Boerne Chapter - Native Plant Society of Texas

08/22/2026

Thank you for the shout out Native Plant Society of Texas! These articles are a wonderful part of our chapter’s legacy, well written and still very current today!

NPSOT CHAPTER SPOTLIGHT: The Boerne Chapter has created an online library of nearly 300 native-plant articles originally published in The Boerne Star newspaper.

It includes 194 articles by NPSOT member Bill Ward (pictured leading a group below), published from 2002–2010, plus 105 Native Grown articles by other chapter authors from 2010–2016.

A big thank-you to Marianne Magner and Bob Rogers for bringing this valuable resource to life!

You can browse the libraries here:

https://www.npsot.org/chapters/boerne/articles-by-bill-ward/
https://www.npsot.org/chapters/boerne/native-grown-articles/

08/21/2026

Attention Boerne chapter members! Let’s get ready for our Fall Plant sale and pot up plants now!
Our Boerne Chapter Fall Plant Sale is coming up October 17 at Herff Farm, and August is a great time to start preparing plants to donate!

Do you have native plants that have multiplied or popped up where you don’t want them? Dig them up, pot them, and give them a new home at the plant sale. Water well after potting and keep them in the shade while they get established. Don’t worry if they look a little sad at first—transplant shock is normal. Keep watering every other day, and they’ll likely bounce back.

After a few weeks, gradually introduce them to more sun. Even full-sun plants can’t handle full sun in a black plastic pot, so keep your potted donations in **part shade or full shade** until the sale.

Pot them up now and help us grow our fall plant sale!

08/19/2026

Save the date! Our next meeting takes place on Tuesday, September 1! After our summer break, we’re excited to welcome our first speaker of the season, Ryan Bass, Environmental Program Manager for the City of Boerne.

Ryan Bass will give us an inside look at the City of Boerne’s environmental programs, including urban forestry and tree preservation, water conservation and the growing use of rainwater and HVAC condensate, and the City’s efforts to become an International Dark Sky Community. He’ll also discuss the July flood—where it ranks historically, why drainage-way protection zones are important, and how the City is working to clean up and restore riparian areas following the flood.

Join us September 1 and kick off another great season of learning about our local environment and native plants!

08/19/2026

Boerne NPSOT members, check this out!

This video explains the importance of using native plants to rebuil...

08/17/2026

Also known as Stinking Passionflower or Fetid Passionflower, Corona de Cristo is a native Texas passion vine with beautiful 2–3 inch flowers in shades of cream, pink, and pale purple. It’s in full bloom right now!

Despite its name, the “stinking” refers to the pungent odor released when the foliage is damaged. The vine is well adapted to conditions in our area, tolerating heat, drought, and a variety of soils. It may wilt during hot weather or die back during severe drought, but typically returns when conditions improve.

It is also an important host plant for Fritillary and Heliconian butterfly caterpillars. They can completely defoliate the vine, but Corona de Cristo readily recovers.

One more interesting fact: it is considered **protocarnivorous** because its sticky bracts can trap insects. Whether it actually absorbs nutrients from them is still uncertain.

08/14/2026

Save the Date! Our NPSOT Boerne Native Fall Plant Sale is coming up this October!
🗓 Date: Saturday, October 17
📍 Location: Herff Farm at the Teaching Barn on 33 Herff Road, Boerne
⏰ Time: From 9:00 am to 1:00 pm

Fall is one of the BEST times to plant natives in Texas! Why?
✅ Cooler temps = less stress on new plants
✅ Fall rains help roots get established
✅ Strong roots over winter mean thriving plants come spring!

We'll have a great selection of native plants perfectly suited for our local ecosystem—pollinator-friendly, water-wise, and beautiful!

Come support native landscaping, chat with fellow plant lovers, and take home some new green friends!

Mark your calendars and share with your friends—we can’t wait to see you there!

08/12/2026

One of the reasons we love the Rockrose (Pavonia lasiopetal), is that it thrives in tough conditions: It loves full, direct sunlight and doesn’t mind our triple-digit temperatures in the summer. How does it manage our tough summers? It has deep roots and tough, woody stems, which help it reach and store scarce moisture, allowing it to stay alive and flowering without much water.
Rockrose also adapts well to shallow, rocky, or limestone soils where competition from other dense vegetation is low. And while it’s busy handling the heat, it’s also busy attracting bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds with its summer blooms—just when insect activity is high.

08/10/2026

Apply for an up-to $1500 mini-grant (not so mini!) with Bexar Audubon South Central Texas to contribute to projects in our area that affect birds. Projects include pollinator gardens, nest boxes, watering features, school education programs, bird blinds, binoculars or other tools for bringing people to birds, art that educates including children’s books about birds, Participants have come from schools, HOAs, PTAs, nonprofits, NGOs, and religious organizations. Spread the word about this great opportunity!

More info here: https://bexaraudubon.org/community-grant-program/

08/07/2026

Join the Fall 2026 Texas Native Plant Celebration! This October, NPSOT volunteers will bring native plant education to participating H-E-B stores across Texas, helping customers discover plants that conserve water, support wildlife, and create healthier landscapes.
Interested in participating?
Join us online for the H-E-B Celebration Team Orientation on August 6 at either 1:00 or 6:00 p.m. Register below.
We’ll review volunteer roles, participating locations, training, materials, and how NPSOT will help connect and support local teams.

Registration is designed for NPSOT members who plan to participate, but everyone is welcome to attend and learn more.
🌿 1:00 p.m. registration: https://tinyurl.com/3traxmn7
🌿 6:00 p.m. registration: https://tinyurl.com/mt84wbkf

08/06/2026

Come lend a hand in the butterfly garden at the Cibolo Nature Center this Saturday! Join us for our Second Saturday Workday on August 8 at the Cibolo Nature Center from **9:00 a.m. to noon**. We'll meet at the pavilion. Bring a hat, gloves, your favorite yard tools, and a water bottle. It's a great opportunity to learn about native plants. Whether you're a seasoned gardener or just curious about Texas native plants, we'd love to have you join us! Hope to see you there!