Recognizing achievements in the field of native plants
The Native Plant Society of Texas presents awards to recognize excellence in writing, acts of conservation and public service, and lifetime achievement in the field of Texas native plants.
Awards are chosen by an Awards Committee appointed by the State Board and are presented annually during the Fall Symposium each October. Each year members and others are encouraged to nominate qualified candidates.
Carroll Abbott Memorial Award
The Carroll Abbott Memorial Award is given for writings in the popular vein on Texas native plants. Named for the founder of the Society.
- 2024, Amy Martin for her book Wild DFW: Explore the Amazing Nature around Dallas-Fort Worth which explores the ecology, natural history, and flora and fauna of North Texas and where to experience them.
- 2023, Lynne M. Weber and Jim Weber for their book Native Host Plants for Texas Moths, which describes over 100 native, larval host plants for moths in Texas. More than 150 moth species are illustrated in the book, both larval and adult phases, with one to two species for each of the larval host plants.
- 2022, Dexter Peacock and Forrest S. Smith have been selected for their book A Photographic Guide to the Vegetation of the South Texas Sand Sheet
- 2021, Jim Weber, Lynne Weber and Roland Wauer for the book Native Host Plants for Texas Butterflies featuring 100 native larval host plants
- 2020. Marcy Scott, Hummingbird Plants of the Southwest
- 2019, Micheal Eason for Wildflowers of Texas
- 2018, Louis Harveson for Woody Plants of the Big Bend and Trans-Pecos: A Field Guide to Common Browse for Wildlife
- 2017, Stephan Hatch and Jennifer Pluhar for Texas Range Plants
- 2016, Mary Curry for her book North Central Texas Wildflowers
- 2015, Ricky J. Linex for his book Range Plants of North Central Texas
- 2014, Delmar Cain, newspaper columnist appearing in Boerne Star
- 2013, Geyeta Ajilvsgi, revised version of Butterfly Gardening for the South
- 2012, Jim Stanley for his book Hill Country Landowner’s Guide
- 2011, Brian & Shirley Loflin for their book Grasses of the Texas Hill Country
- 2010, Jan Wrede, for her book Trees, Shrubs and Vines of the Texas Hill Country
- 2009, Matt Warnock Turner, for the book Remarkable Plants of Texas: Uncommon Accounts of Our Common Natives
- 2008. Dr. Charles M. Allen, Ph.D., Dawn Allen Newman, M.S., and Dr. Harry Winters, M.D., for the book Grasses of Louisiana, 3rd Ed.
- 2007, Matt White, for the book Prairie Time: A Blackland Portrait
- 2006, Geyata Ajilvsgi, for the book Wildflowers of Texas, Revised Edition
- 2005, Richard V. Francaviglia, for the book The Cast Iron Forest
- 2004, Noreen Damude and Kelly Conrad Bender, for the book Texas Wildscapes: Gardening for Wildlife
- 2003. Ruth Ginsberg, for the book Lloyd Herbert Shinners: By Himself
- 2002, Alfred Richardson, for the book Wildflowers and Other Plants of Texas Beaches and Islands
- 2001, Jill Nokes, for the book How to Grow Native Plants of Texas and the Southwest, Revised and Updated Edition
- 2000, Arturo Longoria, for the book Adios to the Brushlands
- 1999, Richard B. Taylor, Jimmy Rutledge, and Joe G. Herrera, for the book A Field Guide to Common South Texas Shrubs
- 1998, John and Gloria Tveten, for their book Wildflowers of Houston
- 1997, James H. Everitt and D. Lynn Drawe, for the book Trees, Shrubs, & Cacti of South Texas
- 1996, Judith Phillips, for the books Natural by Design and Plants for Natural Gardens
- 1995, Judy Mielke, for the book Native Plants for Southwestern Landscapes
- 1994, Zoe Merriman Kirkpatrick, for the book Wildflowers of the Western Plains
- 1993, Geyata Ajilvsgi, for the book Butterfly Gardening for the South
- 1992, Delena Tull, for the book Edible and Useful Plants of Texas and the Southwest – A Practical Guide
- 1991, Paul W. Cox and Patty Leslie, for the book Texas Trees – A Friendly Guide
- 1990, Sally Wasowski and Andy Wasowski, for the book Native Texas Plants – Landscaping Region by Region
- 1989, Marshall Enquist, for the book Wildflowers of the Texas Hill Country
Donovan Stewart Correll Memorial Award
The Donovan Stewart Correll Memorial Award is presented for scientific writing in the field of the native flora of Texas.
