Blog – Page 122 – NPSOT-Williamson County Chapter

September 21, 2021May 3, 2023

Minding Monarchs

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— by Beth Erwin

We have two species of native milkweeds available in our Fall Sale this Saturday. We have quart pots of Zizotes, Asclepias oenotheroides, and quarts and gallons of orange flowering Butterflyweed, Asclepias tuberosa.

Butterflyweed would be a choice perennial in any garden, regardless of its native status. It is loaded with nectar and all sorts of pollinators flock to the clusters of orange flowers. I came across a lady many years ago that asked me to come to her yard and see her “chiggerbush” as she called it. It turned out to be a big bodacious Butterflyweed. True to its nature, it was loaded with insects of all sizes.

Butterflyweed is not the first choice of female Monarch butterflies to lay their eggs. It is slow to emerge from the ground in the spring. As the season progresses the narrow foliage gets tough. Zizotes, on the other hand, is a favorite. It very obligingly pops out of the ground in early spring several weeks ahead of other Asclepias species, with wide tender leaves for that first wave of migrating Monarchs to drop some eggs on. At this point in September, it is still producing plenty of soft broad leaves for the end-of-the-season crop of caterpillars and flowers full of nectar.

Monarch caterpillar on Zizotes, Asclepias oenotheroides

Buy some Butterflyweed for the pretty flowers. Buy some Zizotes for the Monarch butterflies. And the deer don’t eat them.

The photos are of plants that will be in the sale.

Tarantula hawk on Zizotes, Asclepias oenotheroides

About the sale

The NPSOT-Wilco plant sale will be held September 25, 2021, at Berry Springs Park & Preserve, 1801 Co Rd 152, Georgetown, TX 78626 in the Main (Tonkawa) Pavilion. 10:00 AM—3:00 PM. (Note that the first plant walk being led by Ricky Linex begins at 9AM.) Cash, checks, and major credit cards accepted. We prefer that all customers wear masks and maintain social distance.

For sale details and special requests, click this link.
For info about plant walks led by expert Ricky Linex, click this link.

Plants to be offered as of September 18, 2021

The newest list is at this link September 18 PDF. The date is in the upper left corner on page 1. If we update the list again, we’ll send a new blog post out to alert subscribers.

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September 16, 2021May 3, 2023

Native grasses and updated plant list for NPSOT-Wilco’s Sept 25 Native Plant Sale

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— by Beth Erwin

A common statement among those who garden is “The deer eat everything I plant.” Deer are voracious consumers of leafy plants. If they don’t eat it, they will destroy it rubbing their antlers on it starting in late summer. It is discouraging.

At our Native Plant Sale September 25th, we will have several native grasses for sale and one species of sedge, which is grass-like in appearance. We live on the eastern edge of “The Great American (overgrazed) West.” The cattle, sheep, and goats of many generations of our predecessors were the over-grazers, not the deer. Except in very early spring when the grasses first emerge, deer will leave grass alone.

Today’s gardeners rarely understand, appreciate, or identify the importance of native grasses in our landscape. Unfamiliarity makes it hard to recognize the different species. At the sale, we are offering five species of native grasses, already identified for you. Bring them home, plant them, grow them, and learn to recognize them. And as you watch, you will be amazed at the number of insects that will take up residence among the blades. Hungry birds will come looking for those insects. And you will have begun to create a very rare habitat.

Site your new grasses so you can see the sunlight behind them. Or plant them where you need to slow down water runoff. We have one species, River Oats, that is very shade tolerant. Our sedge offering, known as Meadow or Webberville Sedge, will create a handsome short carpet in the shade. And best of all, the deer will leave them alone.

About the sale

Click this link to find details about the sale and how to make special requests.

Plants to be offered as of September 16, 2021

The newest list is at this link September 16 PDF. The date is in the upper left corner on page 1. If we update the list again, we’ll send a new blog post out to alert subscribers.

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September 9, 2021May 3, 2023

Randy Pensabene receives Benny J. Simpson Fellows Award

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— by Beth Erwin
NPSOT has named Randy Pensabene as the recipient of the Benny J. Simpson Fellows Award for 2021. This award is presented by the Society to a member for work that enriches the Society at the state or chapter level. It recognizes service to the Society and embodies “grass roots” recognition of an awardee by their fellow NPSOT members.

Randy has been a NPSOT member since 2006. She works tirelessly behind the scenes, organizing and improving our chapter projects. She faithfully records our successes and failures, giving us invaluable information to plan better projects with more effective outreach. She has developed our semi-annual plant sales into high volume educational outreach ventures. Randy has developed a strong core of volunteers eager to help with chapter projects. Volunteers know when they show up, the project will be well organized, and they will come away with a sense of accomplishment. She constantly seeks more ways to promote the use of Texas native plants. Randy’s contributions to our chapter have greatly enriched many of the ways that NPSOT-Wilco engages with the public.

Chapter member Sue Wiseman summarized the nomination perfectly.

“Randy is not self-promoting. She is that member that stands in the wings and makes things go smoothly. Something that is very hard to quantify. However, without her we would not have been able to do all the work we have accomplished over the past fifteen years. We are blessed to have someone like her in our organization.”

Congratulations, Randy, from all of us!

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