Gloxinia Gesneriad Growers
January 2013
Newsletter of the 3Gs club, a chapter of The Gesneriad Society
www.GloxiniaGesneriadGrowers.org
www.GesneriadSociety.org
Next 3Gs Meeting: Sat. Jan. 5, 10:00 – 12:30
Arvada Library (maps at the end of the newsletter)
Judy will do a program on underground structures (rhizomes, tubers, etc.), with
slides of lots of different sinningia tubers. Bring examples if you can, for us to see.
What to do? What to do?
With the advent of the new year, and the infusion of new members, I wondered what
people think about reinstating some of our old activities at meetings. They’re all fun,
and some are revenue generators for the club, which helps in paying for the meeting
room. Here are five possibilities:
Plant Raffles
A member brings some especially interesting or unusual or rare plant material, which is
raffled off, with money going to the club treasury.
Plant Sales
Plant material or supplies others might want, for a small price (fifty cents, a
dollar). Money to the club again.
Plant and Other Giveaways
Just want to find it a new home? Bring it along!
Mystery boxes
The mystery box is filled with plant material (a mix of at least, let’s
say, five or six items), and we bid on it. The winner is then
responsible for bringing a new mystery box the next month. It’s
rather fun trying to guess what’s in the box. And yep, the club gets
the proceeds.
Mini-show
We actually did one mini-show about a year ago, but didn’t follow through. Elaine
brought lovely plants which were fun to see and discuss. (Hmm, I think that makes her
the year’s winner, right?) The general scheme is this. At every meeting, as practice for
a “real” show, you bring plants that you might enter in an annual show. Members who
are judges review all the plants and award ribbons (virtual ribbons, that is; no physical
ribbons). Once the decisions are made, they explain to the club how they judged each
plant. This is great for anyone wanting to enter a show, as you get lots of insight into
the judging process. And if it’s your plant being judged, even better.
You get exact information on improvement (growth needs to be
fuller on that side, remove this damaged leaf, fertilizer will correct
leaf paleness, etc.), and you’ll get member input on how to
accomplish these improvements. It’s also good for the judges, in
that they practice their craft more often. As an incentive, whoever
wins the most points gets next year’s membership free. Here’s a
possible scoring scheme: blue ribbons get five points, reds get four,
yellows (is that the right color?) get three, honorable mentions get two, and all others
get one just for bringing a plant; we can, of course, set it up however we like. I
volunteer to keep track from month to month.
(above picture: x achimenantha ‘Inferno’, http://www.gesneriads.ca/xachim01.htm)
Dog Show
For those of us without nice entries for the mini-show (myself, for instance;
I’m just happy if they grow under benign neglect), we can do a dog
show at one meeting. Dog show, as in, “this plant is a real dog.” It has
been some years since we had one. There are actual classes
(categories) you enter a plant in, such as longest neck on a violet, best
bloom in a baggie, alive with the fewest leaves, most lopsided, and so
forth (don’t worry, no classes for bugs and their ilk.). It’s fun just coming
up with the different possibilities. The clever person will suggest one that they are
“expert” at, to improve their chances of winning. I guess this is an idea for our program
chair, Irina. Are others interested? We can apply the results (points) to the mini-show
contest.
Raffles, sales, and giveaways are informal. No need to wait for an announcement or
invitation, just bring something along when you can (perhaps beginning this month, hint,
hint). Restarting mystery boxes and mini-shows would need to be decided upon by
members. Maybe we can discuss it this month? In all cases, we get to see more
plants, and Isn’t that everyone’s top interest?
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Surfing the Gesneriad Web
The Gesneriad Reference Web, www.gesneriads.ca
Developed and maintained by Ron Myhr. Marvelous
pictures, scientific papers, culture information, species
descriptions, and much, much more. If you’ve never looked
at it, you’re missing a lot. Sprinkled throughout the
newsletter are a few of my favorite pictures, which Ron has kindly permitted me to
publish. To my mind, this site is an important, primary resource for all of us.
(above picture: Columnea sp. aff. lophophora, additional pictures of the flowers at
http://www.gesneriads.ca/colum231.htm)
Streptocarpus, http://www.streptocarpus-info.com/ &
Episcia, http://www.streptocarpus-info.com/Episcia/index.html
A very thorough list and pictures of both streptocarpus and episcia, maintained by
Carlynn Scott. So many, in fact, that each letter of the alphabet has its own page! She
is delighted to receive more pictures and descriptions – perhaps we can contribute?
Fun to just browse, and very good as a reference when buying plants.
The Gesneriad Society, www.gesneriadsociety.org
The Gesneriad Society home page, including information on membership and activities.
Quiz: name the plants in these pictures from The Gesneriad Society’s home page
(answers on their web page, by clicking on each one).
