The Tucson chapter holds meetings between September and May each year, with a summer break. We meet on the second Thursday of each month at 7:00 pm. We hold “hybrid” meetings, where we meet both in person and also on Zoom. The live meetings will be in the ENR2 (Environment and Natural Resources 2) building at the University of Arizona, located on 6th street near Park. We meet in Room S215. Parking is available in the 6th St parking garage adjacent to ENR2. A credit card is required to pay for garage parking. If you are not on our mailing list and wish to attend one of our meetings on Zoom, email us at NativePlantsTucson@gmail.com to request the Zoom link. Videos of past meetings can be found on our YouTube channel.
JOIN OUR CHAPTER E-LIST
Join Our Chapter E-list: If you would like to receive announcements about field trips and meetings via e-mail, send a note to the Tucson Chapter email to be added to the list. Stay informed by joining us on Facebook.
Usually, the most up-to-date information about upcoming chapter events can be found on our Facebook page.
Caring for agave and baby cacti? Consider volunteer opportunities at the Pima County Native Plant Nursery! Located at 5845 N. Camino de la Tierra, the Pima County Native Plant Nursery grows native plants for public projects and is looking for volunteers to help with weeding, watering and propagation. The nursery is open Monday to Friday 7:00am to 3:30 pm. Email Amy for available times/days and details. Plant salvage at Cortaro Farms from Camino Del Oeste to Thornydate prior to road improvement project.
Chapter News
Spring 2026 Activities
Posted on Feb 26, 2026
Recent rains have made a good wildflower show seem like a possibility. The wonder of the event is that we never know when it will occur until the flowers present themselves, so we will be out there watching. We anticipate flower walks in Catalina State Park, Tucson’s east side near the Rincon Mountains, the Waterman Restoration site in the Silverbell Mountains, and other locations.
Meetings Thursday, March 12, 7:00 PM. Bob Perrill: Living with Giants This program will provide an overview of a Sonoran Desert keystone species, the saguaro. All aspects of its life cycle will be explored, including animal relationships and environmental pressures.
Thursday, April 9, 7:00 PM. Carrianne Funicelli, owner of Strategic Habitat Enhancements: Landscaping for the Future
Thursday, May 14, 7:00 PM. Linda Kennedy and Dan Robinett: A Beginner’s Guide to Grasses This program will cover techniques for identifying grasses without a microscope.
Upcoming Meetings
Posted on Nov 23, 2025
Thursday, December 11, 7:00 PM. Holiday Celebration and Members Showcase
Thursday, January 8, 7:00 PM. Jack Dash: The Southwest Native Plant Primer: 235 Plants for an Earth Friendly Garden
Thursday, February 12, 7:00 PM. Francesca Claverie, Borderlands Restoration Network: Propagation for Restoration
Highlights from Summer 2025
Posted on Nov 23, 2025
Monsoon Mixer Our annual Monsoon Mixer was postponed until September, in hopes that late rains would bless us. At that time, we gathered at Slow Body Brew, an eclectic pub located in the industrial area near downtown. It was nice to see friends, exchange some cool plants, publications, and summer stories. We were honored to have AZNPS President Doug Ripley join us.
Madera CanyonField Trip At the end of August, we ventured into Madera Canyon in the Santa Rita Mountains with guide extraordinaire Doug Moore. Although the creek was dry due to the ongoing drought, we saw flowering Bouvardia.
Passive Water Harvesting Field Trips October featured two field trips, one to Honeybee Canyon, in the Tortalita Mountains, and the other in Oro Valley and Oracle, led by Chuck LeFevre of Common Sense Passive Water Harvesting. The tour included touring water harvesting landscapes along roadways, public common areas, and both small and large front yards that employed berms, a rock dam, and other passive-water harvest projects.
