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Native Plant Society of Texas

Mackenzie Brown

Boerne Chapter

March 2 – Spring Symposium  – Join virtually or in person at Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin! Registration is now open. For event details and registration click here.

March 5- Chapter Meeting at Cibolo Nature Center Auditorium – 6:00pm – Social Time; 6:45pm – Chapter Announcements, followed by the Speaker

Speakers: Rufus Stephens and Jan Wrede. Rufus is a Certified Wildlife Biologist and educator. He has worked as a wildlife biologist for 35 years, 23 years with TPWD. Rufus is one of the founders of the Texas Master Naturalist program and in recognition for this accomplishment was a corecipient of the Wildlife Management Institute’s award for Innovation. Jan is a non-fiction writer and environmental educator. She worked for 19 years as the director of education and citizen science at the Cibolo Nature Center and wrote weekly nature columns for the local newspapers. She also was a secondary science teacher for 15 years.

Topic: Land Stewardship for Birds and the Importance of Native Plant Communities. Fifty years of data indicate that bird populations are declining at alarming rates. Birds have declined in all major habitats most often because of habitat destruction or degradation. What you do with your land can restore and enhance native plant communities needed to produce the cover, food, and water needed for thriving bird populations. The presentation will focus on why native plant communities are key to healthy bird populations and what you can do to help.

March 8 – 9:00am – Noon – Second Saturday Workday at Cibolo Nature Center Demonstration Gardens.

Please bring work gloves, hat, water, sun and insect protection.

April 2 – Chapter Meeting at Cibolo Nature Center Auditorium – 6:00pm – Social Time; 6:45pm – Chapter Announcements, followed by the Speaker

Speaker: Ryan Bass

Topic: TBA

April 13 – 9:00am – Noon – Second Saturday Workday at Cibolo Nature Center Demonstration Gardens.

Please bring work gloves, hat, water, sun and insect protection

April 20 – Spring Plant Sale – Herff Farm Teaching Barn

May 7 – Chapter Meeting at Cibolo Nature Center Auditorium – 6:00pm – Social Time; 6:45pm – Chapter Announcements, followed by the Speaker

Speaker: John Benedict, a retired Texas A&M Entomology professor whose specialty was Insect Pest Management, has been working since 2010 with professional archeologists to investigate prehistoric archeology sites.   

Topic: Native plants Used by Prehistoric Peoples of Texas and the USA

May 11 – 9:00am – Noon – Second Saturday Workday at Cibolo Nature Center Demonstration Gardens.

Please bring work gloves, hat, water, sun and insect protection

June 4 – 6:00pm – Chapter Pot Luck Dinner – Cibolo Nature Center Auditorium

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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