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.
January 9, 2025, at 7:00 pm. Wendy Hodgson from the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix will talk about “Yuccas and their Moths.”
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
Estelle Stern-Eilers is a Ben’s Bells Bellee
Posted on Apr 13, 2022
Howard Weiss nominated Estelle for her work in the Rillito Bend neighborhood in Tucson and in April 2022 Estelle was awarded a Ben’s Bell.
Congratulations, Estelle!
Estelle Stern-Eilers has been the catalyst for improving and beautifying the Rillito Bend neighborhood in Tucson. Through her leadership and example she has identified streetscape projects along Cactus Boulevard that have resulted in the planting of hundreds of plants and trees. Her efforts have turned a once-barren street into a flowering desert landscape. She has organized neighborhood residents who have contributed hundreds of hours of their time to make a neighborhood beautiful while providing habitat for native species of plants, animals, birds and insects.
Our neighborhood and Tucson are better because of Estelle.
October field trip at the Amerind Foundation in Texas Canyon
Posted on Nov 03, 2021
Twenty avid plant seekers assembled at the Amerind Foundation, in Dragoon, AZ, on October 16 to enjoy a beautiful autumn morning and indulge in wonderful views of native plants and rock formations. We found lots of fall yellow members of the Asteraceae (fondly known as DYCs, or “damn yellow composites”), as well as many other interesting species. Our best finds were a wonderful finger-leaf gourd, Cucurbita digitata, draped over a large boulder, and the vegetative stems of Asclepia nummularia, tufted milkweed, looking like a couple of stray cabbage plants in the midst of the grasslands.
A great time was had by all.
Sara Plummer Lemmon – for whom Mount Lemmon is named – is finally getting her due!
Posted on Nov 03, 2021
On November 1, 2021, Wynne Brown’s new book The Forgotten Botanist: Sara Plummer Lemmon’s Life of Science and Art, was officially released by the University of Nebraska Press. Some of you may remember Wynne’s wonderful presentation to the Tucson chapter of AZNPS about 3 years ago, back when we were still meeting at Ward 6 offices. After 6 years of Wynne’s energy, effort, and dedication, her account of one of Arizona’s remarkable women is now available for your reading pleasure.
Here is a link to an AZPM story about Wynne and her research, from 2019.
