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Native Plant Society of Texas

Kim Conrow

Kim joined the Society in 1997 to learn how to garden with drought tolerant plants when moving into a new home in Crowley. Becoming active in the North Central Chapter in 2014, she became chapter president in 2017 and has served on the statewide State Board of Directors as President-Elect, President, Immediate Past President and Vice President of Administration.  

She is a Texas Master Naturalist (2014), a member of the Native Prairie Association of Texas, Sierra Club and other conservation organizations. She helped establish several Monarch Waystations in Tarrant County and has presented with other NPSOT speakers in the National Wildlife Federation’s Monarch Steward Program. She loves to talk about native plants and how the Society is making a difference.      

Kim holds a BS in Biology with minors in Chemistry and Education from the University of North Texas, and an MS in Science Education from Texas Woman’s University. She taught high school classes including biology and environmental science. 

Contact Kim Conrow

Fort Worth, TX, USA

NPSOT North Central Chapter, Native Prairie Association of Texas, Sierra Club and other conservation organizations, National Wildlife Association, Texas Master Naturalist

  • Consideration: Open to Discussion
  • Driving Distance: 60 miles
  • Online Presentation: Yes
  • Online Platforms: Zoom, Webex, Microsoft Teams, GoTo Meeting
  • Recording Allowed: Yes
  • Uploading Allowed: Yes

Presentations Offered:

Overview of the Society and Native Plants

An overview of the Society’s statewide programs, benefits of native landscaping for conservation, some important terms related to native plants, and highlights of the speaker’s favorite native plants.

Wildflowers in Nature and our Gardens: Utilizing native plants in landscaping benefits wildlife

About the Region

2026 Fall Symposium Logo

This low-elevations region of Texas extends inland from the barrier islands, about 60 or so miles, and stretches from Brownsville to Louisiana. In total, it covers about 9.5 million acres, with a high point of 150 feet in elevation. More than 1000 species of plants can be found in this region. On the southern end, species more common in Mexico (such as Sabal mexicana) and Central America occur.

The barrier islands provide us with dune systems, and clay flats to the inland side, which have species found in these areas alone. Many plants here, such as Ipomoea pes-caprae (beach morning glory), can be found throughout tropical regions of the globe. I’ve encountered the same species on the beaches of Guam.

Once inland, vast marshes and wet prairies occur. Occasionally, oak (Quercus fusiformis) groves can be found. Common grasses include species of Bothriochloa, Paspalum, and Sporobolus; eastern gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides); and switchgrass (Panicum species). Many rivers and creeks cut through the Gulf Prairies, and along these riparian areas various species of trees, Sabal minor, and other plants adapted to clay soils can be found. Due to overgrazing, farming, and fire suppression, woody species such as mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) and huisache (Acacia farnesiana), and invasive species such as chinaberry (Melia azedarach), Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius), and Chinese tallow (Sapium sebiferum) have increased and displaced our native flora.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason