Newsletter 2021 March
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NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS N e w s Native Plant Society of Texas, North Central Chapter P Newsletter Vol 33, Number 3 S March 2021 O ncc npsot newsletter logo newsletter ncc npsot © 2018 Troy & Martha Mullens & Martha © 2018 Troy Purple Coneflower — Echinacea sp. T March Program by March 2021 Meeting Mark Morganstern Propagation Techniques for Native Plants Virtual See page 15 Chapter of the Year (2016/17) Chapter Newsletter of the Year (2019/20) Visit us at ncnpsot.org & www.txnativeplants.org Index President's Corner by Gordon Scruggs ..................... p. 3ff Chapter Leaders Flower of the Month, Plains Coreopsis President — Gordon Scruggs by Josephine Keeney ........................................ p. 6f [email protected] Activities & Volunteering for March 2021 by Martha Mullens ....................................... p. 8f Past President — Karen Harden Prairie Verbena by Avon Burton ................................ p. 10 Vice President & Programs — Answer to last month’s puzzle and a new puzzle ...... p. 11 Morgan Chivers March Calendar” Page by Troy Mullens ................... p. 12 Recording Secretary — Debbie Stilson Dewberry by Martha Mullens .................................... p. 13f Treasurer — Position open March Program .............................................................. p. 15 Hospitality Chair — Corinna Benson, Membership Report by Beth Barber .......................... p. 16 Hospitality by Corinna Benson .................................. p. 16 Traci Middleton February Meeting Minutes by Debbie Stilson ........... p. 17 Membership Chair — Beth Barber Parting Shots, News & Views by the Editors ........... p. 18ff Events Chair — Position open Volunteer Position Opportunites: Must read ........... p. 18 NICE! Coordinator — Avon Burton Farmers Calendar by Troy Mullens ........................... p. 19 Plant Sales Coordinators - Gordon Scruggs Habitat for pollinators .................................................. p. 20 & Sandy Fountain & Josephine Keeney Frostweed ....................................................................... p. 21 Education/Outreach Chair — Open Recommended Plants List (Complete) ..................... p. 22f Pollinator Pledge by the Xerces Society .................... p. 24 Webmaster — Frank Keeney Half-Earth Pledge by E.O. Wilson ............................. p. 24 Field Trips — Eric Johnson This Year's Programs by Morgan Chivers ................. p. 25 Speaker’s Bureau — Theresa Thomas Prairie Verbena, NICE! Plant of the Season (Spring) Donations/Grants Chair — Open by Dr. Becca Dickstein .................................... p. 26 Parliamentarian — Martha Mullens World of Wonders Book Review Facebook Manager — Open by Martha Mullens .......................................... p. 27ff Big Bend N.P., How Come It's Called That? Newsletter Editor — Troy Mullens Book Review by Martha Mullens ................. p. 31ff [email protected] iNat Challenge & Spring Symposium ....................... p. 36 Assistant Newsletter Editor — Forest Bathing and Trout Lily Walk .......................... p. 37 Martha Mullens Fort Worth Botanic Garden Management Southwest Subcourthouse Garden Leaders Transfers from City of Fort Worth to BRIT ... p. 38 Gailon Hardin & Dawn Hancock Become an armchair botanist (Volunteer) ............... p. 38 Native Plant Gardens at the Southwest Spring Plant Sale by Sandy Fountain ......................... p. 39 Join NPSOT, Mission Statement, next Meeting ........ p. 40 Regional Library Leaders — Newsletter Submission Requirements ...................... p. 40 Theresa Thomas & Char McMorrow Molly Hollar Wildscape Garden Leader — Ann Knudsen Fielder House Garden Leaders — Josephine Keeney & Jane Osterhuis O.S. Gray Natural Area — Questions, Josephine Keeney White Settlement Waystation — Comments ? Merita Knapp & Sandy Fountain Publicity Chair — Chairperson needed Use this link below ! & Martha Mullens Troy ©2017 NLCP Classes Coordinator — [email protected] Sandy Fountain, Theresa Thomas The President’s Corner - March 2021 - by Gordon Scruggs I am hunkered down for the winter storms. What a change in weather from last week. I hope you and your families are staying warm. I am resting in the den and enjoying observ- ing the birds in my snow covered gardens. I have had bird feeders for many years, so I have always had birds in my winter gar- dens. However, I have observed a change in the birds’ winter behavior since establishing Texas native plants in the gardens. Many birds do not even go to the feeders. Instead, the Slate-colored juncos (also called Dark- eyed junco, Junco hyemalis) are foraging on the ground, around and on the native plants. This morning when the Juncos first arrived, they