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Native Plant Society of Texas

Last-Minute Holiday Gifts for Native Plant Enthusiasts!

Craig Dalton

Roger Sanderson, photo credit: Maclura pomifera, Texas Blackland Prairies Ecoregion
Roger Sanderson, photo credit: Maclura pomifera, Texas Blackland Prairies Ecoregion

There are two new online holiday shopping options in our 2023 collection of Native Plant Society of Texas-inspired gift possibilities. These gifts let you to share the love of native plants and awareness of our organization while giving proceeds back to support our mission!

  • Improved NPSOT Gift Membership: It’s easier than ever to instantly give someone the gift of Society Membership, perfect for your last-minute needs! To purchase a NPSOT Membership as a gift, place your order online and your recipient will receive an immediate notification email upon submission, followed by the standard new membership packet by mail.

Order a gift card here.

Benefits include our member’s magazine, local newsletters where available, discounts on events including classes and symposiums, nursery and business discounts where available, and chapter memberships as the recipient joins statewide community with over 4000 members who are united in our mission to promote Texas native plants. If your recipient already has a membership, this will extend their membership! If you have any gift membership questions, just reach out to our Membership Coordinator at membership@npsot.org

  • Gift Cards for the NPSOT Bonfire Store: You can now purchase a Bonfire Gift Card recommending our apparel in the Native Plant Society of Texas Bonfire store. Order online, selecting your desired email gift card delivery date, and recommending the Native Plant society of Texas store. Your recipient will receive an email gift card they can use toward our popular selection of baseball caps embroidered with the NPSOT logo, or a wide variety of our Pineywoods Ecoregion Symposium apparel, from long and short sleeve t-shirts in multiple colors to cozy hoodies and sweatshirts!

Buy a Bonfire Gift Card here.

View the NPSOT Store here.

We are also continuing these shopping options that support NPSOT:

  • Books about Native Texas Plants in our online store with proceeds benefiting NPSOT through an Amazon Associates partnership. Delivery times will vary for each item so be sure to check your shopping cart for estimates.

Shop the NPSOT Bookstore here.

  • Native Plant Photo Gifts and Prints through SmugMug, including paper prints, fine-art prints, wall art, desk art, keepsakes, such as mugs and buttons, albums, and greeting cards. Former photo contest participants graciously contributed to this service; the image above was contributed by Roger Sanderson. Order deadlines run through December 17 depending on the item and shipping option you select.

Order from SmugMug here.

  • NPSOT apparel and merchandise offered through our CafePress store. Delivery times will vary for each item so be sure to check your shopping cart for estimates.

Order from CafePress here.

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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