Native Plant Sales, a Plant Swap and Other Events

It is time again for spring native plant sales. This is your opportunity to get plants that are Texas tough and usually not found anywhere else. As usually happens, most of them are on the same day and at opposite ends of the Metroplex. Click here to jump to the Native Plant Society of Texas (NPSOT) website and a list of sales occurring across the state. Below, is my list of sales in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Click the links for more information.

Spring Plant Sale at Fort Worth Botanic Garden, April 21, 9-2. In my opinion, this is the biggest and best local plant sale. Several vendors, including the North Central Texas Chapter of NPSOT will have a number of plants for sale. Here are some of the plants expected at the NPSOT area: Black Sampson, Blackfoot daisy, Chile pequin, Columbine, Eastern Bluemistflower, Eastern Redbud, Elderberry, Fall aster, Fall Obedient Plant, False Dragonhead, Fragrant phlox, Frostweed, Heartleaf Skullcap, Heath Aster, Lanceleaf coreopsis, Low Wild Petunia, Lyreleaf Sage, Mealy blue sage, Mexican feathergrass, Pigeon berry, Pink evening primrose, Purple aster, Rockrose, Salvia greggii ‘Ferman’s red’, Texas aster, Turks cap (red), Western bluemist flower, White yarrow, Winecup, White avens, White winecup (possible), Wild petunia. The other vendors may or may not have native plants.

Denton Redbud Festival, April 21, 10-4. The Trinity Forks Chapter of NPSOT will have native plants for sale. The couple of times I have been to this sale, they had some plants that I had not seen at other sales.

Collin County Master Gardeners Plant Sale, April 21, 9-3. This sale has a good mix of native plants and well adapted plants recommended by Texas A&M.

Texas Discovery Gardens Butterfly Plant Sale, May 12, 10-2. This sale features native and introduced plants that are favorite nectar or caterpillar host plants. Last year they had several varieties of milkweed. Members can shop a day early and beat the mob.

The Dallas Arboretum has an annual plant sale. I have never been. I could not find any information on their website. I imagine their sale has more introduced than native plants. Maybe I will go someday.

The Heard Museum usually has a spring native plant sale, but I do not see one on their schedule this year. Their Celebrate Nature Spring Festival is April 14 and could be a fun family event.

Learn 2 Live Green event is April 14 in Plano. No plant sales, but lots of green living info and family fun.

Lastly, a chance to get a piece of my prairie. The Custer Road location of Calloway's Nursery in Plano is sponsoring a Perennial Plant Swap on April 14 from 10-12. Their stores in North Arlington and Houston have swaps scheduled for the same time. Information about those sales can be found on the link.

I am posting information about the plants I am bringing below. Click on the links for even more information. If you want one of my plants, leave a message on the Calloway's website. I will not be able to honor requests for plants made on my blog. If anyone in the area would like to participate, sign up on the Calloway's site. The more the merrier and the better the plant selection!

Gregg's Mistflower, Conoclinium greggii, is a great butterfly plant. Blooms all summer, but heaviest in the fall when the monarchs pass through. It spreads, but not aggressively. Flowers are bluish purple. 3 available.

Willowleaf Aster, Symphyotrichum praealtum, blooms in the fall. Gets about 3 feet tall and spreads by underground roots. This plant will cover a large area quickly. Flowers are pink. 5 available.

Dallas Blues Switchgrass, Panicum virgatum, has bluegreen leaves throughout the summer. The flowerheads have a purple tint. Gets 5-6 feet tall. 5 available.

This is the fall color of Dallas Blues Switch Grass.

Red Yucca, Hesperaloe parviflora, is in the foreground with red flowers. Clumps slowly expand. Leaves are not sharp. Some clumps of Dallas Blues Switchgrass are in the background against the fence. 3 available.

Heartleaf Skullcap, Scutellaria ovata, has heart shaped leaves and purple flowers in the spring and early summer. The plants may die to the ground in the heat of the summer but will return in the fall. Makes a nice groundcover in sun or shade. 5 available.

Mealycup Sage, Salvia farinacea, has purple flowers and gets about 3 feet tall. I cut mine back after each flush of blooms and they will bloom again. Grows in sun to light shade. A favorite of bees and butterflies. 3 available.

Buffalo Currant, Ribes aureum, is a deciduous shrub with fragrant yellow flowers in the spring. I have not dug any of these yet, but I can if anyone is interested. Gets about 4 feet tall and wide. Looks better with some afternoon shade in the heat of the summer.

Plant Natives!