A Pictorial Flora of Purola Preserve and
Immediately Adjacent N. Hays County, Texas

by Bob Harms  email-here
Purola Preserve in N. Hays County, Texas (currenly under a conservation easement with the Texas Land Conservancy) was originally acquired in 1976 as badly overgrazed ranchland in the eastern hillcountry of Texas, just west of the Balcones Escarpment on the Edward's Plateau.

This flora provides pictures created by Bob Harms of nearly all plant species that have occurred naturally or have been introduced on the preserve since 1976. It includes species occuring naturally on the preserve (both native and naturalized) and the immediately adjacent area (i.e., within easy walking distance), as well as plants that have been introduced since acquisition and have persisted without attention in the ground for at least 5 years. Three species that have survived only in large pots with supplemental water have been included: Amoreuxia wrightii (yellow show), Aquilegia canadensis, and A. hinckleyana - the latter two readily seeding themselves into adjacent pots, and generally have survived without special attention.

Plants which were subsequently brought to Purola are indicated on the page for that species. In the late 1970s, in our zeal to get anything at all to grow, we planted both native Texas and exotic species, on occasion foolishly introducing invasive exotics; e.g. Lonicera japonica (which has been nearly completely removed in recent years).

Two ways to access the pictures are provided: