Austin Chapter

NPSOT Spring Symposium 2023

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Registration Open!

The Native Plant Society of Texas 2023 Spring Symposium is coming to Austin, Texas!

When: Saturday, February 25

Where: Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, South Austin, TX

This year’s event will take place at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in South Austin on Saturday February 25. The cost is $50 for NPSOT and LBJWC members and $65 for non-members. A light breakfast, box lunch, and full access to the Wildflower Center gardens is included for all registrants. Doors open for check-in at 8 am.

Our featured presenters include:

  • David Bezanson, The Nature Conservancy, “Conservation Projects 2023”
  • Ricky Linex, Native Plant Society of Texas, “Riparian Vegetation – Creekside Tour”
  • Charlotte Reemts, The Nature Conservancy, “Dealing with KR Bluestem and Other Invasive Plants”
  • Laurel Treviño Murphy, Jha Lab, University of Texas, “Native Bees, Plants, and Habitats”
  • Roger Sanderson, Naturalist, Horticulturalist, “Native Texas Hummingbird Plants”

Tours of the Wildflower Center gardens will follow the presentations.

Download the Symposium Agenda.

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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