Native Plant Society of Texas
Boerne Chapter
The Home of
Operation NICE!™
Natives Instead of Common Exotics
Web site: http://npsot.org/Boerne
Newsletter
April 2014
Volume 14 Number 4
Monthly Meeting Tuesday April 1, 2014
Cibolo Nature Center at 140 City Park Road, Boerne TX
We have another two-fer this month! Lonnie Childs and Dennis Perz will host an approximate halfhour “brainstorming” session to gain insight from the membership about how to best align individual,
chapter, and state goals for NPSOT. This will be followed by a presentation on “The Basics of
Starting a Native Plant Garden”. This is the perfect opportunity for those new to native plants, those
looking to make some changes to existing landscape, or those who may be feeling overwhelmed at
the idea of selecting the best natives for your yard. The presentation includes several case studies
from NPSOT members.
Lonnie Childs is a retired business executive currently pursuing his life-long interest in history and
nature. He currently serves as the Immediate Past President of the Native Plant Society of Texas
(NPSOT), is past President of the Fredericksburg NPSOT chapter, and is a past member of the
boards of directors for the Friends of the Fredericksburg Nature Center and Gillespie County
Historical Society. He has published articles on and is a speaker on natural history topics, and has
also attained the Master Naturalist certification offered by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
He has owned and managed a cattle ranching operation where he also conducted an extensive land
restoration project.
Dennis Perz is a member and past President of the Williamson County NPSOT and our current VP
Chapter Liaison. He served as chairman of the President’s Advisory Committee working on the
NPSOT State Board officer recruiting process.
Presentation begins at 7pm, but everyone is invited to socialize at 6:30!
President’s Message
Happy Spring!
Warmer days have arrived, and I couldn’t be more overjoyed! And for those who may recall my
dismay over the potential demise of my pearl milkvine – I saw the first sign of life yesterday! If it isn’t
pearl milkvine – don’t tell me…I’ll figure it out soon enough. Yes, my chile pequin is coming back as
well. Hurray! My black thumb of death may actually just be gray. Seeing all that green does a soul
good after what felt like a particularly chilling winter.
I have felt trapped for days on end with this cold, and when there is a break in the weather, I make a
beeline for our natural areas to get my head on straight again. Government Canyon gave me my first
glimpse of spring as the phlox erupted along the Joe Johnson Trail. Bladderpod was hot on its tail. I
also encountered my first bluebonnet of the year. A terribly small little thing, all alone, on the Far
Reaches trail.
A quick trip to Lost Maples and a hike along the West trail revealed one of my favorite trees, a Texas
madrone, right there in plain-view! My surprise came from the fact I have hiked the trail numerous
times and never noticed this beauty! To be fair, the tree does sit at the top of a rather long and rough
incline, and it is very likely that I have been so focused on just making it up the hill that I never
bothered to look up and see it!
And lastly, I took a peek over the cliff edge above the river at Guadalupe River State Park and the red
columbine is coming along nicely! No sign of flowers as of last week, but I will be checking back
frequently. The image is from March 25, 2012 and I make it a point to visit at about the same time to
see how the columbine is doing. I do the same for a purple leatherflower at Enchanted Rock. It is
amazing to see how resilient our natives are. I definitely saw an impact to the leatherflower in 2011,
but I was greeted on visits out to “The Rock” in April and May 2012 with a wonderfully diverse show of
wildflowers. I also met stinging nettle for the first time, but that is another story…
I hope everyone enjoyed our March presentation about the Albert and Bessie Kronkosky State
Natural Area! James Rice is quite the firecracker, and I am pretty sure I saw, at least a few of our
members, chomping at the bit to get out there and investigate this local treasure. With any luck, we
will be able to schedule a field trip to get a glimpse ourselves. The volunteer opportunities seem
extensive!
The ForWard Trail project is moving along wonderfully under the ever-watchful and deeply committed
eye of Suzanne Young and her team! Yes, it will be a long process, but talk about a worthy outcome.
These creative minds have quite a vision for the trail and it will be beautiful.
If you haven’t visited our chapter website in a while, I have added a few resources you may find
interesting – a list of native nurseries along with links to their websites, an ever-growing list of
recommended books, and a handful of links to interesting websites and videos suggested by our
members and speakers. You are welcome, and I would encourage you, to forward me anything you
feel would be helpful to people visiting our website. You may be surprised to know that we get, on
average, 50 – 100 “hits” on a daily basis. People really do use it quite often to read Native Grown,
and check out our NICE! recommendations. So the more useful content, the better!
We cannot forget the rapidly approaching MOSTLY NATIVE PLANT SALE! If you haven’t signed up
to help out at our booth, please contact Betty Dunn (bebsd@hotmail.com) ASAP! Our members have
an amazing assortment of knowledge and personal experience with natives and this is the perfect
setting to share that knowledge with people looking to incorporate native plants into their yards. It is a
really fun and rewarding day, and I hope to see a great crowd out there!
