Designed as a fund-raising project for residence hall areas, an on- going plant sale sponsored by residence hall area governments and the Horticulture Club has sparked concern on the part of some downtown stores.

The sale started yesterday and will run through tomorrow from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 to 6 p.m. in all residence-hall commons, said Sue Powell, assistant director of Annual Giving under University Development. Area volunteers are also selling cut flowers in the HUB, she said.

Plants cost as little as $2 or $3 and were selected for their affordability and viability in a dorm, Powell said.

Money raised from the effort will purchase new video cassette recorders for each area. Sponsors planned the sale to raise money to purchase something that would appeal to all residents of the area, she said.

"The students receive high-quality plants for their rooms as well as something that everyone can use," Powell said.

However, several plant stores downtown did not like the sponsors' choice of a plant sale as a means of raising money.

"I think it's a very bad idea," said a spokesman for the State College Floral Shoppe, 127 W. Beaver Ave., who asked to have his name withheld.

"No charitable organization should be permitted to interfere with retail businesses downtown," he said.

The spokeswoman for Plants By Suzanne, 105 E. Beaver Ave., agreed, noting that volunteers working at the sale probably would not be able to identify plant types and relate plant care information.

But Stephanie Schresfler, a manager at Woodring's Floral Gardens, 145 S. Allen St., found nothing wrong with the fund-raiser.

"We understand that people will buy for a good cause," she said. "And there's nothing wrong with a little competition -- it keeps us all on our toes."

Schresfler said Woodring's draws a large number of students looking for plants for their residence hall rooms and apartments. Popular choices include hanging baskets and palm trees, she said.

The sponsors are working as part of the Student Challenge, a fund- raising effort established in 1985 by students for students as part of the Campaign for Penn State, Powell said.

Past Student Challenge efforts have raised as much as $55,000 and benefited the Office of Disabled Students, Pattee and Pollock libraries and general scholarships.