- 2023, Rodney Bovey for years of research bringing into print a comprehensive reference to the genus Prosopis, that reflects our current state of knowledge about the biology, morphology, and management of mesquite
- 2022, Elizabeth McGreevy for Wanted! Mountain Cedars Dead and Alive
- 2021, John E. Williams for the first English translation for the first English translation of the father of Texas botany’s The Writings of Ferdinand Lindheimer, Texas Botanist, Texas Philosopher
- 2020, Dr. Michael Powell, Shirley Powell, and Dr. Richard Worthington, Flowering Plants of the Trans-Pecos and Adjacent Areas
- 2019, Brian Chapman and Eric Bolen for their book The Natural History of Texas
- 2018, George Clendenin for Common Rangeland Plants of West Central Texas
- 2017, George Diggs and Barney Lipscomb for Ferns and Lycophytes of Texas
- 2016, Jason Singhurst, Ben Hutchins and Dr. Walter C. Holmes for their guide Identification of Milkweeds in Texas
- 2015, Dr Elray Nixon and Bruce Lyndon Cunningham for their book Gymnosperms of the United States and Canada
- 2014, Dr Roy Lehman, Marine Plants of the Texas Coast
- 2013, Dr Robert B. Shaw, Guide to Texas Grasses
- 2012, Ken King and Alfred Richardson, Plants of Deep South Texas
- 2011, Houston Wilderness, Houston Atlas of Biodiversity
- 2010, Scooter Cheatham, Marshall C. Johnston, and Lynn Marshall, for book series The Useful Wild Plants of Texas, the Southeastern and Southwestern United States, the Southern Plains and Northern Mexico
- 2009, Roy L. Lehman, Ruth O’Brien and Tammy White, for the book Plants of the Texas Coastal Bend
- 2008, Jackie M. Poole, William R. Carr, Dana M. Price, and Jason R. Singhurst, for the book Rare Plants of Texas: A Field Guide
- 2007, A. Michael Powell and James F. Weedin, for the book Cacti of the Trans-Pecos & Adjacent Areas
- 2006, George M. Diggs, Jr., Barney L. Lipscomb, Monique D. Reed, and Robert J. O’Kennon, for the book Illustrated Flora of East Texas, Volume One
- 2005, Sharon C. Yarborough and A. Michael Powell, for the book Ferns and Fern Allies of the Trans-Pecos and Adjacent Areas
- 2004, David J. Schmidly for the book Texas Natural History: A Century of Change
- 2003, B.L. Turner, Holly Nichols, Geoffrey Denny, and Oded Doron, for the book Atlas of the Vascular Plants of Texas
- 2002, no award
- 2001, Scooter Cheatham, Marshall C. Johnston, with Lynn Marshall, for book series The Useful Wild Plants of Texas, the Southeastern and Southwestern United States, the Southern Plains and Northern Mexico
- 2000, George M. Diggs Jr, Barney L. Lipscomb, and Robert J. O’Kennon, for the book Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas
- 1999, Joe Cepeda, Pam Allison and Larry C. Higgins, for the book Texas Panhandle Plants
- 1998, A. Michael Powell for the book Grasses of the Trans-Pecos and Adjacent Areas
- 1997, Bob Lonard for the book Guide to Grasses of the Lower Rio Grande Valley
- 1996, Kenneth Geen Michael Porter, Steve Demarais, Fred C. Bryant, and Gary Van Vreede , for the book White-Tailed Deer, Their Foods and Management in the Cross Timbers
- 1995, Alfred Richardson for the book Plants of the Rio Grande Delta
- 1994, Stephan L. Hatch, Kancheepuram N. Gandhi, and Larry Brown, for the book Checklist of the Vascular Plants of Texas
- 1993, Marshall C. Johnston for the book The Vascular Plants of Texas update
- 1992, A. Michael Powell for the book Trees & Shrubs of Trans-Pecos Texas
- 1991, William F. Mahler for the book Shinner’s Manual of the North Central Texas Flora
- 1990, Benny J. Simpson for the book A Field Guide to Texas Trees
- 1989, Jill Nokes for the book How to Grow Native Plants of Texas and the Southwest
- 1988, Marshall Enquist for rediscovery of Salvia penstemonoides, believed to be extinct for 40 years
Nancy Benedict Memorial Award
The Nancy Benedict Memorial Award honors an individual, a group or an organization for a specific act of conservation or public service in the field of Texas native plants. This is neither a “joiner” nor a “lifetime of service” award.
