MANHEIM, Pa. — The Southeast Agricultural Research and Extension Center, or SEAREC, is the place to be for both horticulturists and people who love plants.
The 150 acre farm is located in Rapho Township, Lancaster County, and hosts year round agricultural research programs. In the summer, SEAREC transforms into a beautiful display of colors for the annual Penn State Flower Trials.
The Penn State Flower Trials are one of the biggest flower trials in the region according to Alyssa Collins, Director of SEAREC.
Collins says that this trial brings in plants from nationwide to test them in our local conditions.
“A university trial means they get to trial their material against everyone else’s stuff," she tells FOX43. "They want to see how they’re doing against the competition and how their plants are going to perform in a place like Pennsylvania where we get drought conditions. We get weeks with no sun. We get hot night temperatures. And all of that is really important to a plant and its survival.”
From petunias, to dahlias, greenery, and more, there are nearly 1,000 plant varieties ready to be tested in this year's trials.
Collins says that this is the place to find some new, interesting, and sometimes weird plants. One of her favorites this year is a striped geranium.
The plants have all been housed in a greenhouse the past few weeks, but in the next few days they will be planted outside for the trials to begin.
SEAREC opens this space up to the public every summer so homeowners and business owners alike can see what’s new and what they might want to plant in their gardens. And while you aren't able to buy any plants from SEAREC, Collins hopes people make a list of what they like to bring to their local plant suppliers.
“You should take down the name and the company that makes that plant and bring it to your local garden center and say hey can you help me find this? If they don’t have it, they might be able to help you have it," she tells FOX43. "And if no one around has it, that tells them that they should start stocking that plant. And that’s really great for the whole industry so everyone has access to these plants.”
Beyond the flower trials, this place is always abuzz with volunteers maintaining the gardens and scientists conducting research projects.
“They can be focused on growing corn the best way. They can be focused on environmental impacts of agriculture. We do a little bit of everything except animals. We don’t work with animals here, although we do have some bees," says Collins.
Visitors can explore an idea garden on the property that is managed by master gardeners. There's also a bees, bugs, and blooms project currently underway.
“And that is one that looks at different types of perennial plants that come back every year and how good are they for humans? How pretty are they? How under control are they? But also, they look at these plants for how good they are for pollinators like butterflies and bees," says Collins.
SEAREC is described as one of the hidden gems of Lancaster County. If you're interested in stopping by to explore, the center is open to the public starting June 1st from sun up to sun down.
Penn State Extension also has a list of how last year's flower trials went on their website.