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Native Plant Society of Texas

Dallas Chapter

April Prairie Tour & Meeting

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  • On April 18 & 19, 2015 – Landscape Architect Rosa Finsley and Master Naturalist Rich Jaynes will lead the tours, identifying the spring wildflowers and grasses in bloom. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn more about the rare four-acre remnant of the Blackland Prairie.  Be sure and come see the prairie in person, then come to the meeting to hear how this jewel was rediscovered.  The native hyacinths are expected to be in bloom similar to the photo above!!  Saturday, April 18th, @ 10am & Sunday, April 19th, @ 4pm 17400 Muirfield, Dallas, Texas 75287
  • On April 20, 2015 – Rosa Finsley, nationally-renowned Landscape Architect presents
    “Frankford Church & Cemetery Prairie Restoration: A Historical Prairie Restored”Rosa will discuss the restoration work in the fields adjacent to the historical Frankford Church and Cemetery. For many years, the field was kept mowed and manicured as part of the church grounds. After allowing for the native vegetation to grow back, this piece of the Blackland Prairie has become a large part of the heritage tourism being promoted for this historical site in the suburbs of Dallas. Wildflowers and other native plants which had probably not flowered in many generations were found to come back across these fields. Rosa will also provide a slide show illustrating some of the native plants being used as landscaping around the church and cemetery to capture the natural setting of this location. This restoration project in North Texas is a great example of steps that can be taken to revert manicured park areas and grounds back to a tall grass prairie landscape.

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About the Region

2026 Fall Symposium Logo

This low-elevations region of Texas extends inland from the barrier islands, about 60 or so miles, and stretches from Brownsville to Louisiana. In total, it covers about 9.5 million acres, with a high point of 150 feet in elevation. More than 1000 species of plants can be found in this region. On the southern end, species more common in Mexico (such as Sabal mexicana) and Central America occur.

The barrier islands provide us with dune systems, and clay flats to the inland side, which have species found in these areas alone. Many plants here, such as Ipomoea pes-caprae (beach morning glory), can be found throughout tropical regions of the globe. I’ve encountered the same species on the beaches of Guam.

Once inland, vast marshes and wet prairies occur. Occasionally, oak (Quercus fusiformis) groves can be found. Common grasses include species of Bothriochloa, Paspalum, and Sporobolus; eastern gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides); and switchgrass (Panicum species). Many rivers and creeks cut through the Gulf Prairies, and along these riparian areas various species of trees, Sabal minor, and other plants adapted to clay soils can be found. Due to overgrazing, farming, and fire suppression, woody species such as mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) and huisache (Acacia farnesiana), and invasive species such as chinaberry (Melia azedarach), Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius), and Chinese tallow (Sapium sebiferum) have increased and displaced our native flora.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason