New Braunfels Chapter, Native Plant Society of Texas

05/02/2026

Diane Williamson (President), Jenelle VanMatre (Immediate Past President), and Jackie Bollinger (President Elect) enjoyed a morning sharing NB NPSOT with community friends at the Comal County AgriFest Open House!

04/25/2026

April Plant of the Month: Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta). Write up by our member, Diane Johnston and photos by Sally & Andy Wasowski.

This herbaceous flowering plant grows 1 to 2 feet tall and spreads 1 to 2 feet, providing nectar for bees and other nectar insects, seeds for birds, and it is a larval host for the caterpillars of the bordered patch and gorgone checkerspot butterflies. It displays bright yellow petals with a brown cone shaped center typically blooming from March to July and into November with extra moisture. It likes to grow in sun and prefers prairies, meadows, pastures, and woodland edges.

When viewed in masses, Delong-Amaya describes "contrasting yellow ray flowers and brown disc flowers leave one bedazzled!" and suggests purple coneflower intermingled as a complementary color combination.

Black-eyed Susan tolerates a wide range of soils, except it does not like wet soils. Transplants typically will grow and bloom the year planted, but plants grown from seed may not bloom until the second year. Depending on where it is grown, it may respond as an annual, biennial, or short-lived perennial.

If your nursery does not have this beautiful plant, you may want to ask for it. The Wildlife Federation lists it as a keystone plant for the Great Plains, ecoregion 9, serving as a host plant and plant for pollen specialist bee species.

Reference:
Delong-Amaya, A, The Texas Native Plant Primer: 225 plants for an earth-friendly garden.
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Native Plant Society of Texas Plant

04/22/2026

Are you interested in landscaping with native plants but unsure how to begin? Join Landscaping with Natives 101 at Headwaters at the Comal, where our plant experts will teach you and offer inspiration. Share your ideas for one-on-one discussions, and enjoy an inspiring tour of the grounds led by a Headwaters expert. We look forward to welcoming you!

Landscaping with Natives 101 – Headwaters at the Comal, Sat Apr 25, 2026 - Have you dreamed of having a garden full of flowers? Do you want to bring color to your yard, but don't know where to start? Are you looking to create habitat for pollinators like hummingbirds and butterflies? It's easy to ...

04/21/2026

"God in His wisdom made the fly, and then forgot to tell us why." — Ogden Nash

Wonder no more! Come on out Monday, April 27th to see what the buzz is all about. Listen to Andy Blair, our chapter member, longtime biologist and plant specialist talk about the benefit of flies to our ecosystem. It's going to be a fun evening. Andy is a fantastic, knowledgeable speaker frequently invited back to share his wisdom! We meet at the beautiful Headwaters at the Comal, 333 E. Klingemann St., New Braunfels! Social time begins at 5:45, a short business meeting at 6:15 with the presentation starting at 6:30; snacks provided. Nonmembers are always welcome.

04/19/2026

We had so much fun representing NPSOT New Braunfels and celebrating Earth Day at Headwaters at the Comal Saturday. Thanks to Cassandra for snapping this photo as we were wrapping up! We were so busy meeting new friends, greeting old friends, and doing activities with fun kids that this is the only photo taken! Headwaters was an awesome host to this community festival.

04/12/2026

We had an amazing day at our Spring Native Plant Sale! We owe our gratitude to so many who contributed to improving our environment. A big thank you to for providing such an inspiring setting and to your friendly, hard-working and dedicated volunteers. Our appreciation goes out to all the New Braunfels Chapter volunteers—your behind-the-scenes efforts are what make the sale run smoothly and successfully! We salute our Plant Sale Chairs who go above and beyond with their exceptional work selecting and ordering plants and trees, managing logistics, and organizing volunteer schedules. We’re grateful to members who donated plants from their own gardens and those who collected them. Many members cared for these donated plants to ensure they were healthy and ready for the sale. Countless dedicated members helped arrange tables, set up canopies, and organize over 1,500 plants and trees into their designated sections; as one member said, it was like watching ants on a mission! Our plant experts provided outstanding advice helping customers select the best options for their landscapes. Thanks also go to everyone assisting with memberships, seed consultations, sales tickets, checkout, and cleanup. We would be remiss, if we didn’t thank YOU, the customers! We were energized with your enthusiasm and commitment to environmental stewardship, water conservation, and supporting wildlife, making this sale a true success. You are awesome! We look forward to welcoming you back in October for our Fall Plant Sale!