SFA Gardens’ June lecture to feature talk on super plants

NACOGDOCHES, Texas –– Stephen F. Austin State University’s SFA Gardens will host the monthly Les and Theresa Reeves Lecture Series at 7 p.m. June 9 in the Brundrett Conservation Education Building at the Pineywoods Native Plant Center, located at 2900 Raguet St. 

Dr. Allen Owings, longtime educator and professor emeritus of horticulture at the Louisiana State University AgCenter, will present “Super Flowers, Super Shrubs and Super Trees for a Super Landscape.” 

Born and raised in Hammond, Louisiana, Allen received his bachelor’s degree from Southeastern Louisiana University, a master’s degree from Louisiana State University, and a doctoral degree in horticulture from Mississippi State University in 1991. Owings retired in 2017 after 26 years of educational service, which included serving as coordinator for the LSU AgCenter Louisiana Super Plant program. 

Owings has provided statewide extension service programming for nursery growers, landscapers, garden centers, and to master and home gardeners. Currently, Owings is employed as a senior horticulturist at Bracy’s Nursery in Amite, Louisiana, and horticulturist at Clegg’s Nursery in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. There, Owings works in education, outreach, social media and new plant production, and connects with nursery professionals and landscapers across the country.

The Les and Theresa Reeves Lecture Series is held the second Thursday of each month. It is preceded by an attendee social at 6:30 p.m., and a rare plant raffle will follow the program. The lecture is free and open to the public, but donations to the Les and Theresa Reeves Lecture Series fund are always appreciated.

Parking is available at the PNPC and Raguet Elementary School, located at 2428 Raguet St.

For more information, call (936) 468-4129 or email sfagardens@sfasu.edu.