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March / April 2014 LSAVC Newsletter Volume XXIX, No. 2

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Hello LSAVC Subscribers!

The spring weather has finally arrived. It has been an

exceptionally cold winter, and it is wonderful to have

the 80 degree weather and sunshine back again.

The AVSA Convention in Nashville from May 25-

June 1 will be here before you know it! Holtkamp

Greenhouses and Opryland, here we come! Here is

your convention check list.

1. Mail your Convention registration to the AVSA

Office.

2. Remember to purchase tickets for banquets,

tours, and workshops being offered.

3. Bring lots of beautiful violets, Gesneriads, and

designs. There are very few clubs in the

Nashville area, so your entries will be needed.

4. Sign up to help as a host/hostess in the showroom

or at the Convention Registration table. Contact

information is in the next paragraph.

5. Be sure to bring your purple cowboy hat and

your Austin AVSA Convention T-shirt!

We are in need of some LSAVC workers to help out in

a couple of areas at the Nashville convention.

Joan Santino, President of Mid-Atlantic AVS, is

gathering names of those who would be available to

assist as a host/hostess in the Showroom. Please

contact Joan via email at [email protected] to set

up a time.

Be sure to save the date for the LSAVC Convention in

Plano! It will be held October 30-November 1, at the

Southfork Hotel. This year's theme will be Violets

Visit Southfork. We will be having a fun night on

Friday, October 31, with a Kickin' Up Your Heels

party as well as discounted tours of Southfork Ranch.

Be there!

Have a safe trip to Nashville. See ya'll there!

Mary Corondan

LONE STAR AFRICAN VIOLET COUNCIL NEWSLETTER

Tineke – BIS 2014 - Spring Branch AVC, Houston TX

won by Kay Black

Rob’s Miriwinni – Best in Show & Best Trailer, Austin

FAAVS 2014, won by Glenda Williams

mailto:[email protected]


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Springtime is such a wonderful time in the African

violet world. Seems like there are African violet shows

all over! I wish there were some way I could attend

ALL of them. And please – if anyone has photos send

them to me and I will include in our newsletter.

This was the first time in a while for me to enter a club

show. Have to say I am thoroughly enjoying being a

member in the First Austin AVS. Really great club and

really great people! Wonderful!!! (not to mention – I

very surprisingly won Best Mini with Precious Red!!

It is such an honor to have Dolores Gibbs in the First

Austin AVS group. The Austin Statesman had an article

on her 50 years with the FAAVS group which was

celebrating it’s 50 years (included in this newsletter).

You can not imagine how many people stopped by to

see her!

I fell in love with Dave Gregg’s article on loving Streps!

And seems I could think of a LOT more reasons than he

did. Thanks to Dave, and I hope everyone checks out

the Cubits Strep by Strep web site found at,

http://cubits.org/Strepbystrep/

Marjorie

LSAVC Collection Rosettes

To obtain LSAVC collection rosettes for your local show

check which rosettes you need (note: the $3.00 charge

applies only to postage; there is no charge for the ribbons)

1st place Std 1st place semimini

2nd Place Std 2nd place semimini

send one copy of your club show schedule with a $3 check

payable to LSAVC Awards Chairman to:

Susan Storey

LSAVC Awards Chair

110 Rogers Ridge Street

San Marcos TX 78666-4715

(note: the total cost due is $3.00, regardless of number of

ribbons ordered. This charge applies only to postage; there is

no charge for ribbons).

Spring shows are upon us and it is time to getting ready

for the National AVSA Convention in Nashville, TN.

May 25th thru June 1st. I am looking forward to all my

fellow Texans to take the trip the Heartland of

Country.

Exhibitors need to be preparing to move your lovely

African Violets and designs to the Nashville area.

Transportation of our precious African Violet plants

should be carefully thought out so they will arrive in

good shape for the show. Plants should be in

containers with foliage supported and plant container

secured for minimal movement. Support blossoms

with cotton or tissue to prevent damage. For designs,

it is best to secure the base in a larger container, and

then support any pieces that may move too much and

cause damage. Container gardens require support in

and around plants, rocks or wood to ensure minimal

movement during transport. Safe traveling and let us

have lots of fun in Nashville and don’t forget to “NOT”

take off the sales tag off your hat……

Janet

AVSA Convention

May 25 - June 2, 2014

Nashville, Tennessee

Table of Contents

President’s Message ........................................ 1

Editor / Co-Editor’s Columns ......................... 2

The Texas Winners Are ................................. 3

Why You Should Love Streps – D. Gregg .... 4-5

Judging School – Spring Branch AVS ............ 5

Show, Club & Member-50 Years ................... 6-7

Photos of Some of the Winners ...................... 8

Ad Page ........................................................... 9

All photographs used in this newsletter are by

Marjorie Bullard, unless otherwise noted.

