Bexarplants

Plants found in Bexar County

Click on a tree to learn more about it.

In Bexar County many plants were seen and listed by the early explorers. They noted oaks, pecans,mesquite, poplar, elm, and mulberry. Prickly pear cactus, blackberries, and grapevines were alsoseen.

During the mission era in Bexar county, many plants could be found. Both native plants like yucca,sotol, and palm and cultivated varieties which were brought from other parts of the Americas. Even plants with origins in Asia, Europe, and Africa could be found at the missions, or in routes to themissions.

Mission Inventories often included:
corn, wheat, peppers, lentils, cotton, onions, beans, pecans, potatoes, mulberries, chocolate, tobacco,peaches, cultivated berries, melons, sweet potatoes, sugarcane, flax, cactus, herbs, seasonings,mescal beans, and peyote.

Plants from Europe included wheat, peaches, pears, quince, cotton, figs, pomegranates, garlic,lettuce, cabbage, and medlar.

The native plants such as yucca, sotol, agave, and prickly pear cactus had many uses by nativecultures and the mission inhabitants as well.

Yuccas could be used for food, punches to make clothing, soap, and meal.

Sotol Dasylirion texanum was used baked or boiled. It could also be used for a source of water. Parts of the plant could be used to make mats, baskets, and other woven goods.

Prickly Pear Opuntia lindheiner was used for food. Its fruit was used as a water source; and itsleaves as a food source. The prickley pear was also used as medicine.

LIVE OAK

Scientific name: Quercus virginiana
Common name: Live Oak

Brief description: A densly populated Evergreen tree spread throught Texas. The tree can grow up to a hundred feet in diameter, and as tall as 50 feet. The bark and twigs are a dark to light greyish color and becomes darker with age. The leaves are thick, shiny, and dark green on top,lighter below. The fruit, which is the acorn, is about 1 inch long cup, somewhat narrowed at the base. This was a common meal for the Indians of Texas.

The Live Oak is found on the coastally through the central plains of Texas. This wood was used as a very important resource for the Caminos Reales area. Settlers built homes, tools and other necessities from this hard, heavy, and strong wood. The Texas Live Oak are a very important part of Texas's history due to their longitivity.
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PECAN

Scientific name: Carya illinoensis
Common name: Pecan
Brief description: A large tree growing up and over a hundred feet tall and a thick straight trunk up to four feetin diameter. The twigs and bark are a reddish to light brown color, with narrow trenches.The leaves are 12 to 20 inches long with leaflets that are 3 to 8 inches long and 1 to 2 inches wide. On top they are slightly fuzzy, and beneath it is pale light green to yellow. The fruit which blooms in the fall, and is in clusters from 3 to 11. It is widely dispersed for its sweet oily taste. The fruit of the Pecan was very important food source for the native and wildlife population.
Pecan is found in Central to East Texas in moist soils, near streams and river bottoms. The Pecan is the most fastest growing hickory, and is widely spread across Texas. This is to have properties and that would be used by the Indians.
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COTTONWOOD

Scientific name: Populus deltoides
Common name: Cottonwood

Brief description: A large,straight, and tall tree growing up to 100 feet and over. The tree branches up forming a fan shaped tree top. The twigs and bark are an greyish-yellow to grey color. The leaves are about 2 to 3 inches in legnth with a dull shiney green bottom and a shiney top. The fruit whichs blooms in Spring and emits a pod which has seeds that have cottony hair and get carried away with the wind.
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HONEY MESQUITE

Scientific name: Prosopis glandulosa.
Common name: Mesquite

Brief description: A tree up to 40 feet tall with redish-grey branches, a broad open crown and a short trunk about 18 inches in diameter.
The mesquite was a widly used tree in Texas for most native americans, the tree was used for a source of food, shelter, medicine, and an exellent source of fuel for cooking. The cattle have carried the seeds up from Mexico through Texas. The mesquite is a widely used tree in Texas for most Native Americans. The tree was used for a source of food, shelter, medicine and an excellent source of fuel for cooking. Honey Mesquite is a common plant throughout most of Texas, except the piney woods where it occurs in isolated populations.
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SCREWBEAN MESQUITE

Scientific name: Prosopis pubescens
Common name: Mesquite
Brief description: This tree has the same properties as the honey mesquite except the limbs are grey instead of redish - grey, and there is more Known medical properties.

ELM

Scientific name: Ulmus crassifolia
Common name: A narrow crowned medium size tree up to 65 feet and a trunk that has 2 feet diameter. The twigs and branches are red to light brown variing in the season, and the texture of the bark and the branches are rough and have ridges, or crevices. The leaves are green to to yellow and they are pailler beneith.
This tree has adapted to many different soils and climates all over Texas. The wood is knotted and heavy.
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TEXAS MOUNTAIN LAUREL

Scientific name:Sophora secundiflora

Common name: Mountain Laurel
Brief descriptsion: A sweet smelling tree that grows up to 30 feet And grows in rocky soils. The twigs and bark are dark green to dark gray and has a flaky skin. The Waxy leaves are a dark green on top and a lighter green on the bottom and each leaflet is about 1 to 2 inches.
The Mountain Laurel was very important part of indian life. The flower buds produce a sweet smelling flower which bees are busy at work with.
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