Student rescues weeds and loves green plants
While most girls would love roses for Valentines day, it was a tough decision for senior Elisabeth ‘Liz’ Mussler when asked whether she would rather be given a plant or cut flowers. She ran through her options of roses, tulip plants or mini rose bushes.
Mussler, senior in horticulture from Thatcher, Idaho, said she loves to grow things.
“Things that are green and growing make me happy,” she said.
Mussler said one of her favorite things to do is to buy plants that are on clearance at grocery store nurseries and to bring them alive once again. She said she has a lipstick plant at home in Idaho that has taken her three years to revive, but said it has finally bloomed again.
Mussler said she not only loves her major, but enjoys being involved in the College of Agriculture and keeps a very busy schedule.
She is the president of the Agriculture Ambassadors, and vice president of the Plant Science Club.
She also works as an office assistant and peer adviser in the plant science department and is active in her church.
“I love working with and helping people,” she said.
Musler said her passion for plants results in some funny stories. She said she was walking around campus one day to identify plants with her class and came across a weed known as a broad leaf plantain.
Upon seeing a lawnmower, the class rushed to stop the machinery before the weed was cut. She said the class explained to the man that if he were to continue to cut the weed it would not return next year.
Mussler said the whole experience was humorous for a lot of individuals involved.
“I think it was a funny sight for a lot of people walking around us watching us try to save this weed,” Mussler said.
When asked why anyone should be horticulture major, Mussler said the information gained is applicable to anyone’s outdoor work.
“You can just go home and apply it on your own yard or garden,” she said.
Mussler said she enjoys being a part of the College of Agriculture.
“You can see your success in agriculture,” she said. “Your work has such a tangible result that comes along with it and you can even eat your success.”
Mussler’s plan for the future is to pursue a master’s degree in extension or work at a production nursery.
“I look forward to the time I can give back to Utah State,” she said, “because of the opportunities it has given me,”