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Native Plant Society of Texas

Lakes and Pines Chapter

Lakes & Pines Field Trip to the Laura Bush Native Texas Park

Pictures don’t do this park justice – you just have to be there – and six members of the Lakes and Pines Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas were there May 2 ! The Laura W. Bush Native Texas Park, a stunning 15-acre park featuring native Texas trees, grasses and flowers, is located at the George W. Bush Presidential Center in the heart of Dallas near the Southern Methodist University campus. This feat of engineering – turning parking lots and old buildings into undulating fields of American Basketflower, Turks Cap, Mealy Blue Sage, Goldenrod, Winecup and varieties of trees and native prairie grasses, can only be appreciated in person. And of course, different natives make themselves visible throughout the growing season so there is no bad time to go.

Lakes & Pines Laura Bush Native Texas Park Field Trip

About the Region

Fall Symposium 2025 Logo - Teach for the Future

Salado, the location of our Fall 2025 Symposium, lies at the intersection of two ecoregions: the Edwards Plateau (Limestone Cut Plain) and Blackland Prairie (Northern Blackland Prairie).

The Edwards Plateau area is also called the Hill Country; however, this general term covers a much larger area extending farther north. Spring-fed creeks are found throughout the region; deep limestone canyons, rivers, and lakes (reservoirs) are common. Ashe juniper is perhaps the most common woody species found throughout the region. Additional woody species include various species of oak, with live oak (Quercus fusiformis) being the most common. Sycamores (Platanus occidentalis) and bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) border waterways. This area is well known for its spring wildflower displays, though they may be viewed in spring, late summer, and fall, as well. According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, average annual rainfall in the Edwards Plateau ranges from 15 to 34 inches.

The Blackland Prairie extends from the Red River south to San Antonio, bordered on the west by the Edwards Plateau and the Cross Timbers, and on the east by the Post Oak Savannah. Annual rainfall averages 30 to 40 inches, with higher averages to the east. This region is dominated by prairie species. The most common grass species include little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) and Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans) in the uplands and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) in the riparian areas and drainages. Common herbaceous flowering plants include salvias, penstemons, and silphiums. This area has suffered greatly from overgrazing and agricultural use. Few intact areas remain, though many of the plants can be found along county roadsides throughout the region.

Our fall Symposium host chapter, the Tonkawa Chapter, includes both of these ecoregions.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason