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Native Plant Society of Texas

Fredericksburg Chapter

This is a Drought! However, we can reduce water needs for our plants – Really. July 25, Fredericksburg chapter meeting

Fredericksburg, TX — Have you been wondering if your landscape is using too much water? Or is it taking too much of your time? Do you want to get rid of invasive plants that are taking over your yard? Have you been thinking about putting in a low-water use, native xeriscape, but hiring the job out will break the bank? Do you think the task will be too hard to do it yourself? Take heart! You can do it!

Deedy Wright, the Fredericksburg Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas’  July speaker will answer these questions at our monthly meeting on July 25 at 7 p.m. and share how she accomplished this daunting task of transforming a typical “contractor” landscape to a native plant xeriscape basically by herself.

Deedy is a life-long Texas gardener. Her particular interests are native plants, xeriscape, and invasive plants. An active NPSOT member since 1996 she helped organize the Guadalupe County NPSOT chapter in 2007 and New Braunfels Chapter in 2019. She served as president of the San Antonio, Guadalupe County and New Braunfels chapters of NPSOT, and has also served as the Vice-President of Education on the state NPSOT board. Ms. Wright has completed the Texas Invaders training on invasive plants and multiple native plant courses at the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center. She served on the Native Landscape Certification Program (NLCP) Steering Committee for several years. She is also an NLCP instructor. In addition, she was a certified Master Gardener for 15 years in Bexar and Guadalupe counties. A retired secondary language arts and social studies teacher, Deedy has taught adult continuing education classes on various gardening topics in the San Antonio area.

“During our current drought, we must all strive to do what we can to save water, and reducing landscape water use is a great place to start.” said Deborah Simmons, President, Fredericksburg Chapter of NPSOT.

“We’re thrilled that Ms. Wright will share her water-saving tips and explain how she transformed her yard into a beautiful native plant, low-water use landscape,”

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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