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Native Plant Society of Texas

North Central Chapter

North Central Chapter

Serving all of Tarrant County, the North Central Chapter has over 450 members. Our chapter maintains several demonstration gardens filled with Texas native plants. The gardens are open to the public, showcase native plant landscapes, promote conservation, and are valuable local greenspaces. You may even encounter some of our members working in the gardens on our monthly volunteer days.

Our monthly meetings feature a variety of speakers and take place on the second Thursday of the month. Held at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden in the Rose Room and live-streamed via Zoom, the public is welcome to join us either in person or online. There are no monthly meetings in January and July, and our annual Holiday Party is held in December.

Upcoming Events

Chapter News

Our Mission

The mission of the Native Plant Society of Texas is to promote conservation, research and utilization of native plants and plant habitats of Texas through education, outreach, and example.

Inspirations

Nature is an open book for those who care to read. Each grass covered hillside is a page on which is written the history of the past, the condition of the present, and predictions of the future.  
          ~John Earnest Weaver

A true conservationist is a man who knows that the world is not given by his fathers, but borrowed from his children.
          ~John James Audubon

About the Region

Fall Symposium 2025 Logo - Teach for the Future

Salado, the location of our Fall 2025 Symposium, lies at the intersection of two ecoregions: the Edwards Plateau (Limestone Cut Plain) and Blackland Prairie (Northern Blackland Prairie).

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 fall Symposium host chapter, the Tonkawa Chapter, includes both of these ecoregions.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason