SOUTH BAY BROMELIAD ASSOCIATES (SBBA)
About us
Our club was founded in 1968 by enthusiasts
who collect and nurture tropical plants, notably bromeliads. Members often
belong to several clubs with specialty interests in orchids, cactus,
succulents, begonias, and many others. Our members range in experience from new
growers to those with decades of growing experience. Bromeliads are easy to grow, and offer a great range of beauty
and interesting forms. Shown above: Guzmania ‘Marjan’.
(For a printer-friendly version of this page,
click here.)
Meetings
Regular monthly meetings are held on the
first Sunday of each month except July—club picnic, August—annual show and
sale, and December—holiday party.
We meet at the Community Room (second floor)
of the Palos Verdes Main Library, 701 Silver Spur Road from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Parking and admission are free. Here is a map to
the library.
Our meetings feature a speaker presentation,
refreshments, a show-and-tell display of members’ plants, and a door prize
drawing at 1:30 p.m.
Guest Speakers present slide shows of trips
to Bromeliad habitats, botanical gardens, methods of growing Bromeliads, or
demonstrations of potting and growing techniques. Sometimes they bring special
plants for sale.
An exciting plant auction is held at each
regular meeting, where attendees can buy Bromeliads, often at bargain
prices.
Our portable SBBA Lending Library contains
outstanding books on the cultivation and identification of Bromeliads,
available for checkout to club members.
Guests and visitors are
always welcome!
Membership
Annual dues are $10 per year per individual
or family, for which will receive a monthly newsletter and may participate in
all club parties and special events. A member privilege is selling plants at
our club auctions and plant sales. You are invited to join the SBBA to enjoy
the friendship and knowledge shared by our members.
For more information, contact Ted Johnson:
(310) 541-4185.
Our club is an affiliate of the Bromeliad
Society International. BSI graciously allows us to present SBBA-specific info
on these pages. Here are the many benefits of BSI membership, available to club
members: http://www.bsi.org/bsi_info/BSIBenefits.pdf
Upcoming SBBA events
May
5th club meeting:
Gregg
DeChirico will be speaking about the cultural guidelines of growing Tillandsias
in Coastal California, from San Francisco to San Diego. Gregg has been growing
all types of plants for over 30 years. He has a nursery called Gregg's Greenhouse
in the Santa Barbara area that specializes in seed-grown rare and exotic
plants.
This & That
Photo Galleries:
Orlandiana 2012: The December 2012 Newsletter of the Bromeliad
Society of Greater Chicago included photos of some of the spectacular displays
at the 2012 Bromeliad Society International show. We thank Steve Goode for
permission to share these photos. Jackie Johnson (past SBBA president Ted
Johnson's wife) is a consistent winner of artistic awards wherever she
competes. Two of her award-winning creations are among this collection of
outstanding Orlandiana
photos.
Mysteries Solved! See what happens in the
garden when you’re not looking. View this enchanting video, enhanced with music
in the background: http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/xHkq1edcbk4?rel=0
Dave's Garden is the hands-down favorite website of gardeners
around the world. Articles and videos show how to start seeds and learn how to
have your best garden ever. Members can chat with other gardeners in 230
forums, and get help to identify plants, pests, birds and butterflies.
Membership on Dave's Garden is free and allows you to participate in
dozens of forums, plus PlantFiles, BugFiles, BirdFiles, the Garden Watchdog,
maintain a personal garden diary, trade list, wish list, and many other
features. This article, “Introduction to Bromeliads,” http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/1648/
was written in 2008 by Geoff Stein. It offers marvelous photos and cultivation
advice for some of the bromeliads that are found in the landscapes and greenhouses
of our SBBA club members.
Rainforest Flora Nursery is a frequent venue for
SBBA shows and sales. Located at 19121 Hawthorne Blvd, Torrance, CA 90503,
their website is www.rainforestflora.com.