January Questions
1. What gesneriads have people grown from leaves? Which ones didn’t work?
What hints do you have about succeeding in leaf propagation?
Any good pictures? (Hint: this is the participatory part of the
newsletter!)
2. Variegated plants are sometimes (often?) said to be harder to get
to bloom (for example, columnea ‘Light Prince’). Any ideas on how
to encourage blooming?
3. Meta-question: what questions do you have?
columnea hirta ‘Light Prince’, http://www.gesneriads.ca/colum166.htm
columnea ‘Goldheart’, http://www.gesneriads.ca/colum165.htm
Newsletter Contributions
All newsletter contributions happily accepted! Remember, this is just a
casual newsletter for ourselves, not an English composition or Botany
101 course. There’s no need for extensive writing, or expert
knowledge. Think of it as casual comments, or discussion with
someone at the meeting (this is also nice for those who can’t be at the
meetings). And don’t worry about proofreading; I will review what you
send.
The questions section of the newsletter is especially for members to have discussions.
What questions do you have? What would you like to know about gesneriads? Do you
have a bit of information relating to the questions posed in the last newsletter?
Truly, a quick, brief note is just fine. For example, in response to the growing-fromleaves question above, you might just say that you have grown violets from leaves and
had no problems. Period. Please chime in - the more, the merrier!
New Year’s Gesneriad Resolutions
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Get the plant stand ready before getting plants.
Give away uninteresting plants; they will be interesting to
someone else.
Try something new, and share it.
Bring plants to the meetings.
Learn (more) propagation: seeds, leaves, stolons, ….
Contribute to the newsletter <grin> (or, in my case, revive the newsletter).
Groom one or two plants a day; no need to wait for time to do a whole plant
stand.
Be selective in purchases and adoptions.
Track and improve one aspect of culture (water, fertilizer, lights, pot size, and
so on).
Remember that winter heating dries out plants much faster.
Read (more) about the science behind gesneriads.
Repot at least once a decade.
Use or give away or throw out all those miscellaneous, “it’ll be good for
something someday” plastic containers.
And did I say … bring plants to the meetings!
Gesneriad Calendar
2013
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March: Sat. March 16 & Sun. March 17: Rocky Mountain African Violet Council
(RMAVC) spring show and sale (set up, entries, and judging on Friday March
15), Tagawa Gardens; www.tagawagardens.com
May: Sun. May 26 through Sun. June 2: AVSA (African Violet Society of
America) convention in Austin, Texas; http://www.avsa.org/convention
July: Mon. July 2 through Fri. July 6: The Gesneriad Society convention in
Toronto, Ontario, Canada;
http://www.torontogesneriadsociety.org/convention/convention.htm
Fall: 3Gs show and sale, dates and location to be determined
Fall: RMAVC sale (sale only, no show), dates and location to be determined
2014
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The Gesneriad Society convention in Nashville, Tennessee
AVSA convention (anyone know where?)
What else should be on the calendar? (I will add the Council programs.)
columnea ‘Broget Stavenger’, http://www.gesneriads.ca/colum189.htm (left)
columnea ‘Cascading Beauty’, http://www.gesneriads.ca/colum188.htm (right)
Members’ Interests
I liked the introductions we all did at the December meeting, and would like to include
everyone’s interests in the next newsletter. What do you grow? Do you like to enter
shows? What would you like to learn more about? Are you a judge? Here’s mine, and
I look forward to getting yours (in any form you care to give it, however short or long,
and it doesn’t need to look like mine). As encouragement, remember that you have a
good chance of getting something you’re looking for, if only you tell us. Don’t be shy. I
wasn’t, as you can see!
Judy Gurka’s interests, gurkajd@earthlink.net
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Gesneriads (non-violet): I especially like episcias, nematanthus, alsobia, streps
(haven’t grown many yet), smithiantha (new to these), mini-sinningias; I would
like to try codonanthe and x codonatanthus.
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Violets: I like longifolia leaves, girl leaves, trailers, fantasy flowers, Senk’s
hybrids, leaf chimeras.
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I like …
o … variegation, in any way, shape, or form.
o … propagation: leaves, seeds, stolons, tubers, rhizomes/scales, flower
stems (violet chimeras), more?
o … any plants that form aerial propagules, rhizomes, and tubers.
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Current project: growing from seed (more later).
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I’d like to learn about the science of hybridizing, even though I probably won’t
do any, and to learn more gesneriad botany in general.
