Stephen F. Austin State University

NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The Stephen F. Austin State University Mast Arboretum will host its annual Garden Gala Day from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. April 12 at the SFA Intramural Fields on Wilson Drive.

The event features the annual spring plant sale fundraiser benefiting the SFA Mast Arboretum, Pineywoods Native Plant Center, Ruby M. Mize Azalea Garden, and educational programs hosted at the gardens. All the plants are produced at SFA by the staff, students and volunteers.

According to Dawn Stover, Mast Arboretum research associate, a wide variety of hard to find, “Texas tough” plants will be available, including a truly eclectic mix of hard to find annuals and tropicals, as well as a tried and true assortment of perennials. Several new coneflower varieties and many floriferous varieties of Chinese lanterns will be available.

“Hard-to-find leopard plants, variegated tapioca, the unusually heat tolerant ‘Summer Beauty’ bear’s breeches, rare varieties of Angels’ Trumpets, and a host of butterfly plants including milkweed and passion vine also will be for sale,” Stover said. “Gardeners also will find a wide variety of natives, perennials, annuals, tropicals, and shrubs, trees, and vines suitable for southern landscapes.”

Greg Grant, Pineywoods Native Plant Center research associate, will have several of his introductions available, including “Pam Puryear” and “Big Momma” Turk’s caps, “Henry Duelberg” and “Augusta Duelberg” sages, “Nacogdoches” yellow rose, and his brand new, “Peppermint Flare” rose mallow. He also will have several types of hardy bulbs available including the heirloom milk and wine lily, Crinum x gowenii; the very rare iris-flowered Canna x iridiflora “Ehemanii”; copper lilies; and giant prairie lilies.

The native plant center will offer a wide range of East Texas natives, like rattlesnake master, button snake root, red buckeye, prairie phlox, inland sea oats, bee balm, and a number of trees for shade, wildlife forage, and habitat restoration.

The public is encouraged to arrive early and bring a wagon. For more information and a list of plants for sale call (936) 468-4404, or visit http://arboretum.sfasu.edu and click on “events.”