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Native Plant Society of Texas

Date set for spring symposium

NPSOT Archive

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Mark your calendar for our annual spring symposium on Saturday, March 12, at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin.

Speakers at the event this year will include Brandi Clark Burton of Austin EcoNetwork on Building an Environmental Community; Cathy Downs of our Bring Back the Monarch to Texas program; and Laura Zebehazy with Texas Parks and Wildlife. Additional speakers will announced later.

Whimsical-butterfly-chairs-in-the-courtyard-IMG_07901-641Brandi Clark Burton is the founder and “chief inspiration officer” of Austin EcoNetwork, which connects people, information, events, and resources related to Austin and the environment through a community website and twice-weekly newsletter. She has been voted “Best Environmentalist” four times in the Austin Chronicle readers’ poll and has received numerous other awards.

Registration details will be announced later. Registration includes a light breakfast, lunch and full admission to the Wildflower Center grounds.

Nearby accommodations for those staying overnight include Holiday Inn Express and LaQuinta Inn.

The spring symposium is a joint production of the Native Plant Society of Texas and the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin. Contact our State Office for more information.

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**ARCHIVED POST AUTHOR: Bill Hopkins

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