Join / Renew / Gift Donate Shop Member Portal Language

Search
npsot_bluebonnet_full_color

Native Plant Society of Texas

Highland Lakes Chapter

Chapter Meeting March 21 – Mena’s Demonstration of Tips and Techniques for the Propagation of Native Plants

Mena Rueffer, Master Gardener, is the speaker for the Highland Lakes Native Plant
Society of Texas’ Chapter Meeting on Saturday, 21 March from 1:00-3:00 pm at the
Marble Falls Library, 101 Main Street.
Mena started gardening when she was two years old, when gardening was a necessity for
her family. She became a Master Gardener in 2018, and has taken classes in horticulture
and Landscape Design at UT. She mostly likes shady flowers, and loves to teach tips and
techniques for propagating popular native and other landscaping plants.
Mena’s Demonstration of Tips and Techniques for the Propagation of Native Plants will
include:
 Soil Tips
 Seed Preparation and Planting Method
 Cutting and Layering Techniques
 Seasonal Timing
There will be seeds available to take home, as well as an opportunity to do limited
hands-on propagation.
Mena’s presentation will count as one hour of Advanced Training credit for Master
Gardeners, and one hour of Advanced Training credit for Master Naturalists.
Chapter business occurs during the first 30 minutes of the meeting, followed by Mena’s
demonstration.

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