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Native Plant Society of Texas

Clear Lake Chapter

Chapter Holiday Potluck & Gift Exchange

Members and Guests of the
Native Plant Society of Texas – Clear Lake Chapter

Join us for Food & Fun on

Monday, December 11 at
6:00 p.m. in the
Forest Room (B1418), Bayou Building
University of Houston-Clear Lake

The Clear Lake Chapter’s annual Holiday Potluck will be held in the Forest Room of the Bayou Building on the UHCL campus. The party will include a garden gifts exchange (unwrapped), a native plant bingo and a delicious potluck supper. All will be IN PERSON!!

You may bring your own meal if you would rather not participate in the potluck dishes. Everyone will need to bring their own cup or glass, plate, and silverware. Iced tea and water will be available.

To avoid everyone bringing a delicious desert, it is suggested that if your last name begins with:

A-C – bring an Appetizer
D-J – bring a Salad
K-P – bring a Main Dish
R-Z – bring a Desert

Parking

It will be very necessary to have your ORANGE parking pass displayed on your dashboard Monday night. If you don’t have a current parking pass, be on the lookout for members Joe B. and Ford H. who will be in the parking lot handing out passes. Do not park in faculty/staff parking. Campus map and directions.

Gift Exchange

Please bring an unwrapped gift(s) to participate in the gift exchange. Participants will get a raffle-style ticket and as numbers are drawn, winners will choose something from the table. “What sort of thing should I bring?” Well, if you are crafty or artistic, share some of your work. Have fruit trees? Bring fruit. Grow plants? Bring one or two (but bring in a bag to prevent soil loss in the room). Collect native seeds? Have two copies of a favorite plant book? Garden gloves, hand tools, field books—all are suitable items for people with similar interests to your own. Please note that you absolutely do not need to buy anything new.

Yard Signs

NPSOT yard signs will be available for sale at the meeting. Cash, check, and credit card accepted.

Member sign, $20
Biodiversity sign, $25

Bingo

Like last year, we will have several rousing rounds of plant bingo. Brush up on your native plants to win a prize!

Volunteer

We have a few spots open for volunteers. Set up begins at 5 pm. Click here to sign up!

Meetings are open to members and non-members. If you would like to become a member, you may join online. For more information about the Native Plant Society of Texas and the benefits of membership please visit: www.npsot.org.

Hosted by the Environmental Institute of Houston, University of Houston-Clear Lake.

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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