Marjorie Bullard, Editor

1231 Huisache #905

New Braunfels TX 78130

Telephone: 830-632-6000

e-mail: [email protected]

Janet Castiglione, Co-Editor

313 Plantation Oak Avenue

Lake Dallas, Texas 75065-2206

Home Phone: 940-321-5638

e-mail: [email protected]



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The Texas Winners Are …

Spring Branch African Violet Club - Houston TX

Kay Black won Best in Show and Best Chimera with Tineke,

Best Standard-Ma’s Soiree, Best Variegated Standard and 2nd

Best in Show with Buckeye Sentimental Reasons, Best

Standard Red and Best Munk Hybrid - First Houston, Best

Trailer- Deer Trail, Best Miniature- Orchard’s Bumble

Magnet, Best Semimini- Rob’s Pink Buttercups, Best

Vintage- Nancy Reagan. Best AVSA Std Collection: Frosted

Whisper, Ma’s Soiree, Buckeye Sentimental Reasons; Best

AVSA Small Collection: Jolly Dear, Jolly Texan, Jolly

Splashy; Best LSAVC Small Collection: Cloud Puff, Honey

Blue Ace, Jolly Orchid, and Horticulture Sweepstakes with

27 blue ribbons.

Jane Rexilius won Best Texas Hybrid, Best Jolly, and Best

Hortense Pittman Plant with Jolly Butterfly, Best Gesneriad-

Primulina tabacum, Best Episcia –‘Pink Dreams’, 2nd Best

Design, Best Container Garden – “The Swanee River”, Best

Natural Garden- “Waltz Across Texas”, Design Sweepstakes

with 9 blue ribbons, and Runner-up to Horticulture

Sweepstakes with 21 blue ribbons.

Beverly Johnson won Best Novice-Rebel’s Splatter Kake

and Best Project Plant-Cajun’s Queen Sugar.

Vickie Crider won Best Sinningia with Sinningia “Sky High

Red”.

Elaine Click won Best Streptocarpus with Streptocarpus

‘Lavender Ruffles’.

Ruth Goeke won Best Flower Arrangement and Best Design-

“My Favorite Things”, Best Plant Arrangement “The

Guitar”, and was Runner-Up to Design Sweepstakes with 8

blue ribbons.

First African Violet Society of Denton, TX

Richard Nicholas won Best Standard and Best in Show with

Lyon’s Red Rocket, Best Streptocarpus with Streptocarpus

Teleri’, Best Unusual Container- Rob’s Willawong, Best

AVSA Std Collection: Favorite Child, Lyon’s Red Rocket,

and Wrangler’s El Diablo.

Anne Nicholas won Best Semimini and 2nd Best in Show-

Precious Pink, Best Mini- Jolly Orchid, Best Design in Show

‘Birthday Party’, Best Small AVSA Collection: Rob’s Fuzzy

Navel, Rob’s Inner Orbit, Dean’s Sonata; Best LSAVC Small

Collection: Precious Pink, Jolly Eyes, and Dean’s Cupid.

Eunice Curry won Best Episcia and Best Gesneriad with

Episcia ‘Blue Nile’.

Janet Castiglione won Design Sweepstakes with 3 blue

ribbons.

Pat Castiglione won Best Container Garden with her dish

garden.

Glenda Curry won Best Trailer with Rob’s Galiwinku and

Best Species with S. 5b clone confuse

First Austin AVS Show – Austin TX

Glenda Williams won Best in Show and Best Trailer with

Rob’s Miriwinni; Best Standard- Grape Glory, Best

Variegated-Kid Karla, Best Species- S. 5b clone confuse

Mather E., Best LSAVC Small Collection: Jolly Frills, Kid

Karla, and Sunshine Lady, 2nd Best AVSA Small Collection,

and was Runner Up to Horticulture Sweepstakes with 28

blue ribbons. JoAnne Rogers won Best Semimini, Best Texas Hybridized

AV, and 2nd Best in Show with Cool Blue.

Dolores Gibbs won Best Gesneriad with Sinningia "Bright

Eyes" x concinna

Marjorie Bullard won Best Mini with Precious Red.

