Native Plant Society of Texas
Boerne Chapter
The Home of
Operation NICE!™
Natives Instead of Common Exotics
Web site: http://npsot.org/Boerne
Newsletter
January 2014
Volume 14 Number 1
Monthly Meeting Tuesday January 7, 2014
Cibolo Nature Center at 140 City Park Road, Boerne TX
Dave Barker is fascinated with snakes and will talk about NICE! Snakes. He has been a field
biologist, museum preparator, college instructor, and public speaker. Dave was a supervisor of the
Department of Herpetology and of the Children’s Zoo at the Dallas Zoo, and Curator of Education at
the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville. He is a herpetologist and a professional herpetoculturist. He
resides here in Kendall County near the headwaters of Cibolo Creek.
Dave is a volunteer at the Cibolo Nature Center, and has participated in the Wildlife Field Research
events with the herpetofauna survey teams for the past 11 years. He is a writer and has co-authored
five books with his wife Tracy. He has authored and co-authored about 100 articles, both popular and
professional, and several chapters in books. Currently, much of his attention has been focused on the
increasing influence that animal rights organizations have on legislation, and in the media. Come at
6:30 to socialize. The program starts at 7 PM.
President’s Message
Greetings everyone and Happy New Year!
I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and that you are all rested up and ready to take on 2014!
For those who were not able to join us at our December potluck, we sure missed you, but that meant
more venison mincemeat pie for me! Our donation drive for the Kendall County Women’s Shelter was
a total success and they were very excited to see all the goodies. Our members are an awesomely
generous group of folks!
The social was also the perfect venue to really kick-off fundraising for the ForWard Trail campaign.
Again, our cup runneth over and we are well on our way to funding the first sign. Several of our
members have also offered trees and shrubs from their “personal” collections. This will help greatly in
reducing our overall costs and allow us to focus on the sign production! As promised in my message
last month – these are exciting times! A great big thank you to Delmar Cain, Rebecca Rogers, and
Suzanne Young for the work they have done in coordinating this project. We will be partnering with
the city of Boerne in this endeavor and the well-honed diplomatic skills of these three local celebrities
will be greatly appreciated.
Now, looking ahead just a bit to Spring – Wilt Shaw has his heart set on a field trip down to Rancho
Lomitas along the border, and I can’t say I blame him. Between the native plant nursery, birds,
butterflies, and location, I would say this trip has something for everyone! He is eyeing the end of
March/beginning of April, but has promised not to conflict with the plant sale. So, if you are interested
in joining a wild and crazy bunch for a getaway, shoot Wilt an email at wshawjr888@aol.com. He’ll be
finalizing the details in the coming weeks.
On a related note, as some of you may know, what first drew me to native plants was that they
generally hold still for pictures. Yes, I may have to lie on the ground for 15+ minutes waiting for the
wind to stop before I get that shot of a seedhead, but I don’t blame the plant, I blame the wind. On the
other hand, birds, butterflies, and the like have never been willing to pose for extensive periods of
time despite my pleading. Couple their utter disregard for my feelings with my rather poor eyesight
and you can understand why my alliances lie squarely on the side of the plant kingdom. Well, I
received a pair of binoculars for Christmas. I am extremely excited about the possibility of being able
to identify something other than a cardinal at a distance greater than arm’s length! So, while I will still
spend most of my hikes with my nose to the ground; I now have a reason to raise my eyes to the
skies 
And as a final note, the folks at the State level have issued a membership challenge to all of us. Our
new NPSOT President, Bill Hopkins, has noted that statewide membership has varied little over the
last several years. While it is great to be stable, we would really love to see more people coming over
to the wild side! Yes, of course, it would be great to “win” this membership contest, but more
importantly, it would be awesome to see even more new faces excited to learn about native plants
and help spread the word! The rundown goes like this - the membership contest runs from January 1
through April 1. The chapter with the highest percentage increase will be recognized at the April State
Board Meeting. So, whatever your personal motivation might be, let’s get that neighbor that keeps
mowing down the milkweed in the door!
Again, I wish you all a very Happy New Year and hope to see you soon!
Emily
Editor’s note: For those of you who were unable to attend the December potluck, the hearth of the
large fireplace in the CNC auditorium was completely full of gifts and food and over-flowed onto the
piano and floor. Our chapter members are awesome!
Operation Nice!
NICE! ™Plant of the Month
January 2014
Sugar Hackberry or Sugarberry
Celtis laevigata
(or var. reticulata or var. texana or Celtis tenuifolia or Celtis ehrenbergiana)
by Betty Dunn
Increase Your Landscape Diversity: Grow a Hackberry or Two!
