LAHARPE ? TLC Garden Center plans to capitalize on the infamy of the internet?s hottest meme of the summer by hosting its ?Area 51 Alien Plant Sale? from 4 to 8 pm. Friday.
The sale features unusual plants like carnivorous fly traps, twisted succulents and seeds to kick-start your plans for world domination by growing an alien garden.
TLC owner Savannah Flory said the otherworldly theme was inspired by a controversial Facebook event that encouraged millions of people to storm a military zone in Nevada. That event started as a joke that caught the attention of millions of fans ? and the government ? and was canceled for safety concerns.
Flory has no such concerns about her event.
?I wanted something that would get people excited and interested in plants. There were so many memes about Storm Area 51, we thought we?d take advantage of that,? she said.
Area 51 is the common name of a classified and heavily protected U.S. Air Force facility in Nevada. Conspiracy theorists believe the site to be a secret location the government uses to hide proof of alien life or UFO encounters. Those who attempt to venture into the territory are stopped by military officers.
In June, a college student posted a Facebook event, ?Storm Area 51: They Can?t Stop All of Us,? as a joke that quickly went viral. More than 3.5 million people said they were going to or were interested in the event, prompting the U.S. government to remind us that it?s illegal to trespass. A rural Nevada county signed an emergency disaster declaration to prepare for the possible flood of tourists. The man who started the Facebook event canceled it, citing safety concerns, but at least one area business intends to continue its plans for a festival, according to news reports.
A twisted succulent plant at TLC Garden Center.
TLC customers, especially children, love fly traps, Flory said. Their intrigue is that they trap and consume animals and insects. Fly traps aren?t always the easiest plants to grow, she said. Most owners ?starve? the plant by tricking it into closing over something that isn?t food.
Succulent plants such as cacti also enthrall customers. Succulents retain water by storing it in leaves, stems and roots. Many owners ?love them to death,? Flory said, by watering them too often.
She hopes the strange offerings will especially appeal to an emerging generation of plant owners.
?Houseplants are starting to make a comeback, especially with college students and Millennials,? she said, citing studies she had read.
To encourage young people to appreciate plants, she?s donating some to classrooms in local schools. For each plant sold during the event, she?ll donate one to a classroom. Her goal is to donate at least 51 plants.
Flory said she?ll select plants that are best suited for each particular classroom setting.
?Studies have shown that students do better in classrooms that have plants. Plants improve the air quality and reduce anxiety. Students have better test scores and better concentration,? she said.
Flory promoted this weekend?s alien plant sale in the Lawrence and Kansas City areas in the hopes of making it a tourist event. Cosmic costumes are encouraged, with refreshments provided. Visitors can take pictures with weird plants or props like a life-sized version of ?Audrey II,? that ruthlessly rooted star of the musical, ?Little Shop of Horrors.?
