npsot_bluebonnet_full_color

November 1990 – October 1994 Melinda Larsen

Volume 8, No 6
Qué Es Mas Macho?
Wild Collecting Endangered Natives
Propagation Notes: Eustoma grandiflorum
Endangered Species & Austin, Texas

Volume 9, No 1
Mix It Up When Landscaping!
Ecology, Horticulture, & Native Plant Landscaping
Propagation Notes: Tagetes sp.

Volume 9, No 2
Tenth Anniversary
Wildflowers on the Cotton Belt Railroad
Collecting Botanical Specimens
Propagation Notes: Witch Hazel/Purple Coneflower

Volume 9, No 3
Mulching
The Strawberry Bush, A Native of Merit
Lupinus sp.: History of State Flower Designation
Propagation Notes: Podophyllum peltatum

Volume 9, No 4
Wounds, Pruning & Oak Wilt Control
Native Plants to Assist in Eradication of Hemp Broomrape
Mounting Plant Specimens
Propagation Notes: Common Persimmon/Mexican Persimmon

Volume 9, No 5
Prairie Management: Key to Survival
Hummingbird Habitat
Buffalo Grass & Blue Grama: Lawn Alternatives
Propagation Notes: Quercus macrocarpa

Volume 9, No 6
On the Trail of the Silky Camellia
“Fallout” Habitat for Neotropical Migratory Birds
Aquatic Plants: Helpful Hints
Propagation Notes: Native Grasses

Volume 10, No 1
Amy Shelton McNutt Memorial
Toward a Healthy Soil
Propagation Notes: Pecan Tree/Wax Myrtle

Volume 10, No 2
Spring Wildflowers
Earthworms
Propagation Notes: Dwarf Palmetto/Mexican Palm

Volume 10, No 3
A Tale of Two Cypresses: Bald & Montezuma Cypress
Long Term Rest Does Not Help Plant Diversity
Nematodes
Propagation Notes: Bald Cypress/Mesquite

Volume 10, No 4
What’s In a Name: Plant Taxonomy
Caution: Oak Wilt Micro Injections
Wildflowers In Your Landscape

Volume 10, No 5
Leave It to Sumac for State’s Fall Color
Successful Seed Collecting Tips for Natives
Viewpoint: Biodiversity & Endangered Species Act

Volume 10, No 6
Planning an Environmentally Appropriate Landscape
Celestial Symbols in Botanical Books
Tips: Fall Landscape Maintenance
Webworms & Wasps

Volume 11, No 1
Annual Meeting News
Texas Bamboo

Volume 11, No 2
The Role of the Botanical Garden
Landscaping for the Highway

Volume 11, No 3
The Rolling Plains in Flower
Coastal Region’s Plant Lists
Palo Duro Floral Loop

Volume 11, No 4
Micropropagation of Native Plants
Arbutus xalapensis (Texas Madrone)
The Healing Power of Nature

Volume 11, No 5
Bear Grass & the Yucca Moth
Southline Equipment Company’s Native Garden

Volume 11, No 6
Creating a Border…Texas Style
Site Protection During Construction

Volume 12, No 1
Lesson From My Garden
Friedrich Wilderness Park

Volume 12, No 2
Spring West of the Pecos
View From the Nursery: Interview w/ Terry Tate

Volume 12, No 3
Sedges for the Landscape
Destination Corpus Christi
Cyrilla racemiflora

Volume 12, No 4
Carroll Abbott Memorial
Creating a Wildlife Habitat
Anisacanthus wrightii

Volume 12, No 5
Ferns are Naturally Different
Reflections on Backyard Diversity
Lobelia cardinalis

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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