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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

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