Download 309 Water Street, Boerne, TX - Native Plant Society of Texas

The home of
Operation NICE!™
Natives Instead of Common Exotics
Web site: http://npsot.org/Boerne
NEWSLETTEr
JUNE 2013
Volume 13 Number 6
Monthly Meeting Tuesday June 4, 2013
Cibolo Nature Center at 140 City Park Road, Boerne TX
As springtime winds to a close, so do our chapter meetings. Before we head off on our summer
“break”, let’s party it up at our June potluck! As always, bring your favorite potluck item. This year, in
addition to the potluck, Dr. Elizabeth Bates, a Wildlife Biologist with Texas Parks and Wildlife
Department, who has an office at the CNC, will introduce herself and talk a bit about her position. So
bring your favorite dish, meet Dr. Bates and visit before the summer break. The Board will provide
drinks, paper goods and eating utensils. Come to socialize at 6:30; eating starts at 7 PM. See the
President’s message for a little more about the potluck.
President’s Message
Plants and People Respond
What wonderful rain! I know we are all really enjoying this spring. Between the cooler temperatures
and sufficient rain our plants are responding well. For the first time in several years Chuck Janzow
has been able to collect smoke tree seeds. Hopefully, that will hold true for other trees and shrubs
which have been hard to find seed for such as the Escarpment Black Cherry.
I'm asking our members to respond also to a couple of requests: First, our food collection for the
Kendall County Women’s Shelter was so well received at Christmas that we are again asking for nonperishable food donations at our potluck this June 4th. Please bring a dish to share for us and
something to donate to the shelter. The second request is something that our chapter has always
been good at. You have always responded when new officers are needed for the coming year. I have
bragged at State meetings that we have never had officers serve over and over. We have such willing
and talented members. If you would like to serve or are approached by a member of the board,
please consider giving of your time and talent in the coming year. We need you and in truth you can
have some fun along the way.
Since I look upon this job as being the chief cheerleader to an active impassioned NPSOT chapter, I
can say “Our chapter has done it again!” Thanks to our intrepid leader, Betty Dunn, the native plant
sale was a success. We raised $2,770, a financial success that will allow us to fund our programs for
the coming year.
However, that isn’t the success I’m speaking of; I am speaking of our mission success.On so many
levels that Friday afternoon/evening and Saturday was worth all the hard work put into it. Our
members responded so generously. Many grew wonderful, healthy plants to be sold. I saw sale items
brought in by people who I never see at meetings but who do their outreach by nurturing natives for
the sale. There are also some growers that we absolutely depend on for the variety not found at
wholesale nurseries. The other component to such a successful sale was the sales booth volunteers.
First the trucks had to be unloaded, the labels put on the pots, the pricing color dots attached and the
tables arranged grouping similar plants together. This period was organized chaos but by the time of
the CNC members pre-sale all was ready. There are always a lot of familiar faces on Friday evening.
Our sales were good and our customers on the knowledgeable side. On Saturday I watched such a
variety of purchasers come up to our booth. Each had a question or a special property condition.
There were deer problems, damp area problems, the usual caliche conditions etc., etc. Some wanted
color, some rapid growth to cover an area. Then there were customers interested in the unusual or
rare plant that they had been searching for. This is where our members were so effective in our
mission of educating the public at large. It is so fulfilling to listen in as good information is imparted
about the natives on sale. Our volunteers were well informed, passionate and friendly. It was evident
that we were selling natives no matter who you purchased from. At the lunch tables one couple said
that last year was their first visit and they enjoyed it so much that they plan on coming up from San
Antonio annually. Several volunteers met two ladies, perhaps a mother and daughter, who told us
that they save and budget a certain dollar amount just for this sale. We are the first booth they come
to! What a compliment.
So congratulations to all who worked so hard. It was a job well done.
