NEWSLETTER MEETING REMINDER. Monday, February 27, 2017 at 7:15 pm TROPICAL FERN AND EXOTIC PLANT SOCIETY, INC.

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1 TROPICAL FERN AND EXOTIC PLANT SOCIETY, INC. NEWSLETTER Volume 17, Issue 27 February looks to be an exciting year for TFEPS. We have a great lineup of speakers and look forward to the show and sale this spring. Please start thinking about plants you may want to groom for display in the show. Also, the February meeting raffle plants will be provided by the membership since the scheduled vendor is unable to do it. If you have any plants to contribute to the February raffle, we would be most grateful. Chad Husby President TFEPS MEETING REMINDER Monday, February 27, 2017 at 7:15 pm in the Garden House at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden Our speaker will be Reggie Whitehead and he will be speaking on Ferns of the World. SEE YOU THERE!

2 T r o p i c a l F e r n a n d E x o t i c P l a n t S o c i e t y M e e t i n g N o t e s - Date: January 30, 2017 Speaker: Topic: Meeting Called to Order at: Treasurer s Report: Hospitality: Raffle Table: Meeting Ended at: Dr. Bruce McAlpin Sansevierias to Know and Grow 7:35 p.m. Balance $13, Emalyl, Sandy, Marnie, amongst others by the Tastingers 9:20 p.m. D r. M c A l p i n i s a p e r e n n i a l f a v o r i t e - s p e a k e r a t T F E P S. H e s p e a k s w i t h w o n d e r f u l e n t h u s i a s m a b o u t h i s s u b j e c t s, b r i n g s p l a n t s f o r s a l e, a n d g o e s h o m e w i t h f a r l e s s t h a n h e b r i n g s. B r u c e l i v e s i n a q u i e t h a m l e t n e a r L a B e l l e, F lorida c a l l e d M u s e l h o u r s w e s t a n d n o r t h o f u s, a n d a w o r l d a p a r t f r o m t h e h u s t l e o f M i a m i. H i s b a c k g r o u n d i s w o n d e r f u l l y d i v e r s e, s p a n n i n g t h e r a n g e f r o m N e w Y o r k B o t a n i c a l G a r d e n t o W i l s o n B o t a n i c a l G a r d e n i n C o s t a R i c a, t o t e a c h e r a t M i a m i D a d e C o m m u n i t y C o l l e g e. N o w r e t i r e d, h i s p l a n t g r o w i n g s k i l l s a r e a l w a y s i n d e m a n d, a s a r e h i s p l a n t s. T o n i g h t ' s l e c t u r e w a s o n t h e o f t - m a l i g n e d g e n u s S a n s e v i e r i a, f r e q u e n t l y s c o r n e d b e c a u s e o f a f e w w e e d y s p e c i e s t h a t h a v e n a t u r a l i z e d. H i s f a v o r e d s p e c i e s a r e f a r l e s s i n v a s i v e ( s o m e o f t h e m a r e p o l a r o p p o s i t e s o f w e e d s) a n d s o m e a r e m a r v e l o u s d w a r f s p e c i e s. B r u c e w e n t t h r o u g h a r a n g e o f s p e c i e s f r o m t h e d w a r f i s h s p e c i e s t h a t l o o k s l i k e a j e s t e r ' s h a t, t o 6 f o o t t a l l ' s p e a r s ' t h a t a r e s t i c k - s t r a i g h t c y l i n d r i f o r m t y p e s. Continued, next page

3 Meeting Notes, continued from previous page S o m e t y p e s a r e u s e r f r i e n d l y, s o m e h a v e w i c k e d n e e d l e s o n t h e l e a f t i p s. S o m e a r e g r o u n d c o v e r s, a n d s o m e a r e a r c h i t e c t u r a l g i a n t s. P r o p a g a t i o n t a c t i c s, c u l t u r e b a s i c s a n d t h e a d v a n t a g e s o f g r o w i n g l o w - d e m a n d p l a n t s w e r e a l l c o v e r e d w e l l. T h e p r o p a g a t e d p l a n t s h e b r o u g h t f o r s a l e s o l d i n a b o u t 9 0 s e c o n d s, p r o o f o f t h e r e n e w e d i n t e r e s t i n t h e g e n u s, a n d h i s s a l es s k i l l s a s w e l l. S e v e r a l s p e c i e s, s u c h a s S. h a l l i i, S. f a w c e t t i i, a n d S. p f i s t e r i w e r e a l l s h o w n t o g r e a t e f f e c t, g r o w n i n p o t s o f p l a i n g r a v e l o r i n s o i l - g r a v e l m i x e s. W e a l w a y s h a v e a g r e a t c r o w d a t B r u c e ' s l e c t u r e s, l o o k f o r w a r d t o h i s u n u s u a l p l a n t s, a n d g o h o m e e d u c a t e d f r o m h i s t e a c h i n g s, n o m a t t e r h o w l o n g w e ' v e b e e n g r o w i n g p l a n t s. T h e p r o g r a m w a s i l l u m i n a t i n g f o r t h o s e i n t e r e s t e d i n t h i s p l a n t g r o u p. R e s p e c t f u l l y s u b m i t t e d, C r a i g M o r e l l, C. P. A. C e r t i f i e d P l a n t A d d i c t Speakers for TFEPS, 2017 January: Bruce McAlpin, Sansevieras worth growing February: Reggie Whitehead, Ferns of the World March: Barbara McAdam, South Florida s imperiled butterflies April: Paul Wetter, Setting up a small reverse osmosis system May: Chad Husby, Tropical Conifers June: Jeff Wasielewski, Hurricane-worthy tropical fruit trees September: Debra DeMarco, Designing a Garden October: auction November: Jason Lopez, Fairchild s conservation work in the Caribbean December: Holiday Party

4 Plant Steroids By John Banta Steroids differ from hormones in that they affect systems rather than specific actions as hormones do. The recent popularity of Brassinosteroids is based upon their results, and those results are impressive. They include improved plant tolerance to both heat and cold stress but their greatest asset is the boost in plant vigor when applied to seedlings. Sprayed on seedlings with at least two true leaves the root system growth is amazing. The effects of the application of the steroid at such a low concentration (6 parts per billion) are astounding. Its mode of action is rather involved but it enhances the production of transcription factors that are controlled by RNA. The more massive root system on the seedlings gave them a head start that provided bigger and more massive cabbages than untreated ones; treated tomato plants also greatly benefited by Brassinosteroids. Next time, the story of how these wonderful steroids came to horticulture. REMINDER: If you have plants to contribute to the February Meeting Raffle table, we would be most grateful. And, get your favorite plants ready for display at the upcoming spring sale! Mounting Plaques Made of 1 x 3 Pressure Treated Lumber 12 x 12 - $ x 15 - $ x 18 - $ x 24 - $ Contact Bob Benaim or bobbenaim@gmail.com

5 2017 OFFICERS: The board consists of TFEPS officers, the immediate past president, and elected directors at large.

6 Membership Application We offer 4 different memberships options: Yearly: $ for individual $ for two members at the same address Lifetime: $ for individual $ for two members at the same address Yearly dues are for calendar year - January - December This is for a New Membership: or for Renewals: Please Print Name: Phone: H or C: Name: Phone: H or C: Street Address: City, State Zip Code + 4: + H = Home Phone C = Cell Phone Enclose check payable to: TFEPS Please mail to: TFEPS Membership P.O. Box Homestead, Florida