- 2024, Ashley Landry for founding & leading the Native Plant Rescue Project in Central TX resulting in 1000s of plants & seeds, 275+ species, being saved from development & given to botanic gardens, nurseries, & the public
- 2023, Michael Eason. “I am honored to receive the Nancy Benedict award; however I would like to acknowledge that this was very much a group effort and that the other eight members of the field crew should be recognized as well as Morton Arboretum and US Botanic Garden for their support and management of the Global Conservation Consortium for Oak (GCCO).”
- 2022, Martha Mullens for educating the public in the value of native plants and recognizing people who have contributed over the years, through her articles, books reviews, and a series on women botanists
- 2021, Susan Prosperie, for propagation of over 250,000 “Pinus taeda,” the restoration of Bastrop County loblolly pine forest, and growing milkweed (Asclepias) to help the USFWS and public through her work at the LBJWC
- 2020, Charles Newsome, for leading effort to remove invasive plants at Berry Spring Park & Preserve
- 2019, Lan Shen for conservation of native plant seeds and promotion of their use
- 2018, Jaime Gonzalez for increasing public awareness of local prairies and urban landscapes
- 2017, Kay Jenkins for leading the work on the Monarch Waystations on Interstate 35 Safety Rest Areas.
- 2016, Marilyn Perz for the Williamson County Pollinator Garden
- 2015, Faye Tessnow for helping to establish Texas Native Plant Week
- 2014, Lonnie and Judith Shockley for their work with Invaders of Texas
- 2013, Ilse Meier, for land stewardship
- 2012, Bill Carr, for collecting, identifying and preserving thousands of native plants and plant records
- 2011, Native Prairie Association of Texas, for continued conservation of Blackland Prairie through land stewardship
- 2010, Bill & Jan Neiman, for their work on seed banking and general prairie conservation
- 2009, David Hurt for his work to establish Dogwood Canyon Sanctuary
- 2008, The Conservation Fund (Julie Shackelford) for coordination of securing additional acreage to be part of Big Thicket National Preserve
- 2007, Lisa Bellows for land stewardship and education at the Thomsen Foundation property, Montague County
- 2006, Temple-Inland for native plant habitat preservation across East Texas
- 2005, Charles Tapley for establishment of the Lynn Lowrey Memorial Arboretum on the Rice University campus
- 2004, Kathryn Kennedy
- 2003, Bill Lindemann for contributions in establishing the Fredericksburg Nature Center and Friends of the Fredericksburg Nature Center
- 2002, Molly Hollar for helping develop a native wildscape in Veteran’s Park in Arlington
- 2001, Keith Etheridge, for work to establish the Fort Worth Stella Rowan Prairie
- 2000, Geoffrey Stanford for his efforts at the Dallas Nature Center
- 1999, David Bamberger for his efforts at Selah Ranch
- 1998, Drew Academy (Aldine School District – Houston)
- 1997, Bob and Mickey Burleson for restoration of the Burleson Prairie
- 1996, Tim Davis and Wayne MacKay of the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station and Steve George and Jerry Parsons of the Texas Agricultural Extension Service, for work in developing and bringing the native Texas Bluebonnet into commercial horticulture
- 1995 —
- 1994, Landon Lockett for protecting a population of a rare kind of Sabal Palm tree in Brazoria County
- 1993 —
- 1992, Odessa Permian High School, Odessa, Texas, for establishing their Permian Botanical Garden
- 1991 —
- 1990 —
- 1989, Lynn Lowrey for work on the conservation, propagation and distribution of Pistacia texana Swingle
- 1988, Toney Keeney for work in saving the Texas Snowbell and re-introduction of them into several locations
Charles Leonard Weddle Memorial Award
The Charles Leonard Weddle Memorial Award is awarded for lifetime achievement in the field of Texas native plants.