Jane McAuliffe
Operation NICE! ™
Plant of the Month
June 2013
Buckley’s yucca
Yucca constricta
by Veronica Hawk
There are 16 species of yucca, often called Spanish Dagger, in Texas. They range from short plants
with small stems, such as the Buckley’s or white-rim yucca, to the tree yuccas such as Thompson’s
yucca and Torrey yucca.
Buckley’s yucca is an agave that is a perennial shrub in the lily group. It is native throughout Texas to
the gulf coast in rocky limestone habitat. It can be distinguished from the endemic twist leaf yucca by
its thin leaves and the curly threads along the margins of the bluish-green leaves. At the end of each
leaf is a short spine.
If Buckley’s yucca is protected from deer, the flowers come from a tall branched bloom stalk, are
greenish white, bell shaped and up to 2 inches long. The sweet smell of the flowers is released in the
evenings from April to June to attract the yucca moth (genera Tegeticula and Parategeticula) that
transfers pollen when she lays her eggs in the flower. There, the moth’s larvae hatch to then
consume some of the seeds. This relationship is so dependent that they cannot live without each
other. The yucca is also the host plant for the Yucca giant-skipper (Megathymus yuccae), the ursine
giant-skipper (Megathymus ursus) and the Strecker’s giant skipper (Megathymus streckeri).
This very showy native blooms best in full sun. In the garden, Buckley’s yucca has a low water
requirement and likes well-drained, rocky soil. It is a great nectar source and the flowers are a food
source for deer. To protect the flower stalk from predation, plant within a stand of prickly pear, on a
steep cliff or where the deer would feel uncomfortable browsing… perhaps by the dog house?
OPERATION NICE! TIP: This yucca, as well as others, can be a dramatic accent to almost any
landscape, as long as it isn’t overwatered. Buckley’s yucca does not transplant well, regardless of
size. It is best obtained as a container grown plant or grown from seed.
The Operation Nice! 2013 Plant of the Month poster is available on our website
http://npsot.org/wp/boerne/files/2013/01/2013_NICE_FINAL_poster.pdf
Reminders
July 4th in Comfort!
It’s that time of year again! PARADE TIME!
by Emily Weiner
Due to time constraints, we will not be entering a float in the Boerne Berges Fest parade this year,
BUT that just means we can devote more energy to the July 4 th parade in Comfort! Planning is
starting now and we need YOU! There are seedballs to be made, bags to be stuffed, a float to be
decorated, and, of course, my plea for riders, walkers, and seedball distributors hidden amidst the
crowd! And if you have ideas for the float, please let me know!
As you may expect, the parade is held on Thursday, July 4 th, with line-up beginning at 8:45 that
morning! We had a wonderful time last year and won best area non-profit! We would love to have a
repeat performance this year! So, please join in the fun! If you have any question, shoot me an email
at [email protected] or give me a call 503-784-3822.
Meet-up! A great way to keep in touch!
by Emily Weiner
If you have not visited our Meet-up site yet, I encourage you to check it out over the upcoming weeks.
While we hide from the sweltering heat of July and August, Meet-up will be a great way for us to keep
in touch, as well as, keep up with native plant-related events going on in our region! In addition to our
chapter, the San Antonio chapter hosts a number of great field trips and the details are easy to find
on Meet-up! You do not have to create a Meet-up account to view events; although, it is nice to see
our member numbers grow on the site! So, head over to: www.meetup.com/Boerne-Native-PlantSociety-of-Texas
If you have any questions, I am happy to help out! Just shoot me an email at
[email protected] .
NPSOT Annual Symposium
The NPSOT annual symposium and member’s meeting will be held on October 17-20, 2013, at the
Holiday Inn - Emerald Beach located at 1102 South Shoreline on the bay shore in downtown Corpus
Christi. Attendees will receive a discounted rate of $89 per night plus tax for standard rooms with the
reduced rate also made available for the added nights of October 16 th and 20th. The discounted rate
applies for all reservations booked by October 3, 2013.
