The Biology Club Plant Sale is back for another year with a unique selection of varieties, all grown in-house by University of West Georgia students. Open to campus and community, the sale will be held Tuesday, April 18, and Wednesday, April 19, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., in the Biology Building lobby on campus.

“The plant sale features selections that differ from those of a typical big-box store,” explained Dr. Joe Hendricks, professor of biology and co-director of the program’s Wildlife Ecology Certificate. “First, in terms of vegetables, we focus on growing heirloom varieties that are hard to find at box stores. Second, in terms of pollinator-friendly plants, we offer a number of native and naturalized plants.” 

Those include bottlebrush buckeye, buttonbush, elderberries, maypops and moonflowers.

“One of our primary goals is to get students involved in every aspect of the plant sale process,” said Hendricks. 

Students join forces via organizations and classes, including the Biology Club, Wildlife Club, Tri-Beta Biological Honor Society and the terrestrial ecology class lab, where they research plant-pollinator interactions in our local area.

“These students conduct activities such as collecting seeds and root cuttings in the local environment, propagating and caring for the plants in the biology greenhouse complex, and conducting the actual plant sale,” added Hendricks. “While the work for the plant sale certainly intensifies in the spring, students are conducting plant sale-related activities year-round.”

The proceeds from the sale enrich future educational activities, in particular, by supporting the maintenance of the apiary as a teaching and research facility. Such experiential learning opportunities make the UWG biology program a rewarding destination for acquiring a well-rounded education in ecology, from the ground up.

For more information and a full list of plants for sale, visit the UWG Events Calendar.