Take a vicarious tour through the magnificent display area, with waterfalls,
koi fish, and a wide variety of exotic tropical plants—bromeliads, tillandsias,
orchids, and ferns—through this four part series:
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTLOMjRS3FE&feature=relmfu
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_p1kHj1jHcI&feature=related
Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdEoZ0_jzGw&feature=relmfu
Part 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIgPZMjbxWE&feature=relmfu
Tips and Techniques:
►“What's Eating Me? Clues to
Bug Destruction from a Tropical/Succulent Point of View.” Geoff Stein has
written an excellent illustrated article on parasites and pests that attack the
kinds of plants we collect. http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/2932/ Geoff describes himself thusly:
“Veterinarian and Exotic Plant Lover…..obsessive, compulsive collector of all
oddball tropical and desert plants.”
►How to make a “gutter garden”
for growing veggies from seed in a small yard.
►Preparing bromeliads for show or sale.
►How to make your own
inexpensive plant
tags.
►Free bagged used coffee grounds on request: Call 3-hours ahead to your local Starbucks and ask for used grounds for composting. You can also arrange for regular pickup (e.g., once/week at a specific time). More info on coffee grounds for composting: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080707171641.htm
Special Events:
►
Puyas at the UCLA Botanical Garden (cactus area) are in bloom in luscious
colors -- pink, royal blue, turquoise. Spectacular! Many varieties of
bromeliads are clustered around the pond, watched over by dozens of turtles of
assorted sizes. Spring flowers make this a very pleasant outing. Admission is
free. Try metered parking on the street near the south entrance at Hilgard and
Le Conte. Monday–Friday 8 to 5, Weekends 8-4. Info: http://www.botgard.ucla.edu/
►
May 4-5 annual La Ballona Valley Bromeliad Society (LBVBS) Show and Sale in the
Veterans Memorial Auditorium, 4117 Overland Avenue, Culver City, CA. Show hours
are noon--5 on Saturday, 10--3:30 on Sunday.
Sale hours are 10--5 on Saturday, 10--3:30 on Sunday. Lecture and demonstration on bromeliad
culture at 2 p.m. on both days. Free
admission and parking.
►
The Southern California Regional Occupational Center (SCROC) Spring Plant Sale
will be held on May 6, 7, 8, and 9th from 9am-1pm at the Horticulture area
located in parking lot 2 on the SCROC campus: 2300 Crenshaw Boulevard Torrance,
California 90501. For sale: vegetables, herbs, perennials, succulents, shade
plants, California natives, Mother's Day gift pots, and desert scene
terrariums.
►
June 8-9 Los Angeles Cactus and Succulent Society (LACSS) Drought Tolerant
Plant Festival. Sepulveda Garden Center, 16633 Magnolia Blvd, Encino, CA 91436.
This is their 13th Annual Show and Sale. For more info: www.lacactus.com/JuneShow.html
Sat 9-5.
Lectures, Hands-on Workshops, Raffle, Silent Auction, Interior Educational
& Exterior (Landscaping) Displays, Pottery, Crafts.
Sun 9-4,
Including Kids’ Activities 10:30-3. Arts & Crafts, Make Father’s Day Gifts,
Games, Pot-A- Plant, Educational Gardens, and much more.
► June 8-9 Los Angeles International Fern Society (LAIFS) Annual Fern & Exotic Plant Show & Sale, Sat & Sun 9-4. Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden, 310 N. Baldwin Avenue, Arcadia, CA 91007 (one block south of the 210 Freeway). For more info: (626) 821-3222. Plants for sale: ferns, orchids, carnivorous plants, bromeliads, epiphyllums, succulents, cactus, tropicals and subtropicals, drought-tolerant perennials. Plant-related items: (jewelry, containers, books, crafts, art, purses, glass, ceramics). Show is free. Admission to the Arboretum is $8 ($6 for seniors, $3 for kids).
►
Classic
Bromeliad book
available for sale.