Reservations at the hotel can be booked on-line at
http://www.holidayinn.com/hotels/us/en/reservation/roomrate . Be sure that the “Group Code” field is
filled-in with NPS in order to receive the discounted rate of $89 per night. You may also call (361)
673- 9074 to book your reservation via phone. Be sure to mention that you will be a NPSOT
symposium attendee or mention the “Group Code” of NPS. For more information on the hotel, go to
http://www.holidayinn.com/hotels/us/en/corpus-
Regional Stuff
The Hill Country Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalists
June 24, 2013
Drought: Past Present, and Future
Dr. John Nielsen-Gammon, Regents Professor, Department of Atmospheric Sciences, Texas
A&M University, Texas State Climatologist
Are we in the throws of a new ‘drought of record’? What is causing the current drought? How long will
it endure? These are just some of the questions which will be explored. Drought is an unavoidable
part of Texas climate, but the ongoing drought in Texas has already set records. This talk will
describe research unearthing the causes of the drought, the historical context of the drought, the
ability, or lack there of, to forecast drought, and the various natural and non-natural factors that
contribute to the outlook for drought over the next years and decades.
John Nielsen-Gammon holds a Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He joined the
faculty at Texas A&M University in 1991 and was appointed Texas State Climatologist by thenGovernor George W. Bush in 2000. As such, he is much in demand as a speaker to address the
concerns regarding our continuing drought and ‘what’s really going on out there’. Dr. NielsenGammon’s research includes drought monitoring and forecasting, climate data quality, heavy rain, air
pollution meteorology, and data assimilation. He teaches courses in weather analysis and
forecasting, atmospheric dynamics, and climatology. He is a Fellow of the American Meteorological
Society, Past President of the International Commission for Dynamical Meteorology, and a former
chair of the American Meteorological Society’s Board on Higher Education. He recently received the
Texas A&M College of Geosciences Distinguished Achievement Award for Service, and the Texas
A&M SEC Faculty Achievement Award.
The monthly meeting of the Master Naturalist is free and open to the public. Please join us at the
Upper Guadalupe River Authority’s lecture hall, located at 125 Lehmann Dr. in Kerrville. Socializing
begins at 6:30pm, with the program starting at 7:00. For questions regarding this presentation, please
contact our program coordinator, Tom Hynes at 830-990-5750.
Invaders of Texas: A Citizen Scientist Program
Balcones Satellite
Information and pictures submitted by Cheryl Hamilton
Invasive plant infestations are an increasing challenge in the Texas Hill Country. The Balcones
Invaders are a local satellite of the Invaders of Texas Program focusing on identification and
eradication of invasive plants. During the past four years, volunteers have spent more than 3700
hours eradicating more than 19,000 invasive plants in parks and preserves in northwest San Antonio.
Program on Invasive Plant Species: What they are and how to identify and control them
When: Saturday, July 13, 2013, 10 AM – 2 PM Note: for Citizen Scientist Certification, two to three
additional training hours in the field will be individually arranged.
Where: Westfall Library, 6111 Rosedale Ct., San Antonio, TX
Program Coordinators: Cheryl Hamilton and Lonnie and Judith Shockley. Presenters have
extensive experience in the area of invasive plant identification, control, and eradication. All are
Texas Master Naturalists, Invaders of Texas Citizen Scientists, members of the Native Plant Society
of Texas, and associated with other related organizations and activities.
Plant Berries Are A Good Source Of Food For Birds……Right?
Nandina is a known problematic invasive plant species often planted as an ornamental, and like many
other invasive plants can be both unhealthy and/or toxic to many bird and animal species. The latest
issue of the iWire, a web publication of the Texas Invaders, reported on dozens of Cedar Waxwings
that were found dead in Thomas County, Georgia due to the toxic effects of nandina (Nandina
domestica) berries. Cedar waxwings are known to have voracious feeding behavior and prefer
berries. Nandina (aka Heavenly Bamboo) contains cyanide and is one of the few species to have
abundant berries at that time of year in the region. Other studies have confirmed that berries can also
be toxic to cats and some grazing animals.
