Participants can ‘Go Native’ at Jan. 28 program in Leon County

BUFFALO – The last few droughts have highlighted how many traditional landscape plants are not really adapted to local conditions, said Cayla Christianson, Texas AgriLife Extension Service agent for Leon County.To help local landowners choose landscape plants and trees that are better adapted to the area, Christianson and the AgriLife Extension office in Leon County have scheduled “Go Native: Be a Drought Survivor.”Scheduled Jan. 28 from 9:30 a.m.-noon at Buffalo High School, 1724 North Buffalo Ave., Buffalo, the seminar is designed to provide alternatives to traditional landscaping with the use of native plants. Master Gardeners will receive 2.5 continuing education units for attending the event.

The first speaker will be Jason McKenzie, owner of the Piney Woods Nursery, Shenandoah. McKenzie will speak about plants native to the area that are suitable for landscapes.

“We tend to bring in plants from southern China — crepe myrtle, azaleas, for examples — and things from Vietnam that tend to get a lot more moisture than we do,” McKenzie said. “What we do is to try to steer people into using our more native plants, which we have a lot of.”

There are thousands of native plants well-adapted to East Texas and Central Texas conditions, McKenzie said. He’ll give examples of many of the plants at the seminar.

If you live in Leon County and lost trees to drought, don’t replant with pines, said Novalene Thurston, Leon County Master Gardener and the second speaker at the seminar.

“For example, our soils are not acid enough for pine trees,” Thurston said. “And pine trees require a lot more water than we have had in many years. A pine is an iffy proposition for Leon County.”

But many landscape trees historically grown in Leon County are well adapted to the area. In her presentation, Thurston will discuss which ones are and which aren’t, and tell how to properly plant and care for those that are.

Registration for the program is $20, and includes lunch and break refreshments. To register or for more information, call the AgriLife Extension office in Leon County at 903-536-2531.

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