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Wish list:
o variegated kohlerias ‘Texas Rainbow’ and ‘Lemon Drop’ (not to be
confused with streptocarpus ‘Lemon Drop’ or gesneria ‘Lemon Drop’)
o eucodonias tinctacoma and ‘Woolly Morrion’
o rhabdothamnus solandri
o gloxinellas erinoides (spotted) & lindeniana
o sinningia tubiflora
o saintpaulia ‘Lemon Cookie’ (actually my sister’s request – she thinks it’s
the best yellow violet, but I can’t find it anywhere)
o saintpaulia ‘Tina’s April Fantasy’ (lightly spotted leaves! see:
http://imageevent.com/bloomlovers/standards2;jsessionid=fcl98tlzm7.eagl
e_s?p=645&n=1&m=14&c=2&l=0&w=1&s=0&z=3)
In summary, I like unusual stuff!
Violet Barn chimera violets (www.violetbarn.com), Carnation Sprinkles, Mas Blue
Penquin, Mas Fleur de Lis, Mas Taffy Stripe (all standards):
eucodonia andrieuxii 'Woolly Morrion', http://www.gesneriads.ca/eucodo08.htm (left)
eucodonia andrieuxii 'Tinctocama', http://www.gesneriads.ca/eucodo11.htm (right)
gloxinella erinoides, http://www.gesneriads.ca/koell04.htm (left)
gloxinella lindeniana, http://www.gesneriads.ca/gloxinella01.htm (right)
sinningia tubiflora, plant and flowers, and s. ‘Apricot Bouquet’ (tubiflora in ancestry)
http://www.gesneriads.ca/sinni194.htm, http://www.gesneriads.ca/sinni147.htm,
http://www.gesneriads.ca/sinni011.htm
Thanks for Bingo Plants and Lunch!!
Many, many thanks to everyone who brought all those lovely plants for gesneriad bingo.
Wasn’t it fun? And weren’t we lucky to have such a nice day for it? No worries about
frostbite on new plants. And thanks to all who contributed food, supplies, and time for
our luncheon, especially Ingrid!
Gesneriad Vocabulary
Aerial propagules.
Wikipedia, propagule (any, not just aerial): “In biology, a propagule is any material that
is used for the purpose of propagating an organism to the next stage in their life cycle
via dispersal. The propagule is usually distinct in form from the parent organism.
Propagules are produced by plants (in the form of seeds or spores), fungi (in the form of
spores), and bacteria.”
Youtube video on aerial propagules of seemannia:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73ipDnMkdH4
The propagules are the long “strings” coming off the plant
toward the bottom right.)
Violet barn information and pictures on aerial propagules:
http://www.violetbarn.com/lessons/rhizomes.htm
Does anyone have or know of more pictures of aerial propagules? For once, google is
pretty much stymied.
Happy Birthday!!
January birthdays:
Barb Lovins
Irina Nicholson
3Gs Fall Show and Sale
Sometime soon we should start planning our fall show and sale, to avoid a last-minute
crunch, and to avoid the need for summer meetings to become show planning
meetings. I don’t know what or who has been decided already, but think about what
you would like to help with. Next month I’ll include a summary of jobs for everyone to
consider (and, I hope, a definite date and location).
Want Cuttings?
I just got several large hanging plants at Tagawa’s end-of-year, pre-inventory, 50% off
sale, and will be bring cuttings of each to the meeting; fifty cents (to the club) for three of
any one type. (Given the current temperatures, I won’t risk the big plants.) If you want
to be sure of getting some, email me before the meeting and I will put your name on
them. As usual at general nurseries, they didn’t have complete names on them,
although I know one, and have a guess on a second.
My pictures below:
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nematanthus: plain orange bloom, green leaves, variety?
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aeschynanthus lobbianus variegated: flowers red (& rare), some leaves softly
variegated, especially new growth
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columnea, possibly ‘Broget Stavenger’ (‘Maarsen’s Flame’ is a possible
synonym for the same plant: http://www.gesneriads.ca/colum189.htm), small
leaves, extensive white variegation on entire plant, flowers red (& rare)
What’s in a Name? Help wanted …
Gesneriad names are changing as more is discovered genetically about their similarities
and differences. I barely know some of the old names, and certainly don’t know the
changes. Corrections are greatly appreciated. I’d be delighted if anyone wanted to
make a quick list (or longer discussion) on the recent changes for the next newsletter,
and would anyone like to offer to be a botanical proofreader for the newsletter? That
way errors don’t get published in the first place.
RMAVC African Violet Trailer Program by Bill Price
As Norah announced in the previous Violetter (Council newsletter), Bill Price will be
speaking on trailing violets at the Jan. 19th Council meeting. He is known for growing
fantastic plants and winning many ribbons at the national conventions. Assuming no
blizzard, I’ll be there, as indicated by my wish list! More details in the upcoming
Violetter from Norah; she says his talks are fun and interesting, and there will be free
plants (yea!).