Penny Smith-Kerker won Best Texas Hybridized Gesneriad

with Streptocarpus 'Texas Hot Chili'

Kathy Brewster won Best AVSA Standard Collection with

Kamennyi Tsvetok. Candy Swirls, and Green Horizon, Best

Hanging Basket, and Horticulture Sweepstakes with 34 blue

ribbons.

Susan Kautz won Best Vintage Violet with Sunlit Sugar

Plum, Best Small AVSA Collection: Ness' Mini Sota Blue,

Ness' Satin Rose Blue, and Dean's Lucienne, and 2nd Best

AVSA Std Collection.

Danny Tidwell won Best Interpretive Flower Arrangement

and Best Design in Show with ‘Sunken Treasure’;Best

Interpretive Plant Arrangement- ‘Gold Medal’, and Design

Sweepstakes with 11 blue ribbons.

Diane Buck won Best Container Garden ‘Panning for

Gold’.

Mary Husk was Runner-Up to Design Sweepstakes with 3

blue ribbons.

Dallas Metro AVS Show – Dallas TX

Meredith Hall won Best in Show and Best Std with Frosty

Frolic, and Best Gesneriad with Episcia ‘Coco’.

Hortense Pittman won Best Mini- Jolly Bambino, Best

Trailer- Foster Trail, and Best AVSA Small Collection:

Jolly Orchid, Cloud Puff, and Jolly Apollo.

Mary Corondan won Best Semimini- Jolly Fireball, Best

AVSA Std Collection-Mariah, Optimara North Carolina,

and Rebel’s Rose Bud, Paula Foster Award with Rebel’s

Rose Bud, and 2nd Best AVSA Small Collection-Jersey

Lilacs, Jolly Splashy, and Shy Blue.

Barbara Kelly won Best Species – S. ionantha subsp.

Ionantha var. ionantha, and Horticulture Sweepstakes.

Sylvia Leeds won Best Design and Design Sweepstakes.

Joan Santino, President of Mid-Atlantic AVS,

is gathering names of those who would be

available to assist in Nashville as a host/hostess

in the Showroom. Please contact Joan via

email at [email protected] to set up a time.

mailto:[email protected]


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Why You Should Love Streps

By David Gregg (Photos by David Gregg)


There are many reasons for loving Streps. Their flowers

come in an array of colors, color combinations, patterns

and fantasy markings. The flowers are proudly

displayed above the foliage and elegant. Some wavy,

some very frilly, others with ruffles and some with

unusual blooms that resemble an orchid or butterfly.

However, there are other practical reasons to love

Streps and give them a try.

Here are my top 7 reasons;

1. They are tough. Experience is a great teacher.

However, many have been able to grow Streps

successfully even when they have had little to no luck

growing African

Violets. There's a

reason why AV

growers refer to

Streps as "weeds."

That's because

these plants really

do grow like the

real deal when you

understand and

provide their

needs. You don't

need a "green

thumb" to grow these beautiful flowering plants.

2. They grow under natural or artificial light. Personally

I have grown them under both and the plants don't seem

to care. Any window will do, even a northern exposure,

however, they must not be in direct sun. Bright indirect

light is sufficient to get lovely blooms. Not sure if

you’re getting enough

light? Take your hand

and place it about one

foot above the plant.

Now move your hand

back and forth, if you see

a distinct shadow on the

plant, you have enough

light for these beauties.

Growing under artificial

lights? See Helpful Tips

for growing in the new

section of the website for

advice.

3. Ease of grooming. Since Streps develop multiple

crowns, there's

no need to

remove suckers

in general. There

are exceptions,

particu larly in

some Polish and

Ukrainian

varieties where

too many crowns

develop at one

time on the plant.

In these cases,

keep only 1

additional crown. If allowed to develop, the additional

crowns will crowd out the center or each other. DS-

Mysticism is one that is notorious for this habit. Have

a leaf too big? How about a discolored leaf? Just trim

the leaf to any shape and the desired length with sharp

scissors.

4. Flowers, Flowers, Flowers. Unlike their cousin the

African Violet, which usually produces only one

bloom stalk per leaf axis, Streps will produce between

6-7 bloom stalks in succession from each leaf. A

mature plant with many healthy leaves can produce

lots of blooms. Mature plant's flower stalks can

produce from 2-6 flowers. On average most varieties

will have 2-3, however, there are some which produce

even more!

5. Ease of propagation. There are two methods of

propagation, the

AV method and the

mid-rib method.

The most popular is

the mid-rib method.

