and South America collecting and studying Aroids (houseplants like philodendrons and pothos), to taxonomy, landscape design, installation and maintenance, plant collection and propagation.

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Collin County

A Step-by-Step Guide to a Thriving Native Texas Landscape

Any time is a great time to plan and add native plants to your landscape. But the New Year adds a symbolic element of renewal, and winter is the perfect season to prepare for planting. For North Texans, the diversity of our native plants provides plentiful options for building a beautiful home landscape.

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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