When we plan our landscapes we should include a diverse array of plant specimens if we want to
support wildlife and be able to see a variety of birds or other critters in our yards. With this truism in
mind, the NICE! Committee selected Sugar Hackberry (Celtis spp.) as the featured plant for January
2014. What better way to start off a New Year than by encouraging diversity in our landscapes! There
are several varieties of Hackberry known as Sugarberry or Sugar Hackberry because the fruit
produced by all varieties is a sweet, edible drupe. Most of these small fruits are not something we
might consider worthy of our efforts when we start to prepare our meals, but these tiny fruits were
used by Native Americans in their diets. I am so glad I live in the present time. Imagine having to
collect enough of this tiny fruit for a meal! Probably meals would be much smaller, and so would we!
Hackberry has a bad reputation in the nursery trade and among landscapers, and is often called a
“trash tree” due to its propensity to be short lived, prone to wind damage and prolific reseeding. Let’s
explore why these characteristics just don’t justify this description! True, hackberry may not live as
long as a live oak, but it will never get oak wilt and die overnight while we stand by helpless. Yes, it is
fairly weak wooded and may suffer some wind damage from time to time, especially after full grown
and as it ages. If it is growing near the back of the yard away from our homes, then we don’t have to
worry about having a limb fall on our vehicle or roof. Select growing sites with this in mind. With the
smaller, shrubbier varieties this is not an issue. (see the Care Sheet on our Boerne NPSOT website
for details). Also, while it will reseed and come up in lots of places we might not want it to grow, this
can be managed if we remove those seedlings early before they have a chance to become really well
rooted. Cut them out below ground level, if possible. If that is not possible, they may regrow and need
cutting again. If persistent we can prevent them from growing where we don’t want them. The wildlife
benefits more than make up for any trouble, if we want to contribute to a healthy, natural environment.
The benefits of hackberry to wildlife are numerous. I recall reading years ago a publication that
summarized the collective observations of 4 or 5 retired naturalists who had been employed by the
park systems and each had diligently recorded birds they had observed feeding on which trees over a
span of years, as part of their duties. I can no longer find that publication, but I do recall that I
determined at that time to have the top five trees used by birds in my landscape – hackberry and
black willow, which were the top two on that list. Alas, I don’t have enough water to support a black
willow here in Boerne. Hackberry to the rescue! Those naturalists had lived in various habitats across
the country, and collectively they had observed more than 50 bird species feasting on hackberry
fruits. Hackberry benefits do not end with birds, as several small mammals also enjoy eating those
drupes.
If you love to see butterflies around your home, as I do, you might want to remember that the
beautiful Hackberry Emperor butterfly (Asterocampa celtis) uses hackberry exclusively as a host plant
and then later as a source of nectar. Have you noticed those little American Snout butterflies that, in
the millions, sometimes migrate during the summer through South Texas? You guessed it – a Celtis
is the host plant! Yes, a host plant does get those little creepy-crawly caterpillar things and their
leaves may have a few nibbles here and there. Most people don’t even notice this. It may help us
tolerate the creepy-crawly things, and encourage us to put that insecticide back on the shelf unused,
if we remember that more than 97% of land birds, even if they eat seeds as adults, feed their
developing babies exclusively the high protein creepy-crawly stuff. No creepy-crawly things then soon
no birds!
What about bees or other nectar and pollen eating insects? Again, Celtis spp. are generously used. If
you really pay attention, you might be blessed to find a similar beautiful little critter. Then you might
be inspired to investigate its role in the web we call life. Or, just enjoy.
OK, you get the picture, right? The more diverse our landscape the more wildlife is supported thus the
healthier our environment. Let’s all make a New Year’s resolution to increase the diversity in our
landscapes and give something back to Mother Nature during the coming year. She desperately
needs our help.
Operation Nice! Start planning for planting in 2014. The 2014 NICE! poster and planting instructions
for all of our NICE! plants are on our website http://npsot.org/wp/boerne/ .
Chapter Activities
The Cibolo Bridge Area Project
(CBAR)
The Cibolo Bridge Area Restoration project will have a workday January 25th, weather permitting.
For further detail contact Scott Barthel at flyingpig@gvtc.com or by phone 830-537-5442.
Mostly Native Plant Sale
April will be here before you know it and Betty Dunn needs to get an idea of what everyone is growing
to be sold at the plant sale. Please let Betty know what plants and how many you plan to provide by
contacting her at bebsd@hotmail.com. The plant sale is our biggest fund raiser and the more plants
we can provide, versus buying them, the more money we have to support educational and
community-based projects, demonstration gardens and other chapter activities.
Regional Stuff
The Hill Country Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalists
January 27, 2014
The Black Bears of Texas
Diana Doan-Crider, Department of Ecosystem Sciences and Management,
Texas A&M University
When the subject of black bears in Texas is heard in conversation, it more than likely is a
reminiscence of stories passed down from a previous generation. But surprisingly, today it might not
be so unique for someone to speak of a personal observation or encounter as the black bears appear
to be rapidly recovering in the Lone Star State; and not only into historic territory but possible new
ranges.