- 2024, Barney Lipscomb for serving as Director of BRIT Press & Library, Editor-in-Chief of botanical journals, Leonhardt Chair of Texas Botany; doing research & fieldwork, co-authoring several flora books and multiple journal articles, & speaking dynamically to NPSOT audiences on multiple topics
- 2023, Will Fleming for a lifetime of actively utilizing Texas native plants in his landscaping designs and projects. One of Will’s most well-known plant selections is Ilex vomitoria, “Will’s upright Yaupon” which was awarded the first ever Lynn Lowery Award by NPSOT
- 2022, Bill Hopkins for longtime service and achievement in website development with vast contributions through writing articles, book reviews, and volunteerism in local and state leadership
- 2021, Judy Walther and David Mahler for more than forty years of work of encouraging ecological restoration using native plants through educational programs and projects and the Environmental Survey Consulting company
- 2020, James P. Muir
- 2019 Dr. David L. Creech
- 2018, Dalton Merz for his service with NRCS
- 2017 Jim Varnum for his work with Texas Master Naturalists and his monthly email calendar for North Texas
- 2016, Suzanne Tuttle for her career at Ft Worth Nature Center and other service
- 2015, Flo Oxley
- 2014, Timothy Fullbright, for his work with South Texas Natives
- 2013 Owen Yost, for his many articles in various publications advocating for native plants
- 2012, Shirley Lusk, for volunteering, identifying, collecting and teaching about native plants of the north Texas region
- 2011, Bill Ward, for his commitment and service in promoting, conserving and education about the native flora of Texas
- 2010, Billie Lee Turner
- 2009, Rosa Finsley, for widespread use of native plants in landscapes, and for mentoring others to use native plants in landscape design
- 2008, Carmine Stahl, storytelling naturalist, living encyclopedia, historian, expert in wild edibles and native American plant use, author
- 2007, Marshall Johnston
- 2006, Maxine Johnston, for longtime efforts to preserve and protect the Big Thicket
- 2005, Dr. Alfred Richardson, for lifetime work and contributions to the study of Texas native plants
- 2004, Jackie Poole
- 2003, Dr. A. Michael Powell
- 2002, Dr. Larry Brown
- 2001 —
- 2000, Edward C. Fritz
- 1999, Joe Ideker
- 1998, Geraldine Watson
- 1997, Benny J. Simpson
- 1996, Lynn Lowrey
- 1995, Dr. William F. (Bill) Mahler
- 1994, Mrs. Lyndon B. Johnson and Senator Ralph Yarborough
- 1993, Dr. Chester M. Rowell, Jr.
- 1992, Dr. Elray S. Nixon
- 1991, Dr. Barton H. Warnock
Lynn Lowrey Memorial Award
The Lynn Lowrey Memorial Award is given for horticultural achievement in the field of Texas native plants.
- 2024, Patty Manning for work done through Twin Sisters Native Nursery in the Big Bend region, developing propagation protocols and providing new plant species to the Sul Ross State University Plant Material Center, and donating to living collections for botanical gardens throughout Texas
- 2023, Bill and Jan Neiman and Family, and Native American Seed for their work done to promote the preserving, collecting, growing and distribution of native plants through sales from their company Native American Seed in Junction, Texas
- 2022, Martin Simonton for propagating native plants collected during his travels throughout Texas
- 2021, Mary Carol Edwards for opening Green Star Wetland Plant Farm for the wholesale propagation and sale of coastal native plants and volunteering in the Houston Chapter to educate growers
- 2020, Sean Watson
- 2019, Paul Cox
- 2018, Flo Hannah for her work with Houston Audubon Native Nursery
- 2017, Neal Hinders for his work with Texas Panhandle plants
- 2016, none given
- 2015, Dawn Stover, known for commercial propagation of Gaillardia aestavalis var winkleri “Grape Sensation.”
- 2014, none given
- 2013, none given
- 2012. Mark Bronstad, for commercial propagation of Cyrilla
- 2011, Pat McNeal, for propagation and education
- 2010, Ted Doremus
- 2009, John Snowden, for the propagation of genetically correct native grasses and educating for their use in the industry
- 2008, Greg Grant, for Malvaviscus drummondii x M arborea, ‘Pam Puryear’ or Pink Turk’s Cap
- 2007, Sean Watson, for efforts in propagating rare and endangered plants
- 2006, Peter Loos and Gail Barton, for Phlox pilosa ‘Forest Frost’
- 2005, Dr. Ed McWilliams, for his study of native wetland species
- 2004, David and Teresa Steinbrunner, for “Teresa” Salvia greggii
- 2003 —
- 2002, Mike Anderson, for contributions of promoting horticulture education through the Robert A. Vines Science Center in Spring Branch (Houston)
- 2001, Dr. David Creech, for his work establishing the Stephen F. Austin University Mast Arboretum and developing the three R’s: Rescue, Research, and Reconstruction
- 2000, Dan Hosage, for Cercis canadensis ‘Traveler’
- 1999, Will Fleming, for “Will Fleming Yaupon”
Mary Jo Laughlin / Eula Whitehouse Memorial Award
The Mary Jo Laughlin / Eula Whitehouse Memorial Award recognizes visual art that illustrate interprets or promotes native plants.
- 2024, Jane Felts Mauldin for her beautiful and enticing illustrations highlighting Texas native plants in the Herald-Zeitung newspaper in New Braunfels
- 2023, Lotus McElfish for her watercolors and prints of native wildflowers in Texas and beyond including documenting Texas’ rare and endangered species
- 2022, Ted Lee Eubanks was selected for an incredible collection of detailed photographs that he freely shares with the public to enjoy
- 2021, Jill Bedgood for public art sculpture at the Fort Worth Chisholm Trail Community Park focusing on the natural prairie environment
- 2020, Diana Kersey for her ceramic installation, The Riparian Edge,at the Oxbow Office Tower in San Antonio
- 2019, Field Trip Committee at our Williamson County Chapter for signs at four public locations
- 2018, Friends of Fredericksburg Nature Center and Mary Ellen Terrell for trailhead sign at Fredericksburg Nature Center
Shirley D. Lusk Memorial Award
The Shirley D. Lusk Memorial Award honors a citizen scientist for collecting and preserving Texas native plants for public education by providing outstanding contribution of herbarium vouchers. Nominees for this award must have contributed at least 150 specimens and be a Native Plant Society of Texas member for at least five years.
- 2024, Mary Curry for collecting herbarium vouchers for BRIT concentrating on specimens of botanical, geographic, & taxonomic significance
- 2023, Ken King for his contribution of hundreds of herbarium vouchers of native plants primarily in South Texas. Ken has documented new populations of plants rare to south TX, or rare in TX, further increasing our knowledge of Texas flora.
- 2022, Casey Williams for collecting ~350 specimens, with a focus on aquatic plants of Texas, with collections housed at the Botanical Research Institute of Texas in Fort Worth and the University of Texas at Austin
- 2021, Patty Manning for collecting and documenting over 300 specimens, including plants previously unknown in Texas, for the Sul Ross State University herbarium
- 2020, Jeff Quayle
- 2019, Marie-Theres Herz
