Join / Renew / Gift Donate Shop Member Portal Language

Search
npsot_bluebonnet_full_color

Native Plant Society of Texas

Boerne Chapter

Boerne Chapter Meeting January 6

NPSOT Boerne is thrilled to welcome Rachel Sarrls, regional urban ecologist with the Texas A&M Forest Service for the San Antonio region. She is an ISA Certified arborist with specialized qualifications in tree risk assessment and Oak Wilt management.

Rachel has worked as an arborist in the Houston region, managing work from tree removals and pruning to fertilization and planting. Rachel has a passion for empowering communities through education and outreach to help people understand the vital role trees play in urban environment and how to effectively care for them.

Join us as Rachel helps us identify and understand common tree Issues for the Texas Hill Country.

About NPSOT Boerne Meetings: Join us for our monthly chapter meetings. You do not need to be a member to attend. We meet the first Tuesday of each month.

Our meetings start with a social time at 6:00pm. Announcements will begin at 6:45pm, followed by the presentation. For the social time, please bring any snacks/appetizers/desserts that you would like to share.

Volunteers are needed to come early and/or stay late to help with set-up and clean-up.

Meeting Location: Hunke Hall, 33 Herff Farm Road, Boerne

We hope to see you there!

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