SFA Gardens Lecture to Feature Allen Owings

SFA Gardens Lecture Series to Feature Louisiana Horticulturist SFA Gardens will host the monthly Theresa and Les Reeves Lecture Series at 7pm on May 14 in the Ina Brundrett Conservation Education Building at the Pineywoods Native Plant Center, 2900 Raguet Street, Nacogdoches. Allen Owings Ph.D., Senior Horticulturist at Bracy’s Nursery in Amite, Louisiana and horticulturist at Clegg’s Nursery in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, will share his lecture, “Through the Years – Plants We Had Then, Plants We Have Now.” Owings is a Professor Emeritus of Horticulture with the LSU AgCenter, where he served for 26 years before retiring in June 2017. He provided statewide extension programming for nursery growers, landscapers, and garden centers, as well as Master Gardeners and home gardeners. He also coordinated LSU AgCenter’s Louisiana Super Plant Program. A native of Hammond, Louisiana, Owings holds a B.S. in Plant Science from Southeastern Louisiana University, an M.S. in Horticulture from Louisiana State University, and a Ph.D. in Horticulture from Mississippi State University. His current work focuses on education, outreach, social media, and new plant development. Owings is active in several professional organizations, including the Louisiana Nursery and Landscape Foundation for Scholarship and Research and the Louisiana State Horticultural Society. A life member of the Azalea Society of America, he also served three terms as Gulf District Director for the American Rose Society and has been recognized for contributions to the Texas A&M Earth-Kind® program. In his free time, Dr. Owings enjoys gardening, golf, and LSU athletics.