Plants

Poison Ivey growing on the ground.
May 2026 Issue

Poison Ivy: Here’s What You Need to Know

If it has leaves of three, let it be!

Story by Melissa Gaskill
Monarch butterfly flying around purple flowers.
April 2026 Issue

New App Helps Texans Grow Native Plants

Wild Thumb helps Texans choose the right native plants for their location.

Story by Lydia Saldaña
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June 2024 Issue

This Collection of Plants Helps Scientists Understand how Texas has Changed Over Time

The plant collection resides at Big Bend Ranch State Park.

close up on a Swanflower the host plant for Pipevine Swallowtails
May 2020 Issue

Swanflowers Serve as Hosts to Pipevine Swallowtails

Inconspicuous plant sports an orchid-like bloom; butterflies feast on it.

Story by Texas Parks and Wildlife
wild women illustration with the "O" being a sketch of a woman's face framed with flowers
March 2020 Issue

Seeds of Knowledge: Female Pioneers of Texas Botany

Ynes Mexia was a plant collector and explorer; Maude Young was state botanist and textbook author.

Story by Louie Bond
a brown and tan bird on a branch with a red berry in its beak
January/February 2019 Issue

Yaupon Holly and Possumhaw Brighten the Winter Landscape

Red berries from the small trees feed birds and mammals.

Story by Texas Parks and Wildlife
ball moss growing in the fork of two limbs.
December 2018 Issue

Ball Moss Lives in Trees but Doesn’t Harm Them

The flowering plant is often seen on dead branches.

Story by Eva Frederick
water hyacinth floating in the water
October 2016 Issue

Water Hyacinth Is Pretty, Purple and a Pest

The lovely blooms of the water hyacinth can turn a waterway into a tangled mess.

Story by Dyanne Fry Cortez
purple prairie clover standing tall
July 2015 Issue

Prairie Clovers Come in All Shapes and Sizes

The plants are good indicators of healthy prairie.

Story by Jason Singhurst
Illustration of Texas Persimmon branch with green leaves and black, tomato shaped fruits about an inch across
August/September 2013 Issue

Native Texas Fruits Make a Tasty Harvest for Pies, Jellies

Use Texas’ bounty of native fruits for something good to eat and a connection to the outdoors.

Story by Dyanne Fry Cortez
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The October 2024 cover of Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine, featuring a surfer riding a wave along the Texas Gulf Coast

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