This is done by

taking a section of

leaf, preferably 2-

3" in length. Cut

along the rib going

through the center

of the leaf using a

sharp knife to

reduce the chances

of bruising the leaf. Now pre-moisten your mix so it is

damp not wet. make a small ditch the length of your

leaf and insert the cut end into the ditch and spread

your mix around the leaf and firm the soil around your

leaf. Dome or bag your pot and keep out of direct sun.

The biggest danger to the leaf rotting is keeping the

mix too wet.



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The AV method involves cutting the stem back to about

11/2." Cut the end of the stem on an angle and then cut

the top of the leaf. This helps put the leaf's energy into

growing roots and babies once the leaf roots. This

method will produce fewer babies for those who do not

want more than a few. On average you will get 3-4

babies from a leaf planted this way.

6. Fewer pest problems.

Streps are susceptible to

the same pests as AV's -

mites, thrips, etc. Mealy

bugs tend to be the most

likely problem, but in

general they are less

likely to attract mites or

thrips.

7. They are spectacular.

What is more spectacular

than a mature plant in full

bloom? These plants

mature quicker than AV's

which means...faster to

bloom! Most Streps will

begin blooming in 4 - 6

months. There are

exceptions depending on

variety, culture and

environment. Could be sooner or could be a little later

than the general time frame.

Now how can you not love having "weeds" in your

indoor garden now?

Dave

Streptocarpus ‘Raydar’s Tensie’, First Austin AVS,

shown by Penny Smith-Kerker (Photo by M. Bullard)

Judging School

Houston, Texas Hosted by Spring Branch AVC

The Spring Branch African Violet Club will host a

judging school on Saturday, May 3, 2014, at

Copperfield Church, 8350 Highway 6, North Houston,

TX 77095.

Meredith Hall will be the teacher. Start time is 9 a.m.

For those taking the test, three blue ribbons with

attached entry tags signed by the show or judges'

chairman must be presented to the teacher. Or the

AVSA computer generated check-out sheet listing

awards won, signed by the show or judges chairman,

will be accepted. Two blue ribbons must have been

won in the horticulture division, a third blue ribbon

may have been won in design or "other gesneriad"

classes. These ribbons must have been earned between

the previous examination and the one to be taken.

You are also required to bring proof of AVSA

membership and are reminded to bring a current judges

handbook.

Fees and deadlines still to be determined.

If you have questions, you may contact Elaine Click

at: [email protected]

Streptocarpus ‘Teleri’ – Best Strep, Denton 2014

won by Richard Nicholas (photo by Jeff Hubbard)


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Show, longtime Austin club member celebrate

50 years of African violets

By Carolyn Lindell - Special to the American-Statesman

Reprinted with photos from March 16 2014 Austin Statesman

As she has for 50 years, Dolores Gibbs will be eagerly

on hand when the First Austin African Violet Society

gets together this month. Gibbs is the last original

member of the society, which is celebrating its jubilee year.

The group will mark the occasion this weekend at its

45th annual Judged Show and Sale at the Austin Area

Garden Center at Zilker Botanical Garden. The event,

titled “Golden Jubilee – 50 Years of Violets,” is

expected to have more than 200 entries in the judged show, in a range of categories.

African violets like this Streptocarpus “Bristol’s Luv It”

come in more colors than just purple.

“There’s so much more than what you see at Home

Depot, as far as variety and leaf sizes and color. I’m just

always sort of fascinated by the different ways they

look,” said Susan Kautz, president of the society. “It’s

not just African violets; we grow other gesneriads.”

Kautz encourages visitors to attend, and enthusiasts

who want to get more involved would be welcomed into

the society, where long-time members, such as Gibbs, can mentor newcomers.

Gibbs, who turns 85 this month, recalls being a young

35-year-old wife and mother, when she learned of the

newly forming group back in 1964.

“I was there when they organized,” said Gibbs, who

still drives to Austin meetings from her San Marcos

home. “At that point in time, the African violet was

everything,” she said, referring to the popularity of the plant then.

The African violet was discovered in 1892 in

Tanzania, according to “African Violets” by Tony

Clements. Through various methods to create new

varieties, “the 1960s and 1970s saw the beginning of

an explosion in the numbers of new African violets,” the book said.

The woman who started the Austin group, referred to

in news articles of the time by her husband’s name,

“Mrs. Ira D. Stockebrand,” owned the Twin Oaks

cafeteria, Gibbs said, and the first meetings were at the South Austin eatery.

