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Native Plant Society of Texas

Texarkana readies for a symposium

NPSOT Archive

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Schedules and other details for the 2014 Fall Symposium will be coming in about two weeks, according to spokesperson Vicki Avery.

Logo for the 2014 Fall Symposium. Designed by Bob Thompson of Whitehouse.
Logo for the 2014 Fall Symposium.
Designed by Bob Thompson of Whitehouse.

The annual Fall Symposium will be held October 16-19 at the Texarkana Convention Center.

In a report read at the Summer Quarter board meeting, Symposium Planning Committee co-chair Vicki Avery said they were still “nailing down speakers and finalizing the schedule,” but expected to have all the details ready for printing registration schedules after the next committee meeting in two weeks.

She announced that the winner of the logo contest is Bob Thompson of Whitehouse. The logo will be used on publicity materials and, of particular interest to symposium registrants, the all-important event tee-shirts.

Announcements were also released for the floral arrangement contest and the Silent Auction, both traditional activities at the annual symposiums. Information on the photo contest was previously released.

Tricia Hopkins donated this quilt to be raffled during the symposium. It features all 50 state flowers painted onto cloth.
Tricia Hopkins donated a quilt to be raffled during the symposium. All 50 state flowers have been painted on cloth squares, which were then assembled and quilted.

The silent auction raises money for the Kate Hillhouse Scholarship Fund, which endows undergraduate scholarships. You may bring your donation items with you to the event or if you cannot attend deliver your items to our state headquarters in Fredericksburg.

Tricia Hopkins displayed a Raffle Quilt during the board meeting in Boerne. She will donate the quilt and raffle tickets will be sold to benefit the Kate Hillhouse Scholarship Fund. The winning ticket will be drawn during the symposium.

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**ARCHIVED POST AUTHOR: julieallen

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