(above) A display of miniature Sinningias, part of the Gesneriad section at an African Violet show.
FFI, see the bottom of this page.
<<< Note: updated September 26, 2022 >>>
Please make initial contact with us at a public event or through our e-mail (following). You may be referred to one or more of our individual members. Our meetings are available through Zoom and occasionally in person at the University of Minnesota.
tcgesneriads@gmail"dot"com
replace "dot" with .
Plant Shows
African Violet Society of Minnesota hosts three shows each year, one at the Minnesota State Fair and two at Northtown Mall. Twin Cities Gesneriad Society has a working partnership with the African Violet Society of Minnesota (AVSM). Our members are affiliate members of AVSM, eligible to enter these shows both as exhibitors and sellers.
All the shows / sales listed here are open to the public. The host venues are handicapped-accessible and on or near Metro Transit bus stops. The State Fair show requires paid admission to the Fairgrounds; there is no additional charge for the Horticulture Building. All others are free of charge.
Summer and Fall 2022
African Violet Society of Minnesota
Minnesota State Fair, Horticulture Building
Thursday August 25 and Friday, August 26, hours for both days 9:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M.
African Violet Society of Minnesota
Northtown Mall
398 Northtown Drive NE
Blaine, MN 55434
near Best Buy entrance
Friday October 21, 10:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M. and Saturday, October 22, 11:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.
Related:
North Star African Violet Council Show and Sale
Bachman’s Heritage Room
6010 Lyndale Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55419
Saturday October 1, 9:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. and Sunday, October 2, 11:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M.
Spring 2023
African Violet Society of Minnesota
Northtown Mall
398 Northtown Drive NE
Blaine, MN 55434
near Best Buy entrance
Friday April 14, 10:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M. and Saturday, April 15, 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.
AVSM’s website
sites"dot"google"dot"com/view/avsminnesota
Minnesota State Fair
mnstatefair"dot"org
Northtown Mall
northtown-mall"dot"com
Bachman’s
bachmans"dot"com/workshops-and-events
More Information About the Shows
TCGS members assist in the setup and public presentations of the AVSM shows, which always include at least one class for “Other Gesneriads”. Non-AV gesneriads are also permitted in artistic classes such as dish gardens, terraria, and arrangements. We provide educational outreach, doing in-person demonstrations and Q&A, and making written materials available. Occasionally we are joined by the Upper Midwest Carnivorous Plant Society, which will be displaying plants at the Fair show this year.
North Star African Violet Council (NSAVC) is a local plant society, distinct from AVSM; both clubs are affiliated with the African Violet Society of America. Although TCGS does not have a formal relationship with NSAVC, we admire and support their efforts informally (some of our members are NSAVC members). This show features at least one Gesneriad class and plants available for sale.
For the shows-and-sales (except the State Fair, which is display and demonstate only), plants are wanted both for display and for sale.
Display plants need to be clearly labeled as a variety (e.g. “Rob‘s Combustible Pigeon”; Nematanthus “Tropicana”) or a species (Saintpaulia velutina; Columnea hirsuta). For display, foliage/form subjects like Episcias and Petrocosmeas need to be well-developed; plants celebrated for their blossoms, such as Streptocarpus, Florist Gloxinia (Sinningia speciosa cultivars), Smithiantha, Kohleria, and Saintpaulia, should be blooming.
Sale plants can be any size as long as they are viable, including cuttings and rhizomes. As with display plants, tags/labels need a variety or species name (see previous paragraph for examples). Not yet blooming? Labels/tags with pictures of the plant in bloom will notably increase sales.
Setups precede the shows (often on the previous day) and takedowns follow closing on the second day. Getting the plants to and from the show/s is a matter of careful planning and packing; if you are interested but inexperienced, please come to our meetings and ask questions, or send questions via e-mail. The AVSM meetings are also open to interested plant growers, whether or not they are members of TCGS. See their website.
For members working at the State Fair show: the setup is on Preparation Day (Wednesday preceding the first day) and gate admission is free. Special passes can be arranged for exhibitors picking up plants between 9–10 P.M. Friday evening and for volunteer staff members during open show hours either or both days.
Meeting Information
Maps of the University of Minnesota campuses, showing buildings and streets:
campusmaps"dot"umn"dot"edu
We have met, and are likely to continue to meet, in classroom/lecture space at Plant Growth Facilities West on Gortner Avenue on the St. Paul Campus. These rooms have audio-video capabilities essential to some of our programs.
A map of Plant Growth Facilities West showing classroom numbers and positions:
campusmaps"dot"umn"dot"edu/plant-growth-facilities-west
The Plant Growth Facilities West building, 1534 Gortner Avenue, is our current meeting location. We use one of the classrooms near the public entrance on the west side
For further information please see
cbs"dot"umn"dot"edu/conservatory
Information about public transit options:
metrotransit"dot"org
The September 2022 meeting will take place in-person on September 27, 2022, in one of the classrooms on the west side of the Plant Growth Facilities West building. Parking is permitted in the lot at the south end of the building after 7:00 p.m.
Future meetings will take place on the fourth Wednesday of each month. Nominally we start at at 7:00 P.M.; actually slightly later, as parking for our event is permitted at 7:00, not, earlier. Exceptions are: the months of July, August, and December (no meetings in any year), and in adverse weather conditions such as heavy snow. Occasionally we have field trips, workshops, or parties in place of / addition to meetings. Members receive updates through e-mail. Please stay in contact with the club by sharing your e-mail address with us, and checking for messages—especially close to meeting dates.
We need to continue to be clean, responsible guests of the University’s College of Biological Sciences. If you are unfamiliar with the campus, please contact TCGS or visit the University websites listed above.
Public transportation to the St. Paul campus is available every day: a Metro Transit bus, Route 87 Highland / Cleveland Av / U of MN, stops at the intersection of Gortner Avenue and West Dudley Avenue.
The entrance to the new CBS Greenhouse is through the west side of the Plant Growth Facilities West building. This is a classroom-and-lab building with its long axis parallel to the east side of Gortner Avenue, north of Dudley. From the bus stop at Gortner and Dudley, it is a short walk north to the building entrance.
Further information about the image:
Sinningia is the botanical genus which includes “Florist Gloxinias” (the big ones!). These miniature Sinningias (sometimes called “mini-Sins”) tend to be 3" to 5" across, with the flowers held 1"–2" above the leaves. The purple-and-white flowered plant on the far right is approaching micro-Sinningia status, being not much more than 1" across.
In most African Violet and Gesneriad shows, judging is on a points basis—plants scoring above a certain level are awarded blue ribbons; next highest level is red, then yellow, then white. It’s much like schools in which there can be more than one A student.