Our local citizen scientist satellite has eradicated thousands of nandinas in our natural areas during
the past four years. Please help us spread the word about this toxic plant. If you have Nandina plants
in your yard, please remove them and replace with native berry-producing shrub species, such as:
Possomhaw holly (Ilex decidua), Yaupon holly (Ilex vomitoria), Cenizo (Leucophyllum frutescens),
Flameleaf sumac (Rhus copallinum) and Barbados cherry (Malpighia glabra). If you cannot bear to
eradicate your nandina, remove the flowers (easiest) or berries and put them in a trash bag for
removal. Thank you for your help!
To read the complete study, click on http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3005831/
Summer Schedule (Leon Creek Greenway): Tuesday mornings 7:30-9:30 AM in June, July and
August. We invite you to join us. No prior experience or invasive plant recognition is required. Just
bring gloves and plenty of water. We have a supply of loppers and saws, but welcome anyone to
bring their own.
If you are interested in joining this group of dedicated volunteers, want more information, want to
register for the July program or to sign up for the weekly email that details our exact location and
directions, contact Lonnie, the team leader, at [email protected]
Happenings – the Calendar
June 4 (Tuesday) 7:00 PM. Chapter meeting – Annual summer potluck, Cibolo Nature Center. Come to
socialize at 6:30; eating starts at 7 PM.
July and August – we will be on vacation – look for your September newsletter in late August.
To find out about activities and workshops with other organizations call or visit their websites:
Cibolo Nature Center (830.249.4616)
http://www.cibolo.org/calendar
Master Naturalist:
San Antonio, Alamo Chapter
http://txmn.org/alamo/
Kerrville, Hill Country Chapter
http://txmn.org/hillcountry/
Friends of Friedrich Wilderness Park (210.372.9124)
Medina River Natural Area Second Saturday Programs (210.624.2575)
For more information or to RSVP for any event please contact by telephone. Website: www.sanaturalareas.org
Invaders of Texas, Balcones Satellite: Email team leader Lonnie Shockley, [email protected] for
volunteer opportunities

Our meetings are free and open to the public. Join us the first Tuesday of the month, January-June and SeptemberDecember, at 6:30 p.m. at the Cibolo Nature Center, Boerne, Texas.
Our Sponsors
Please support the following businesses that sponsor our newsletter
GARDEN GATE COTTAGE
BERGMANN
A LITTLE
FANICK’S
ON EVERGREEN COURT
LUMBER CO.
NATURE STORE
GARDEN CENTER
Boerne, TX
236 S. Main
106 E. Theissen St.
1025 Holmgreen
www.gardengateguesthouse.com
Boerne, TX
Boerne, TX
San Antonio, TX
Rebecca Rogers. Proprietor
830-249-2712
830-249-2281
210-648-1303
[email protected]
830-816-2193
830 249 1808
RAINBOW
REMAX
HILL COUNTRY
GARDENS
ASSOCIATESSTONE & SOIL DEPOT INC.
AFRICAN VIOLETS 2585 Thousand Oaks
BOERNE
26923 IH 10 West
San Antonio, TX
& NURSERY
Bob Bockholt, GRI
Boerne, TX
32005 IH 10W
Ronnie Grell,
309 Water Street,
210.687.1005
Boerne, TX
President
Boerne, TX
830-249-2614
210.494.6131
830-816-2660,
Free 800-455-1551
Burns Garden Center
Medina Garden Nursery
& Landscape
Growing Native Plants Since
25840 IH 10 West Ste
1999
Become a Sponsor!
Become a Sponsor!
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3417 State Hwy 16-N,
Boerne, TX 78006
Medina, TX 78055
210-698-9669
(830) 589-2771
www.burnsnursery.com