Lastly, I know a big group of members is headed out to party it up at Rancho Lomitas the weekend of
April 12th. I wish you all safe travels and perfect weather. Remember, what happens in Rancho
Lomitas, stays in Rancho Lomitas. Except for an article for the newsletter. I’m looking at you, Wilt!
Thanks so much!
Emily
Chapter Activities
Operation Nice!
NICE! ™Plant of the Month
April 2014
Woolly Butterflybush
Buddleja marrubiifolia
by Anne Adams
Woolly Butterflybush is a medium-sized, drought-resistant shrub that provides attractive foliage as
well as colorful flowers throughout summer and into fall. In its native range of the Chihuahuan Desert,
it grows on well-drained sunny sites in desert canyons and arroyos. Leaves are deciduous to almost
evergreen, and in my yard plants retained some leaves all winter in spite of several nights below 20
degrees. However, it may need protection in very cold winters as it is considered hardy only down to
15 degrees. A cultivar called “Presidio” is said to be relatively cold-hardy.
Growing to a height of 3 to 6 feet and a similar width, Woolly butterflybush maintains its naturally
dense form with little pruning. Fine woolly hairs on stems and leaves give the plant a soft gray-green
color and velvety feel. The aromatic leaves are small and oval with serrate margins. These
characteristics are responsible for the plant’s species name, for its resemblance to Marrubium
vulgare, commonly known as horehound.
During summer through late fall, Woolly butterflybush puts on a display of ½ inch round heads of
small, bright yellow to orange flowers, which contrast nicely with the foliage, and attract butterflies as
well as other nectar-feeding insects. Light pruning may be done during winter to early spring to
maintain a natural shape and promote flowering. Used in a landscape, this shrub will add variety and
texture as well as color to the design.
Since both white-tailed and axis deer roam freely through my neighborhood, I protect all new tree and
shrub plantings with wire cages. Although Woolly butterflybush is not a preferred browse species and
I have not seen any nipping of leaves or twigs that extend beyond the cages, others have reported
damage.
Operation NICE! Tip: Many cultivars and hybrids of Buddleja that are popular in the nursery trade
were brought here from China, South Africa, or other parts of the Americas. While their colorful flower
spikes are attractive to butterflies, some are known to be invasive. 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/
CNC Demo Gardens
It was a mild but misty morning when six of us, Rita Boardman, Anne Adams, Wilt Shaw and Emily
Werner and her ever helpful husband, met at CNC to work on the gardens. We managed to plant two
new shrubs, a Tickle-Tongue (Zanthoxylum hirsutum, also known as Texas Prickly Ash) and Rusty
Blackhaw Virbunum (Viburnum rufidulum), and trim back winter killed or leggy growth on all butterfly
gardens. We were dripping by the time we finished, but the gardens did look a lot better. With only six
people we could not weed the beds within our timeframe so will have to schedule another workday for
that much needed chore. Hope better weather will prevail for that upcoming day.
Mostly Native Plant Sale
Our biggest fund raising and fun event is on the near horizon - April 4 (CNC presale) and 5 (open to
public) at theKendall County fairgrounds pavillion! It's been a cold and overcast winter so many of our
plants look a bit behind what we usually expect, but we will have a great day anyway. Please bring
plants and come out to help on Friday and/or Saturday. We will need many pairs of hands to make
this happen. It's always a fun time visiting with each other during these days, and I know that many
look forward to it.
As usual, deliver plants and park in the back parking area accessed off the CNC entry drive (City
Park Rd). We will begin set-up at noon on Friday with the CNC presale occurring between 5-7 pm.
Friday is hectic and we really need a lot of help this day! On Saturday the sale, open to the public,
begins at 8:30 AM and ends at 3 PM when we break down our display. We encourage you to pick up
any leftover plant you donated as there will be limited or no care for these plants later. Let the entry
guards know that you are volunteering at the sale so you won't have to pay for parking. Hope to see
you there!
Betty Dunn
Regional Science Fair
Kathy Ward and Bill Woller, helped judge posters for the regional science fair held at the University of
Incarnate Word on March 3. The San Antonio and Boerne NPSOT chapters jointly awarded $100
certificates to two of the winners in the Environmental Sciences category.
Varsha Mulamreddy from Keystone School in San Antonio was the Junior Division winner in the
Environmental Sciences Category, 6th grade for her project titled: Biodegradation of Ammonium
Nitrate using Limnobium spongia and Azolla caroliniana. Varsha also won 5th prize in Environmental
Sciences for the Junior Division.