This change presents challenges for both the bears and their human counterpart. Dr. Doan-Crider’s
remarks will provide the understanding necessary for the public to coexist with bears safely, without
compromising the integrity and safety of both bear populations and humans. Additionally, she will
discuss black bear biology and ecology, field signs, population trends, and driving mechanisms for
how bears use their landscapes.
Her education began with a B.S. Degree in Wildlife Biology from the University of Montana; a M.S.
Degree from Texas A&M University-Kingsville in Range and Wildlife Management followed by a Ph.D.
in Wildlife Science also from Texas A&M University-Kingsville and Texas A&M University-College
Station. Dr. Diana Doan-Crider has made it her mission to study black bears for the past 30 years. In
addition to serving on the faculty at Texas A&M, she is also the Chair for the International Union for
World Conservation (IUCN) Mexican Black Bear Specialist Group; additionally, she is secretary for
the International Association for Bear Research and management (IBA), and is a Scientific Advisor for
the Union Ganadera Regional de Coahuila (CRCA) in Mexico. Doan-Crider holds dual citizenship in
both the U.S. and Mexico.
The monthly meeting of the Master Naturalists is free and open to the public. Meetings are held 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, Kathy Ward, 210-698-3421.
News from the Balcones Satellite of the Texas Invaders
STOP THE SPREAD, SPREAD THE WORD, JUST DO IT!
Greetings for the New Year! In this time of New Year’s Resolutions, it is important to be realistic and
set achievable goals! In the realm of invasive plants, we have listed twelve resolutions to guide you in
the New Year. Choose JUST ONE RESOLUTION to make a difference. We are available to help with
any of these resolutions!
1. Look carefully in your yard for invasive plants. If you have one (or more!) invasive plants, take
action! It may be as simple as cutting off the berries or flower heads or as complex as cutting down
the plant or digging up the roots.
2. As you select new plants for your landscape, CHOOSE NATIVES! They have evolved to suit our
local habitat and will provide food and shelter for local wildlife.If you don’t know it, don’t grow it!
3. If you see invasive plants being sold at your local nursery or retail store, speak up! Tell the
manager you are concerned about the impact of invasive plants, and encourage him/her to sell more
native plants instead.
4. Tell your family, friends and neighbors about the negative impacts of invasive plants. Enlist their
help in NOT planting invasive plants in their landscapes.
5. Attend an invasive plant or native plant workshop or informational program.
6. After outdoor activities, check your clothing, hiking boots/shoes, car tires, boats and trailers, etc. for
“hitchhikers” to help avoid spreading invasive seeds.
7. Join a local wildlife society such as the Native Plant Society of Texas (npsot.org) or the Audubon
Society (http://tx.audubon.org) to learn more about local native flora and fauna.
8. Read one or more books about the impact of invasive plants. Start with Bringing Nature Home by
Douglas W. Tallamy to give you a greater understanding of why native plants are critical to sustaining
wildlife.
9. Volunteer to eradicate invasive plants in your neighborhood or community. You will see firsthand
the benefits of removing invasive plants!
10. Invite an invasive plants specialist to your next garden club or homeowner’s association meeting
to Spread the Word!
11. If you see invasive plants in your place of employment, speak with the manager of the grounds
about removal and replacement.
12. If you would like to become more involved, become a citizen scientist through the Invaders of
Texas program. Observing, reporting and eradicating invasive plants has never been easier due to
the new phone apps.http://www.texasinvasives.org/invaders
In San Antonio, local volunteers are needed for eradication of invasive plants in the Leon Creek
Greenway. No prior experience or invasive plant recognition expertise is required – just bring gloves
and water. We have a supply of loppers and saws, but welcome anyone who brings their own. For
details of exact location and directions, contact Lonnie at lonnieshockley@satx.rr.com. Those on the
mailing list will receive notification of specific working site locations and cancellation for severe
weather conditions. January schedule: Tuesdays 8:30 to 10:30 am on the Leon Creek Greenway.
Happenings – the Calendar
January 7 (Tuesday) 7:00 PM. Monthly meeting, Dave Barker will talk about NICE! Snakes.
February 4 (Tuesday) 7:00 PM. Xanthis Barthel will speak about edible plants of the Hill Country.
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

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
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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
rjrogers@gvtc.com
830-816-2193
830 249 1808
RAINBOW
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ASSOCIATESSTONE & SOIL DEPOT INC.
AFRICAN VIOLETS 2585 Thousand Oaks
BOERNE
26923 IH 10 West
San Antonio, TX
& NURSERY
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Boerne, TX
32005 IH 10W
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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
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3417 State Hwy 16-N,
Boerne, TX 78006
Medina, TX 78055
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