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Native Plant Society of Texas

New Resource for You: Native Plants in Schools

Haeley Giambalvo

Did you know that NPSOT now has resources available to help schools start their own Texas native plant gardens?

Check out the new Native Plants in Schools section of our website. There you will find:

  • School Garden Starter Guide – a short PDF guide with plant lists and tips and tricks for creating a successful school native plant garden.
  • Native Plants Rock! presentation – a simple presentation to introduce kids to native plants and their benefits.
  • School garden examples – photos of school garden projects led by NPSOT members. If you have a school garden you would like to share on our website, please email haeley.giambalvo@npsot.org.
  • List of garden curriculum and activity ideas – we’ve rounded up free resources available from a variety of conservation organizations. We will continue to add to this list and create our own native plant activities to complement these!
 

Please share these resources with schools and any other organizations in your area that is interested in starting a garden. If you have suggestions or feedback on these materials, the Native Plants in Schools committee would love to hear them! Please reach out to haeley.giambalvo@npsot.org.

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