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Organization: Austin

Chapter Meeting

Deedy Wright’s Resources for the Austin Area

Our chapter was fortunate to have Deedy Wright speak to us about invasive plants and better native alternatives, and about how to use natives effectively and successfully in your landscape.

plant with a white cluster of blooms
Plants of the Month

April 2024 Plant of the Month

This spring has been a very good time for our most common milkweed.Click on the plant below for more details

Recogition

Austin NPSOT Grant Award

As a 501(c)(3) organization the Native Plant Society of Texas 2023 awarded Austin one of five $700 grants through the NPSOT State Conservation Partner Grant initiative. Our grant will support

Crossvine, Bignonia capreolata
Plants of the Month

December 2023 Plants of the Month

As winter begins these evergreens continue to show their beauty and resilience.Click on the plants below for more details

Activity

South Austin Plant Rescue

Capital Area and Balcones Canyonlands Master Naturalists and the Native Plant Society of Texas Austin are running a native plant rescue program! Register for our inaugural plant rescue this weekend

Chapter

More Funding for Texas Parks

Ballots have been tallied and voters have made it clear—state parks matter to the people of Texas! Proposition 14, which creates the Centennial Parks Conservation Fund, passed with overwhelming support

About

Awards

The Austin NPSOT Chapter is fortunate to have received several awards. Here is a sampling of recent awards. Native Prairies Association of Texas Chapter Conclave Leadership Award 2023 NPSOT Membership

Activity

Austin Plant Sale 2023 Review

The Austin NPSOT Plant sale was on October 7, 2023 at Dowell Ranch, and was a great success! This was our first year at our partner NPAT’s property at Dowell

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About the Region

New Braunfels, the location of our Fall 2024 Symposium, straddles both the Edwards Plateau Ecoregion and the Blackland Prairie ecoregion. Interstate 35 divides the city of New Braunfels; its path through the city closely parallels the boundary of these two ecoregions, with the Edwards Plateau on the west side and the Blackland Prairies region to the east. 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 four host chapters (New Braunfels, Lindheimer, Guadalupe, and the Hill Country chapters) are located in one or both of the ecoregions above. However, the eastern portion of Guadalupe County also falls within the Post Oak Savanna ecoregion. Annual rainfall averages 35 to 45 inches, with higher averages to the east. A wide variety of hardwood trees are found, including several species of oaks, elms, and in the Bastrop area, loblolly pine (Pinus taeda). Grasses and forbs dominate in the open savannas, with most common grass being little bluestem. Ranching, agriculture, and fire suppression have allowed woody species to encroach on the once-open savannas.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason