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A Texas Flora Kaleidoscape

Presentation Details

The flora of Texas is as diverse as any in the U.S., which creates natural landscapes that are as unique as they are beautiful. The result of a vast diversity of soil types, rainfall, temperature, and topography is an astounding “kaleidoscape” of habitats unique to our state – and these in turn have evolved a wondrous array of plants with a spectrum of flower types and colors, leaf shapes and morphology, and even strange creative forms as they adapted to these ecologically diverse landscapes and the microhabitats within them.

This presentation illustrates many of the beautiful, curious, amazing, and awesome plants found within the glorious wilds of Texas!

Equipment Required:
None
Additional Requirements:
None
Ecoregions Covered:
Central Great Plains, Chihuahuan Deserts, Cross Timbers, East Central Texas Plains, Edwards Plateau, Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes, High Plains, Southern Texas Plains, Southwestern Tablelands, Texas Blackland Prairies, Western Gulf Coastal Plain

Presenter Information

  • Roger Sanderson

    Roger was Director of Horticulture at the Texas Discovery Gardens for over 7 years and was the Director of Botanical Gardens /Wildlife Biologist at the Heard Natural Science Museum for the prior 11 years.

    Usually known as “the Snake Man” by local youths, he has been doing snake programs for Boy Scouts for almost 25 years and taught the Reptile Study Merit Badge at several Boy Scout National Jamborees in Virginia. He also taught the Herpetology section of the Master Naturalist program for several chapters for almost 20 years.

    His huge live, native Texas snake collection was one of the best in the state and was used to create the Heard’s widely acclaimed Rat Snakes to Rattlers exhibit and the following exhibit Venomous Snakes of Texas.

    Both Roger and his wife are active birders, traveling widely to view new or unusual species. In 2007 and 2008 they were selected to be part of the Cornell University search team for the Ivory Bill Woodpecker in Arkansas. For many years Roger was on the board and was Christmas Bird Count Compiler for the Prairie & Timbers Audubon Society and past-president of the Texas Herpetological Society. He and his wife are also active members of the Dallas Paleontology Society. Insects, too, are a favorite subject! He has been collecting butterflies and moths since the third grade and did research on gall insects at Texas A & M.

    Despite his vast background in animals, Roger’s greatest expertise is in plants. From 1976 to 1982 he was Assistant Director at Texas Discovery Gardens until forming his own landscape company which he still operates part-time.

    A specialist on Pollinator Gardens, he has not only created a huge Butterfly Garden and Hummingbird Garden of national acclaim at Texas Discovery Gardens. He has created noteworthy pollinator gardens at the Heard Museum, the Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge, the Dallas Mayor’s Pollinator Garden, and for numerous schools throughout the DFW area. Roger had a weekly column for several years in the Dallas Morning News on plants and gardening and continues to write articles about nature in several publications.
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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