seemed to storm the Mealy blue sage Frosty frostweed (Salvia farinacea). Since it blooms late in the year, I believe it may have still had many seeds on the spikes at the top end of the stems. One of today’s photos is a Junco on the ground with snow on its beak. I got a photograph of a Ruby-crowned kinglet (Regulus calendula) on the suet feeder. It is not often you are able to get a good shot of the ruby crown. The Kinglet relaxes on the stiff stems of the Maxi- milian sunflowers (Helianthus maximiliani) and then periodically flies over to munch on the suet. Also took a picture of a Red-bellied woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) peck- ing for insects on the Bois-d’arc (also called Osage orange, Maclura pomifera) that shades the north half of the garden. This winter I have been very excited with the numerous sprouting rosettes of stand- ing cypress (Ipomopsis rubra). The 15-degree weather two years ago caused the rosettes to Red-bellied woodpecker hunting insects in a Bois-d’arc turn dark green and appear wilted. But as soon as the temperatures rose above freezing and the sun came out, Continued on Page 4 March 2021 NPSOT News North Central Chapter Page 3 The President’s Corner - March 2021 - by Gordon Scruggs Continued from Page 3 I could not tell they had ever wilted. Do not know how they will take the single digit temperatures. I am glad my gar- dens are being blanketed with snow be- fore the temperature falls into the single digits (it is currently in the mid-teens). Perhaps this snow layer will act as insu- lation and protect the natives that are not as well adapted to these very cold temperatures. This is the second winter Frostweed has been in my gardens. Last year I never observed the “frost” these natives are named for. This year they “frosted” and it is awesome. I included a photo of the “frosted” weed. I want to remind everyone of several Ruby crowned kinglet enjoying the suet upcoming opportunities and events. • Need volunteer hours for your Master Naturalist certification? Volunteer to help the chapter as Trea- surer or in other capacities. These hours count as volunteer service hours and the best part is that you will have the opportunity to work with a great group of people. • It is spring and there are unwanted non-native plants trying to push the natives out of the demonstra- tion gardens. We need your help to keep the non-natives at bay. I have made many friends and learned so much about cul- tivating native plants from our many knowledgeable members while working in our gardens. Please contact me if you would like to help and I will put you in Slate colored junco foraging in my snow covered gardens touch with the manager of a garden near you. Continued on Page 5 March 2021 NPSOT News North Central Chapter Page 4 The President’s Corner - March 2021 - by Gordon Scruggs Continued from Page 4 • The statewide spring symposium • If you do not have any Prairie ver- is Saturday March 13, 2021 from 10 AM to 3 bena (Glandularia bipinnatifida) or need more, PM. It is going to be a virtual event and will be please support our NICE native plant nursery announced soon at npsot.org. partners by purchasing some plants. Prairie ver- bena is one of my favorite flowers. A list of NICE • At our next general membership nurseries is available at txnativeplants.org. meeting on March 4, 2021 the guest speaker is Mark Morgenstern the founder of Morning • The spring class schedule is out for Star Prairie Plants. His presentation is entitled the NLCP. These are great courses and are being Propagation Techniques for Native Plants. conducted virtually. The schedule is available at npsot.org. • The spring native plant sale is Saturday May 8, 2021 at River Legacy Park in Arlington. It is time to start potting the plants I want to thank each of you for being a member you want to sell. Please let us know if you want of our great organization. If you have any ques- to be a grower for the sale at: tions or just want to talk natives, please contact [email protected]. me at [email protected]. A little flower that blooms in May, A lovely sunset at the end of a day, Someone helping a stranger along the way, That’s heaven to me. Sam Cooke Photos © Gordon Scruggs March 2021 NPSOT News North Central Chapter Page 5 Plains Coreopsis — Flower of the Month for March Story & Photographs by Josephine Keeney Plains Coreopsis, Coreopsis tinctoria. Asteraceae (Aster Family) This lovely Texas native wildflower will blanket prairies and roadways in a mantle of golden yellow during springtime. This particular species is an annual but very easy to grow from seed. It should be scattered on prepared soil in the Fall Light requirements are Sun to part shade and prefers moist sandy soil. There are many different species of Coreopsis that are native to Texas, some being