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Native Plant Sites in North Texas

Where to See Native Plants in North Texas

The below locales in North Texas are a great way to see our native plants in demonstration gardens, parks, prairies, preserves, and other sites. Further information is available by selecting a location on the map or scrolling down to the site summaries.

Chapter Demonstration Gardens

O.S. Gray Natural Area

Lead: Josephine Keeney Workdays: Second Saturday of each month This Pollinator Garden was started from scratch in 2010 under the Leadership of Kevin Donovan and the sponsorship of the Arlington

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Roots for Wings Demo Garden

Lewisville Animal Shelter Roots for Wings Demo Garden The City of Lewisville is excited to launch Roots for Wings, a pilot program certifying residential pollinator and native habitat gardens.  This

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The Molly Hollar Wildscape

Leads: Ann Knudson and Hester Schwarzer Workdays: Every Wednesday of the month and first Saturday on the month The Molly Hollar Wildscape, located in Veterans Park, Arlington, TX was started

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White Settlement Monarch Waystation

Garden Leaders: Avon Burton and Marcie Delgado Mission To attract and support local butterflies, Monarch butterflies, native bees, and other pollinators and to provide educational tools and volunteer opportunities that

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Parks & Trails

Blackland Prairie Raptor Center

The Blackland Prairie Raptor Center in Lucas promotes and enhances populations of raptors through rehabilitation, conservation, and education initiatives. In line with their name, the facility has also undertaken large-scale

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Cedar Hill State Park

Cedar Hill State Park is located on FM 1382 and the eastern shore of Joe Pool Lake in Cedar Hill, Texas, ten miles southwest of Dallas. The park was acquired

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Clark Gardens

The mission of Clark Gardens is to inspire and demonstrate the many rich horticulture and nature-based possibilities of North Texas to tourists and residents alike. This breathtaking 50-acre oasis awakens

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Clymer Meadow Preserve

The 1,475 acre preserve in Hunt County contains some of the largest and most diverse remnants of the Blackland Prairie — the Texas version of the tallgrass prairie that once

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Cross Timbers Trailhead

If you go to the left–Equestrian Trail: Experience this 6.5-mile out-and-back trail near Flower Mound, Texas. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 2 hours to

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Frankford Blackland Prairie

A historic five-acre nature preserve situated in the midst of north Dallas. The site features a rare remnant of the Blackland Prairie once indigenous to the Dallas area, the historic

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Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge

The 11,320-acre refuge on Lake Texoma includes shallow marshes, creeks, bottomland hardwoods, forested uplands and grasslands, that provide habitat for more than 300 species of birds and many varieties of wildlife.

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LBJ National Grasslands

Lyndon B. Johnson National Grassland is a national grassland located near Decatur, and within an hour’s drive from Fort Worth. It is primarily used for recreation, such as hiking, camping,

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Parkhill Prairie

A 436-acre native plant preserve located in northeast Collin County. Parkhill Prairie Park features a 52-acre relic of the Blackland tall-grass prairie and provides magnificent views of the countryside.

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Smiley-Woodfin Prairie

The 2,100-acre meadow in Lamar County is the largest section of native grassland existing in Texas. This grassland has remained uncultivated, providing an annual harvest of native grasses.

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Spring Creek Forest Preserve

The preserve is situated in northern Dallas County, and features old-growth bottomlandforest with a gentle, wide spring water stream that flows over a bed of solid limestone. The force of the water has

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Station 511 in Argyle

Located at Station 511 in Argyle, Rewilding Station 511 is a joint project between Denton County ESD 1, Keep Argyle Beautiful, the Denton County Master Gardener Association, and NPSOT Trinity

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Stiff Chapel Cemetary

A two-acre Texas Historic Cemetery dating from 1847. Located in McKinney, the grounds have a wide variety of native grasses and perennials on undisturbed soil.

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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