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Native Plant Society of Texas

Collin County Chapter

October 7th Chapter Meeting

Our program is on “Drought-tolerant Native Texas Plants“, presented by Randy Pensabene. Randy will guide us through the native plants and practices that will help turn your yard from a typical high-water, non-native landscape into a beautiful, low-water, drought-tolerant native Texas landscape.

Joining our meeting
Our meetings are open to the public and you can join us in person at the Heard Museum’s Laughlin Hall, via the south entrance to the building, or online through Zoom using the following details:
Zoom: https://tinyurl.com/yn85nbzd (Meeting ID: 885 5459 6572 / Passcode: 571904)

Randy is a past president of the Native Plant Society of Texas, Williamson County Chapter. Since joining NPSOT, she has taught Native Landscape Certification Program (NLCP) classes, managed the chapter’s native plant sales, transformed her own landscape, assisted with demonstration gardens, and given multiple presentations on landscaping with native plants. She helped create the chapter’s newly launched native Texas plant database for Williamson County, Texas (WilcoScape.org). She enjoys sharing her enthusiasm for native Texas plants and teaching others about their beauty, drought-tolerance, and benefits.

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