Southeastern Plant Symposium

The world of horticulture is constantly growing as new plants, new techniques, and new philosophies are perpetually generated by the passionate and prolific horticulturists who embody the field. The Southeastern Plant Symposium is your opportunity to be among the first to learn about these plant innovations, and rub elbows with the folks making them, all under the shadow of the most heart-wrenching and fever-inducing silent Rare Plant Auction you've ever experienced.

This two-day symposium held every June is geared towards horticulturists, home gardeners, plant industry professionals, and all plant nerds & plantaholics alike. We invite prominent plant people from all over the world to deliver fascinating presentations on the innovations and introductions current in the world of horticulture. Our featured speakers typically include plant breeders, plant explorers, designers, researchers, nurseryfolk, and other experts who are just as excited to share what's new in the plant world as you are to hear about it.

The plants on offer for the Rare Plant Auction are prominently displayed in every corner of the event space all during the symposium, tantalizing attendees with their beauty, rarity and intrigue. Breaks are frequently peppered in throughout both days to allow plenty of time for networking and socializing, and lots of opportunities to look at and lust over the auction plants while there's still time to sabotage your competitors place your bids! Refreshments are available at every single one of these breaks, and we go to great lengths to ensure the food offered is delicious, interesting, and diverse enough to accommodate any diet.

We alternate the focus of this symposium biennially between herbaceous plants in even-numbered years, and woodies in odd; however, with the proliferation of speakers and the diversity of their topics there's always something for everyone. We feature a dinner with an accompanying presentation on the conclusion of day one, and while this portion of the program is technically optional, it would be a real shame to miss. The food, the presentation, and the presenter are always a delight and the opportunity to sit with your newly made friends and discuss the symposium thus far makes for a wonderful dessert for the day.

While this may be the Southeastern Plant Symposium, you don't need to come all the way to Raleigh to join us. This symposium is offered both in person and online and recordings of the lectures are made available to everyone who signs up.

We hold SEPS every year in early June, and we announce the next year's date before we conclude the Symposium each year. Check out our calendar and then mark yours so you don’t miss the next exciting Southeastern Plant Symposium!

Questions

Contact the JCRA Education Team at jcraprograms@ncsu.edu for more information about this program.