Clear Lake Chapter

Clear Lake Chapter Holiday Party & Gift Exchange

Monday, December 8 • 6 – 8 p.m.
Forest Room (1430), Bayou Building, UHCL

Potluck – To change up the responsibilities this year, we ask that you use your last name for the following suggestions of your supper contribution:

A – D: Bring a Main Dish
E – J: Bring a Dessert
K – P: Bring an Appetizer
Q – Z: Bring a Salad

You may bring your own meal if you would rather not participate in the potluck dishes.

Everyone needs to bring their own cup or glass, plate and silverware. Iced tea and water will be provided.

Gift Exchange – Please bring an unwrapped native plant or gardening related gift to participate in the gift exchange. What to bring? What garden gifts are on your own Christmas list? Maybe a special book, gloves, an interesting tool, something from the garden or even some of your own art or craft work.

Native Plants to Swap or Seeds for Outreach – Bring your extra plants or seeds to share.

The evening will include instrumental holiday music by two talented high school local musicians. Also included in the evening’s frivolity will be the always popular Native Plant Bingo, Member of the Year Award, and announcements.

Parking DO NOT park in employee parking (enforced 24/7).
Clear Lake Chapter Members: If you have a pass, don’t forget it – you will not get another one if you picked one up previously. If you need your new pass, arrive early enough to pick one up in the meeting room and place it in your car.

Visitors: Non-members may purchase a pass for $5, or “rent” one (while supplies last) — if returned at the end of the meeting, the $5 will be returned. Temporary parking permits may also be purchased at the kiosk in front of the Recreation Center or via T2 Mobile Pay.

Bayou Building, Forest Room (1430)
University of Houston-Clear Lake
2700 Bay Area Blvd.
Houston, TX 77058

Meetings are open to members and non-members. If you would like to become a member, you may join online. For more information about the Native Plant Society of Texas and the benefits of membership please visit: www.npsot.org.

Hosted by the Environmental Institute of Houston, University of Houston-Clear Lake.

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