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Native Plant Society of Texas

Donations Can Impact Kate Hillhouse Undergraduate Scholarships!

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Please keep the Kate Hillhouse Undergraduate Scholarship fund in mind if you or your chapter are looking for an impactful way to spend funds on our Society’s mission. This scholarship is awarded to students who will be junior or senior college undergraduates in the fall, who plan to pursue a career related to Texas native plants or to the conservation and restoration of native plant habitats in Texas.

Last year, with chapter and individual donor support, we were able to award 7 Kate Hillhouse scholarships totaling $17,750, rather than a single annual scholarship as had been done in the past. They were awarded to some outstanding students, many of whom have joined their local chapters. 

Our Society is now asking for your support to fund as many scholarships for worthy applicants as possible in 2022. The more native plant education our Society can support, the better. Chapters also have the option to sponsor specific applicants – contact the State Office for more information.

Donations received through the middle of June will determine the number of scholarships we can award this year, so please spread the word to help this be our most impactful scholarship season yet. You can donate here and choose Kate Hillhouse Undergraduate Scholarships.

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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