Flora and Fauna

Flora and FaunaGeneral

Canyon Creek Wetland and Wildscape

Julia Koch, 2020 NTMN – I have to give another shout out to one of your members that is volunteering at the Canyon Creek Wetland and Wildscape project in NW Richardson.  Brenda Clark is not only helping us to remove invasive species and is caring for hundreds of plants in her greenhouse that will be planted this spring at the site but she is an exceptional photographer.

Flora and FaunaReptiles

A Summer Mystery

Leah Justice, 2021 – The sun was just setting, and I was going out for an evening walk in the neighborhood.  But wait, what was that unusual noise I heard emanating from the bushes?  It was a strange chirping, twittering sound. 

Chapter MeetingsFlora and Fauna

2022 October – Jean Suplick | Mycology 101

Charlise Hill-Larson, 2019 Jean Suplick has been a Texas Master Naturalist, Blackland Prairie Chapter since 2017. Her inveterate inquisitiveness about all things wild led to a journey of exploration into our local mushrooms. Join us as she shares how she traveled that path and what she learned along the way, including what kind of mushrooms to expect in our area and when, what to know about mushroom identification, tools for the field, and helpful resources.

Flora and FaunaPlantsProsper

Citizen Science in your community? You Betcha!

Georgette Guernsey, 2004 I have explored the Prosper Butterfly Garden in Whitley Place subdivision once a week since March.  Below is a checklist of the plants I have identified during these visits.  All have been confirmed by either iNaturalist, botany monitors or “Shinner’s and Mahler’s Flora of North Central Texas” by Diggs, Lipscomb, Reed, O’Kennon.  The plants for the most part are described as growing in clay or calcareous soils that have been disturbed or overgrazed.

Flora and FaunaMembersPlantsShaking of the Trees PostShaking the Trees

Annual Sunflower

Sally Evans, 2006; Founder & Emeritus
The annual sunflower plant (Helianthus annuus) was one of the most plentiful and versatile plants the Indians had available.  It was convertible into a dye, a liniment, a medicine, a coffee, and a delectable food.  By boiling the crushed seeds, an oil could be skimmed off and used for cooking or as a hair dressing, whatever the need at the time.  Nature provides many teas, but few coffees.  Delicious coffee was made by roasting and boiling the seeds as we roast and boil the coffee bean.  Black and purple dyes were also derived from the seeds.