It's time again to make plans to attend the 2008 International Aroid Show and Sale in Miami, FL on September 20 and 21st in 2008. The annual show is held on the grounds of the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, one of the most beautiful tropical gardens in the world. If you are a member of IAS, admission to the show is free! It is actually less expensive to join IAS than buy tickets to the show so this is like buy one get one free! Ever year the members have a Saturday evening dinner with a guest speaker followed by the aroid auction. Many rare plants go for phenomenally low prices but there is always a specimen of the extremely rare Philodendron spiritus-sancti up for auction! This is likely the world' rarest aroid and has sold for prices up to $2000 for a single moderate sized plant. So why is it so rare? Due to the destruction of rain forest in SE Brazil, the only place in the world this plant has ever grown, there are now only 6 wild specimens! A specimen of P. spiritus-sancti is a prize in any collection but you could come home with one! This year's guest speaker will be French pollination researcher Marc Gibernau who will discuss many of the newly emerging ideas and theories regarding aroid pollination and how this unusual process works within the genera Araceae. Right now many of the low cost airlines are offering early pay discounts if you buy tickets 90 days in advance. For our family of three we have purchased round trip tickets for the three of us from Tulsa, OK to Miami and return for just over $200 per person! So learn more about the plants you grow by joining The International Aroid Society! Get some real bang for your plant dollar by learning more about those plants, buying new ones at very fair prices (some very rare) and meeting others with the same interests! Members of the IAS receive a quarterly journal, an annual copy of Aroideana, and a have access to many of the on-line databases of the International Aroid Society. Some cities and states also have local IAS affiliated groups that meet to share information and learn about their specimens as well as exchange plants. Joining the International Aroid Society is a great way to meet people with similar interests! A group is now forming in NW Arkansas to serve growers in NW Arkansas, NE Oklahoma and SE Missouri. Send us a note for details! You can also join an on-line discussion with aroid growers and experts around the world by signing up as a participant of Aroid l (L). Some of the world's top aroid botanists often participate in the discussions. With Aroid l it's easy to find accurate answers to your questions! Participation is open to anyone interested in aroid culture. You don't even have to join IAS to participate! For information about how to join the Aroid l discussion group or to subscribe: Go to http://www.gizmoworks.com/mailman/listinfo/aroid-l The International Aroid Society is a nonprofit organization which supports aroid education, research and horticulture through publications, awards, events and the website at http://www.aroid.org/ International Aroid Society Show and Sale! September 20th & 21st, 2008 Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Miami, Florida, USA. You can join directly from the IAS link. Just be sure and let Tricia Frank know you'll be attending the show so your name can be added to the fee admission list! [/CENTER] Membership in the International Aroid Society Includes An Annual Copy of Aroideana, The Journal of the IAS. Simply use the SECURE PayPal link on the IAS website JOIN or RENEW. Join On line with a credit card through Paypal or join by mail! Membership Category Cost: Individual (U.S.A) $25.00 International (via airmail - includes the newsletters) $30.00 MEMBERSHIP IS FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR ONLY. Once you join be sure and tell Tricia Frank you will attend the show so you can be added to the free admission list at the gate. International Aroid Society, P.O. Box 43-1853, South Miami, FL 33143, U.S.A. Membership dues may be paid by credit card through PayPal using the shopping cart buttons above both for new memberships and renew Thank you for joining the International Aroid Society! You will be glad you joined!!
Marc Gibernau from France. He is one of the top aroid pollination experts in the world and will be telling us about some of the latest discoveries! Marc works regularly with Dr. Simon Mayo at the Kew in London. He and I have been corresponding and I think this will be one fantastic learning experience!
Don't be too sure about that; last year Tricia would not add my name to the list even though I am a member. I had to pay to get in. This is what she told me: Misspelled my name, too. It's time people started finding out what's really going on.
I personally regret if you had a problem. I quote material from the newsletter only. I will personally inquire to see if there's some restriction but have been assured in the past all that is necessary is to make it known any member is coming. I actually saw the gate attendant at the old gate with a list and he was checking names. Mine was on the list since I had informed Tricia weeks in advance I would be there. In this case, because I feel it is important you attend, please allow me to personally pay your entrance fee if there is a problem in the future. Your input is of enough value it would be easily worth it to me. And if you somehow felt you were unfairly treated, I will take it up on your behalf. I just want to see the organization grow with no room for dissent or displeasure with the organization. I am not an officer and have never tried to be one. But I certainly will do what I can to make sure you are treated as fairly as any member. So, please, everyone consider attending! The experience is invaluable to any aroid enthusiast. Steve Lucas
I'm always looking for the odd Philodendron, but not sure whether The Boss (aka, my wife) will let me....