Layne Garza who attends James Madison High School in San Antonio was the Senior Division
Environmental Sciences winner for his project Phase 2 Killer Mulch: A study comparing tannin levels
in Juniperus ashei and its effects on seed germination and seed development.
It is encouraging to see these young people interested in and doing good research related to plants
and their importance in the health of the environment.
Regional Stuff
The Hill Country Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalists
April 28, 2014
Native Bees of Texas
Michael Warriner, Program Supervisor of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Nongame and Rare
Species Program will talk on Texas Native Bees at the Hill Country Texas Master Naturalists Chapter
Meeting. Native bees are critical to native plant reproduction and are key players in the maintenance
of Texas’s natural ecosystems. A significant number of native plants pollinated by these bees
produce fruit, nuts, or seeds that thousands of animal species depend upon for food, including some
popular game animals. Native bees also play economically important roles in agricultural production.
The value of native bees to U.S. agriculture is estimated to be approximately $3 billion annually.
In 2009 Michael moved to Texas to become resident invertebrate biologist for TPWL. He curates the
website www.texasbumblebees.org since bumblebees are the most easily recognized native bees.
His goal was to enlist “bumble-watchers” in evaluating the state’s bumblebee fauna; the last
published survey was in 1913. Prior to Texas, as the invertebrate zoologist for the Arkansas Natural
Heritage Commission, he conducted surveys of bumblebees occurring in Arkansas remnant
grasslands for 6 years and involved citizen scientists in the process.
Michael received his bachelor’s degree at University of Arkansas at Little Rock and his master’s
Degree at Emporia State University in Topeka, Kansas. In addition, as a research associate he
worked on forest entomology at Mississippi State University. His publications include a large diversity
of interesting insects.
The monthly meeting of the Master Naturalist is free and open to the public. Meetings are held at the
Upper Guadalupe River Authority’s lecture hall, located at 124 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 at kathyollu@aol.com.
News from the Balcones Satellite of the Texas Invaders
Arrest the Arundo...Cutting Giant Reed Down to Size
Are you looking for volunteer opportunities? During the month of April, Balcones Satellite volunteers
will continue to tackle a very large stand of Giant reed (Arundo donax) as part of our ongoing efforts
to restore the Leon Creek Greenway.
Giant reed is a tall, perennial grass that can grow to over 20 feet in height. It is one of the most
prevalent and pervasive invasive plants in Texas. It forms impenetrable thickets for hundreds of miles
along the Rio Grande, may be seen in nearly every ditch, stream and riverbank along Highway 90
east of San Antonio, and is cropping up in too many new locations to count.
Why is Giant reed a problem? It chokes riversides and stream channels, crowds out native plants,
interferes with flood control, increases fire potential, and reduces habitat for wildlife. It forms a
framework for debris dams behind bridges, culverts, and other structures that lead to damage. It
alters natural creek and river channels. It ignites easily and can create intense fires. Because the
plant contains many chemicals toxic to insects and invertebrates, not many herbivores browse it.
Originally from the Mediterranean, Giant reed has become widely dispersed into all of the subtropical
and warm temperate areas of the world, mostly through intentional human introductions.
Its fleshy, creeping rootstocks form compact masses. Lonnie Shockley likes to show volunteers a
Giant reed root that is several feet long and looks like a giant piece of ginger root! Any portion of the
rhizome that breaks off can float miles downstream, take root and initiate new infestations. Once
established, Giant reed has the ability to outcompete and completely suppress native vegetation
In San Antonio, local volunteers are needed for eradication of Giant reed. No prior experience is
required. Wear sturdy shoes, long-sleeved pants and shirts and gloves. Bring water. We have a
supply of loppers, 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 the location of the Giant reed infestation and cancellation for severe weather conditions.
The April schedule is Tuesdays 8:30 to 10:30 am on the Leon Creek Greenway
Happenings – the Calendar
April 1 (Tuesday) 7:00 PM. Monthly meeting, Lonnie Childs and Dennis Perz from the NPSOT State office will
seek input from members about how the State can help the chapter and will present 3 case studies on how to
create a natives garden from scratch.
April 4 &5 (Friday evening 5-7 CNC presale & Saturday 8:30 AM 3:00 PM) Mostly Native Plant Sale at
Kendall County Fair Grounds. If you can help with any aspect of the event and have not signed up, contact
Betty Dunn at bebsd@hotmail.com
April 26 (Saturday). Native Plant Spring Symposium, sponsored by Native Plant Society of Texas and
the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, at the Center and at which Doug Tallamy will be the
keynote speaker. More information and registration are available at
http://www.wildflower.org/springsymposium/ .
May 6 (Tuesday) 7:00 PM. Monthly meeting, Award-winning photographer David Langford will talk with us
about water policy in Texas and sign his books.
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.
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