Ebondy & Ivory: Gesneriads in Perfect Harmony March 27, 2010

The Toronto Gesneriad Society celebrates their 33rd anniversary with Ebony and Ivory: Gesneriads in Perfect Harmony, their annual judged gesneriad flower show, at Sherway Gardens (Hwy 427 and the QEW) on Saturday, March 27 from 11:00am to 6:00pm, and Sunday, March 28 from 11:00am to 6:00pm in Sherway Square. Visit www.sherwaygardens.ca or www.torontogesneriadsociety.org or call 416-621-1070 for more information.

“The annual judged show of the Toronto Gesneriad Society, Ebony and Ivory: Gesneriads in Perfect Harmony provides a great opportunity for people to see some rare and exotic gesneriads that are seldom seen in florist shops or garden centres, and only available from other growers and gesneriad societies,” states Beverley Williams, Entries Chairman, Toronto Gesneriad Society.

Toronto Gesneriad Society members will be at Sherway Gardens to answer questions about growing gesneriads. Plants that have been propagated and grown by members of the Toronto Gesneriad Society will also be on sale.

The annual Toronto Gesneriad Show at Sherway Gardens, is the largest judged gesneriad show in Canada and the second largest in the world (second only to the International Show of The Gesneriad Society). Plants and other exhibits are entered by the society's members from across Canada and the U.S. The show's reputation for the variety and quality of its exhibits regularly attracts visitors from across Canada, the U.S., and overseas.

Ebony and Ivory: Gesneriads in Perfect Harmony features four divisions:
• The Horticultural Division features individual plants in flower, or grown for foliage.
• The Artistic Division showcases arrangements of cut plant materials, growing plants, terrariums, and other artistic plantings.
• The Art Division features art, crafts, and photography featuring Gesneriads.
• The Educational Division includes information about Gesneriads.

Growers select their show entries based on what they have been growing this year and what is blooming at showtime.

GESNERIADS EXPLAINED:

The Gesneriad family of plants – pronounced either "jez-NARE-ee ad" or "guess-NARE-ee-ad" is named for Swiss botanist Konrad Gesner. Native to the tropics and sub-tropics, these are "miracle houseplants" with many that thrive in home growing conditions. While the name "gesneriad" may not be familiar, many of the most popular houseplants are in fact gesneriads. There is a wide variety of plant sizes, shapes, flowers and colours.

Gesneriads provide blooming plants throughout the year and vary in size from that of the miniature Sinningia pusilla, the blossom of which is seldom larger than a shirt button, to that of the trailing Columnea, which if left to grow unchecked, could reach a length of 5 meters. Most of them are of a manageable size and are known to the home grower as African Violet (Saintpaulia), Florist Gloxinia (Sinningia speciosa), Lipstick Plant (Aeschynanthus), Goldfish Plant (Nematanthus), Cape Primrose (Streptocarpus) and Flame Violet (Episcia).

GROWING GESNERIADS:

“The first step in growing gesneriads is to determine if the plant will be grown as a hanging basket, a potted plant, a terrarium or dish garden and then select a gesneriad which is suited for the particular effect,” adds Beverley Williams.

Feed gesneriads with a balanced fertilizer such as 20-20-20 or 15-30-15 every time you water. Dilute it to avoid burning the roots, as most fertilizers recommendations are too strong for gesneriads.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT GESNERIAD FOR YOU!

Do you think that because it is too hot or cold in your house that you can’t find the right gesneriad for you? The gesneriad family is extremely varied with plants coming from many regions of the world even though most come from humid tropical areas.

For people who live in warm apartments or houses there are a variety of gesneriads that will thrive. Try growing African Violets, these popular houseplants are part of the gesneriad family and will tolerate a wide range of temperatures. If you want to grow something different, Columnea, Aeschynanthus (Lipstick Plant), or Nematanthus (Goldfish Plant), are all trailing plants that look magnificent hanging in windows. Their bright yellow, orange or red flowers bloom all year round.

Even though most gesneriads are very adaptable and are well suited to our warm heated homes, some actually come from cooler areas of the world. Alpine gesneriads are very adaptable to cooler homes. A cool windowsill is an ideal place to grow Streptocarpus, Chitias or Petrocosmea, and other cooler growing gesneriads. Streptocarpus commonly called ‘Cape Primrose’ and native to Africa can even be grown outside in a garden and are sometimes available in local garden centres. They have very showy blooms, which come in a wide range of colours and patterns, and are held high on long stems over lush green foliage. Chiritas from China have more fleshy foliage, which is sometimes marked with patterns and lavender, blue, pink or yellow flowers.

About the Toronto Gesneriad Society:
The Toronto Gesneriad Society, now in its 33rd year, is an affiliate of The Gesneriad Society. It has an international membership, with about two-thirds of its members from Toronto and the GTA and others from across Canada and New York State. Members from the Toronto Gesneriad Society are excited to be attending the Gesneriad Society Convention in Vancouver, BC from June 28-July 3, 2010 as it has been many years since The Gesneriad Society Convention has been held in a Canadian city.

Official Website: http://www.sherwaygardens.ca