Initially, Gibbs said, she was shy as a new member of the group.

“I was so quiet; I was afraid to say anything,” she said.

Eventually she took on leadership roles and led the

group as president in 1989 and 1990, remaining active ever since.

“I still grow and show,” said Gibbs, who also still

mows her lawn and washes her car. Gibbs also attends the annual national convention of the African Violet


- 7 -

Society of America. (The Austin society is an affiliate

of the African Violet Society of America and the Lone

Star African Violet Council.) This spring, the

convention will be in Nashville; last year it was in

Austin.

Initially, the First Austin African Violet Society had

about 35 members, men and women, though that

number has dwindled to fewer than 20 now, she said.

Gibbs attributes that decline to the busy lives and careers of younger people these days.

To accommodate working people, the society now has

a monthly Saturday meeting in Round Rock as well as

its long-standing monthly Wednesday meeting in

Austin. The meetings have programs, and sometimes

members go to workshops or on field trips, Gibbs said, such as visiting a nursery in Boerne.

Gibbs first grew interested in plants while growing up

on a farm in South Dakota. Gibbs took care of the

family garden, and her mother also loved to grow

plants. But Gibbs’s thumbs weren’t always green when

it came to African violets.

“I would talk (my mother) out of one, take it to Texas

and kill it,” she said. But over time, Gibbs acquired

plants that were acclimated to Texas weather and she’s

had better luck with them. In her heyday, she put lots of energy into growing all kinds of things.

“I used to stay up to two or three in the morning working on plants,” Gibbs said.

Along the way, Gibbs has gone through the long

process, roughly 25 years, to become a master judge at shows.

Over the years, she also has accrued many winning

ribbons for entries in shows.

“I have boxes of them,” Gibbs said. “Now I give them

back to the club. We recycle them.” However, she still keeps any red-white-and-blue ribbons for Best in Show.

The back of her home has a garden room, filled with all

kinds of plants, including orchids and poinsettias. And of course, many shelves display her African violets.

Kautz said Gibbs makes a big contribution to the society with her experience and expertise

“She has so much knowledge about everything. She’s a

design guru,” Kautz said. “And she’s always willing to share it with everybody.”

Additionally, Kautz said, many groups devoted to African violets have disbanded over the years.

“I would say it’s fairly unusual that our club is 50 years old,” Kautz said.

Gibbs said she enjoys the society after so many

decades because of the wonderful friendships she made along the way.

“Mostly it’s the people you get to know because of the

plant,” said Gibbs, adding that they all share an

enthusiasm for the pretty African violets. “They are beautiful,” she said.

Information: www.faavs.org

Sinningia ‘Bright Eyes’ x concinna – Best Gesneriad,

FAAVS 2014. Won by Dolores Gibbs. (Photo by M.

Bullard)

Edwards Aquifer –

Best Dish Garden,

AVSA 2012

Won by

Dolores Gibbs (Photo by M. Bullard)

http://www.faavs.org/


- 8 -

Frosty Frolic – Best in Show, Dallas Metro Clubs 2014

won by Meredith Hall (photo by Alcie Maxwell)

Jolly Butterfly

Best Pittman

Hybrid, Best

Texas Hybrid -

Spring Branch

AVS 2014 –

Won by

Jane Rexilius.

(photo by

M. Bullard)

Jolly Bambino – Best Mini and 2nd Best in Show, Dallas

Metro 2014. Won by Hortense Pittman. (photo by Alcie

Maxwell)

Lyon’s Red Rocket, BIS, First Denton AVS

won by Richard Nicholas. Photo by Jeff Hubbard.

Rebel’s Rose Bud – Dallas Metro 2014, Paula Foster

Award, won by Mary Corondan. (Photo by Alcie Maxwell).

Cool Blue – Best Semimini, Best Texas AV, and 2nd Best

in Show – Austin, 2014. Won by JoAnne Rogers. (photo

by M. Bullard)


- 9 -


- 10 -

LSAVC Editors 313 Plantation Oak Avenue Lake Dallas TX 75065-2206

TO:

FIRST CLASS

AVSA Convention

May 25 - June 1, 2014

Nashville Tennessee

LSAVC Convention

Oct 30-Nov 1, 2014

Dallas, Texas

Episcia ‘Coco’ – Best Gesneriad, Dallas Metro 2014

Won by Meredith Hall. (photo by Alcie Maxwell)

Sunlit Sugar Plum – Best Vintage Austin 2014

Won by Susan Kautz. (photo by M. Bullard)

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