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Native Plant Society of Texas

Jon Klick

NPSOT Archive

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If you’ve called or visited our state office recently you might have noticed something different. Jon Klick is now the office coordinator, having taken over from Pam Middleton who retired in November after ten years of service.

Jon grew up in rural parts of Wisconsin and Illinois and earned a BBA with majors in finance and economics from Loyola University in Chicago. After stints with CNA Insurance and Chrysler Financial, Jon moved on to various levels of county and local government offices. In addition he owned and operated a vegetable truck farm with his wife and three sons, propagating over 100 varieties of vegetables, along with various herbs and fruit trees. He also raised chickens and honey bees and restored and managed a 20 acre native hardwood forest for split firewood sales and a fuel source for his home heat.

With his sons now grown and scattered across the country, Jon lives in Fredericksburg with his wife of 28 years and says he is looking for “new projects.”

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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