Saintpaulia species pendula var. pendula, probable ancestor of our hybrid trailing violets
(http://www.gesneriads.ca/saintp32.htm).
Flowers of various violet trailers from the Violet Barn, www.violetbarn.com, with thanks
to Rob for permission to publish them:
Rob’s Boolaroo
Rob’s Lilli Pilli
Chantaspring
Hello, everyone. Happy New Year! One of my New
Year’s resolutions is to revive the newsletter, so here it
is! I hope everyone enjoys it. Please let me know what
you would like to see in it, so I can have something for
everyone. And (have I said it too much?), all
contributions are heartily welcomed.
In the giveaway category, I have some fresh
gesneriad seeds which I am about to plant (second
resolution: don’t procrastinate on settling in new
plants or on planting seeds). They are all results of
crosses made by Thad Scaggs (ebay name:
sallys_garden), whom some of you know. I find the
variation of seedlings just as interesting as the
mature plants, which is why I like mixed seeds from multiple crosses. Please let me
know if you would like to try growing seeds, and which one, so I can bring some to the
upcoming meeting. I’ll be delighted if all six mixes are adopted, then we’ll have
multiple “crops” growing. It should be a fun winter project watching them develop.
Here they are:
-- mixed kohleria
-- mixed streps, "likely" fantasy (Thad’s description)
-- mixed streps, "possible" variegation (ditto)
-- mixed mini-sinningias
-- mixed smithiantha
-- smithiantha:
Sassy Redhead x unnamed hybrid (yellow/orange flower)
Editor’s Desk
I’m hopeful on the streps that I get some variegation, and I’ll be
interested in whether the smithiantha seedlings show different leaf
colors right away. Sassy Redhead, shown on the right
(http://www.gesneriads.ca/smithi10.htm), is dark-leaved; other varieties have medium
or light green leaves, often with mottling. Does anyone know if rhizomes (smithiantha
and kohleria) and tubers (sinningia) form directly from seed, or is the plantlet first? I
seem to recall that tiny sinningia pusilla seedlings I once grew had equally tiny tubers
(mustard seed size) already going in a couple months.
I also am watching for mixed episcia seeds to be offered (probably the most
interesting seedlings, since leaf color is visible right away). Would anyone like to
share? Finally, I got mixed trailing violet seeds from the Violet Showcase
(www.violetshowcase.com).
And of course, if I succeed in raising good plantlets, I’ll be offering them come spring,
and you’ll still have the suspense of waiting to see the flower color. Wish me luck!
Some thoughts on our meeting locations. The library community room that we used
last month was lovely (thanks, Ann!). Spacious, with as many tables and chairs as
we need; drop-off point right out front; kitchenette; close, free parking. I’m in favor of
always meeting there. The cost is $25 (for four hours or less), which our current
treasury and yearly membership fees can easily support (not to mention money from
sales, raffles, and mystery boxes at the meetings). Dues were originally mostly for
the cost of a physical newsletter (paper, envelops, printing, postage), an expense that
no longer applies. Currently, we collect about $150 per year in
membership fees ($7 per person for 3Gs; the additional $5 goes to
Council), and the room would cost $225 for nine meetings
(assuming summers at members’ homes), which means not much
more is needed for the library room beyond our yearly “income.”
Having a permanent location is great for trying to get new members
– whenever they come, the location is the same. We can even put it
on the web site. It also removes the necessity of finding a host for
each meeting. From all this, I conclude that the library would be a great choice.
Alternately, Norah reminded me about Echter’s – I believe there was no charge to
meet there. Think about it yourself, and we will probably discuss it Saturday.
Well, I’ll take pictures of my plants, and that’s it for now, I guess. Barring serious
snow, I’ll see everyone at the meeting. Remember to bring cuttings and so forth to
sell or give away, even though whole plants may be problematic due to the cold
weather.
Judy Gurka, editor
gurkajd@earthlink.net
http://www.gesneriads.ca/articles/weber%20%20scientific%20overview/fruits_and_seeds.htm
Arvada Library
7525 W. 57th Avenue
Arvada, CO 80002
Telephone: 303-235-JCPL (5275)
Our meeting is in the community room; turn left and go down the short hallway when
you go in the front door.
The Arvada library is north of I-70, just west of Wadsworth; Wadsworth is between the
major roads Sheridan and Kipling. Take the Wadsworth exit from I-70, and go north.
It’s in Old Towne Arvada. There is a drop-off spot right in the front of the library (south
side), good for carrying in large items, or plants that might dislike cold. Parking is then
in the lot just east of the library building (across the street). See the detailed map for
streets around the library, or check the library’s web site:
http://jeffcolibrary.org/locations/.