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Texas Native Grapes – July 20, 2023

Know Them, Grow Them, and Cherish Their Worldwide Legacy

July 20, 2023 @ 7:00 pm 8:00 pm

Texas has more species of wild native grapes than any other state. As such, they have been around for over 10,000 years providing food and shelter for wildlife in many biomes around the state – riparian, prairie, forest, and desert. Later, native grapes provided sustenance for Native Americans and still later fruit and beverage for European settlers who longed for times in the old country when wine was a part of their everyday life. Texas’s native grapes were also destined to play a bigger role on a bigger stage in a viticultural world besieged by devastating diseases. This presentation will identify Texas’s major native grape species, their characteristics and distribution, helpful methods used to cultivate them in home gardens and vineyards, and the legacy of T.V. Munson, the ‘Grape Man of Texas’, fitting against Phylloxera and Pierce’s disease that continues to this day. 

Photo courtesy of Sawdust Willy

Photo Courtesy of Sawdust Willy

Photo Courtesy of growingfruit.org

About the Speaker

NPSOT-Houston member Dr. Russell Kane is an award-winning Texas writer/author/blogger with articles, tasting notes, and quotes that have appeared in local, regional, and national publications over the past 20 years. He has served as the executive director of the Wine Society of Texas, as a board member of the Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association (TWGGA), and a member of the Texas Department of Agriculture’s Wine Industry Development Advisory Committee. His blog VintageTexas.com is the longest running blog commentary and information resource on Texas grape growing and wine production. Dr. Kane is also a Texas Gulf Coast Master Naturalist and a member of the Greater Houston NLCP team organizing and presenting NPSOT’s Native Landscaping Certification Program.

Our monthly chapter meetings are held on every 3rd Thursday, January – November. Our meetings are free and open to the public thanks to our members and sponsors.

Join us in person at 7:00 pm! Come at 6:45 pm for a meet and greet with snacks.

Houston Arboretum and Nature Center

610 Entrance (preferred)
120 W Loop N Fwy
Houston, TX 77024

Woodway Entrance
4501 Woodway Drive
Houston, TX 77024

Meetings will also be live-streamed.

Return to Houston Chapter Page

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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