Join / Renew / Gift Donate Shop Member Portal Language

Search
npsot_bluebonnet_full_color

Native Plant Society of Texas

Spring 2018 landscaping classes announced

NPSOT Archive

**ARCHIVED POST **

The Native Plant Society of Texas is offering 17 landscaping classes this spring at 11 different locations around the state. The one-day classes are all part of the Native Landscaping Certification Program, a series which teaches best practices for native plant landscaping – including wildlife habitat gardening.

Classes are intended to be useful both to homeowners and professionals. Three levels are offered this spring. Anyone may register for a Level One class, which is a prerequisite for the Level Two and Level Three classes. Click through to the class list to find a class and register.

Each class includes both classroom instruction and fieldwork, with an emphasis on helping students become familiar with the identification and use of specific plants native to their region. Students will see native plants in their natural habitat, illustrating their use in the landscape. Each level presents 45 native Texas plants recommended for your landscape and 5 plants to avoid.

CEUs are now offered by International Society of Arboriculture, Texas Nursery and Landscape Association and by Texas Master Naturalists and Texas Master Gardeners.

**ARCHIVED POST**

**ARCHIVED POST LINKS & PICTURES MAY NOT WORK**

**ARCHIVED POST AUTHOR: Bill Hopkins

About the Region

2026 Fall Symposium Logo

This low-elevations region of Texas extends inland from the barrier islands, about 60 or so miles, and stretches from Brownsville to Louisiana. In total, it covers about 9.5 million acres, with a high point of 150 feet in elevation. More than 1000 species of plants can be found in this region. On the southern end, species more common in Mexico (such as Sabal mexicana) and Central America occur.

The barrier islands provide us with dune systems, and clay flats to the inland side, which have species found in these areas alone. Many plants here, such as Ipomoea pes-caprae (beach morning glory), can be found throughout tropical regions of the globe. I’ve encountered the same species on the beaches of Guam.

Once inland, vast marshes and wet prairies occur. Occasionally, oak (Quercus fusiformis) groves can be found. Common grasses include species of Bothriochloa, Paspalum, and Sporobolus; eastern gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides); and switchgrass (Panicum species). Many rivers and creeks cut through the Gulf Prairies, and along these riparian areas various species of trees, Sabal minor, and other plants adapted to clay soils can be found. Due to overgrazing, farming, and fire suppression, woody species such as mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) and huisache (Acacia farnesiana), and invasive species such as chinaberry (Melia azedarach), Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius), and Chinese tallow (Sapium sebiferum) have increased and displaced our native flora.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason