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Each year, horticulture specialists from the LSU AgCenter evaluate a few hundred newly developed and heirloom plant cultivars for suitability in gardens across the state of Louisiana. These plants can be trees, shrubs, edible landscape plants, flowers, and ornamentals. They can be Louisiana native plants, recently released selections from plant breeding companies around the world, or locally loved pass-along or heirloom plants. Promising candidates are selected by a trial committee and planted in research plots around the state. One of the largest trial and evaluation centers is the Hammond Research Station, which features sun and shade garden trials, urban street tree evaluation plots, greenhouses for nursery trials, and an extensive collection of ornamental landscape plants.