We are dedicated to the growth and spread of horticultural and scientific knowledge of the Bromeliad Family (Bromeliaceae) and enthusiasm for the preservation of its species and habitats.

For cultural information about Bromeliads go to BSI

Watch "Bromeliads in Bay Area Landscapes" powerpoint presentation. (low resolution)

What are your Hardiest Bromeliads for the Bay Area?

Be sure to check our Links Page.

Membership is $15US per person or $20US per household annually. Membership includes a Monthly Newsletter sent via email or snail mail.

Checks may be payable to BSSF and sent to
Harold Charns Tres.
255 States St.
San Francisco, Ca. 94114
or contact Harold.

Day: 3rd Thursday of the Month
Time: 7:00 pm setup, 7:30pm call to order
Location: S. F. County Fair Building, Recreation Room
9th Avenue and Lincoln Way (entrance to Golden Gate Park), San Francisco
See Maps for directions.

Meetings include a featured speaker, program or discussion topic along with members Show and Tell, refreshments and the very popular plant raffle table and silent bid plant auction. See Programs and Dates. (Note: this year we are having our annual tour in July in lieu of a meeting.)

Our meetings are also listed in the events calendar of the San Francisco Botanical Garden.

May 15th: Guillermo Rivera*- "Bromeliads from Central Brazil: Minas Gerais and Bahia State" read more in the May Newsletter
June 19th: Jeffery Kent*- (tentative)
July - No Meeting - Annual garden tour.
August 21st: Betty Patterson* - (tentative)
September 18th: Paul Isley* of Rainforest Flora Inc.
October 16th: Dennis Cathcart* - (tentative)
November 20th:
December 18th: Holiday Potluck

* special visiting guest speaker.

All meetings are on the 3rd Thursday of the month.

January 17th, February 21st,
March 20th, April 17th,
May 15th,

BSSF SALE, June 14 & 15, Saturday & Sunday

June 19th
July 27th, Sunday. Annual garden tour
August 21st, September 18th,

BSSF SALE, September 21st, Sunday

October 16th, November 20th,
December 18th Holiday Potluck

June SALE
June 14 & 15, 2008, Saturday and Sunday. Setup - Friday 13th.
Time: Sat: 9 am-5 pm Sun: 9 am-4:30 pm
Location: San Francisco County Fair Building (Strybing Arboretum) on 9th Avenue @ Lincoln Way, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. See Maps

Once again we will be hosting a Bromeliad Sale along with the San Francisco Succulent and Cactus Society. This is our main money making event of the year where many of our members sale plants along with those the Society buys from nurseries. Even if you do not sell plants there is a lot of work involved and we will need your help at the sale.

If you want to sell bromeliads contact Carl Carter.

We will be needing extra volunteers as clerks and security. If you want to show bromeliads or volunteer contact Roger Lane.

FALL SALE
September 20 & 21, 2008, Sunday. Setup - Friday 19th.
Time: 10 am - 5:00 pm
Location: San Francisco County Fair Building (Strybing Arboretum) on 9th Avenue @ Lincoln Way, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. See Maps

This sale is on the same weekend as Orchidfest. Please check back as the date approaches for more details on how you can participate.

If you want to sell bromeliads contact Carl Carter.

We will be needing extra volunteers as clerks and security. If you want to show bromeliads or volunteer contact Roger Lane.

San Francisco Botanical Garden & Strybing Arboretum Society
ANNUAL SPRING SALE
May 2, 2008 - Members-only Preview Sale, 5–8pm
May 3, 2008 - Public Sale, 10am–2pm

Location: San Francisco County Fair Building (Strybing Arboretum) on 9th Avenue @ Lincoln Way, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. See Maps

Members-Only Preview Sale & Silent Auction. Friday May 2, 5-8 pm

On Friday, from 5pm to 8pm is members only and it’s a fun party with beverages including wine and appetizers. Along with this is a wonderful silent auction with one of a kind creations of exotic plants in planters and arrangements, books or other plant related donations. If you would like to be part of this with us, just sign up with Marilyn 2 weeks before and I will place you on the list so you can be admitted. It gives you an added advantage to shop before the public gets in on Saturday. We can use you and your enthusiasm and energy, because it’s a fast paced few hours. It also puts our Society’s name out there to acquaint people with Bromeliads. You must sign up with me and get on the list in order to attend. Only those on the list and members of San Francisco Botanical Garden at Strybing Arboretum Society are admitted on Friday. Saturday it is not necessary to get on the list.

Public Sale Saturday May 3, 10am - 2pm

We have participated in this sale for several years along with the other San Francisco plant societies. The Strybing Sale starts on Friday, from 5 to 8 pm. If you want to be included at this special preview sale you can get in with your Strybing Arboretum Society membership card or sign up ahead of time with me to work the Bromeliad Society booth. There is complimentary wine and refreshments, and a Silent Auction where you can bid for prized specimens, etc.

The Public Sale is 1st Saturday in May. It opens at 10 am and lasts until 2 pm. You do not need to be on the list for this sale. Please show up and help out. It is a very fast fun filled few hours. In the past few years we have sold out before closing time.

At this show we get our name out there, introduce people to the wide variety bromeliads have to offer and publicize our show/sale. When the doors open at this event the plant nuts run in like bears to honey. I am happy to say some head straight for our table. It is a very positive experience.

So please sign up and help. To donate plants or volunteer to represent the club contact Marilyn.

          
A Guzmania sanguinea grown by Harold Charns and a Tillandsia erubescens grown by Dennis Westler were on display at the June 2006 Sale.

left to right:Tom Koerber's Tillandsia mitlaensis, Dan Arcos' Vriesea 'Sunset' and George Nauyok's Aechmea Chantinii were on display also.

Photo by Tom Vincze

BSSF wins Gold Medal at San Francisco Garden Show 2007
TheBromeliad Society of San Francisco was awarded a Gold Medal March 20, 2007 at the San Francisco 2007 Garden Show held annually at the Cow Palace. The medal was awarded for Garden Creator and was one of 3 gold medals in that catagory.

The judges were Fergus Garret from Great Dixter House and gardens in East Sussex, UK, Landscape Architect Steve Martino, FASLA from the US and Mario Schjetman, founder of Grupo de Diseno Urbano, Mexico City and Professor at the School of Landscape Architecture at the Uniiversity of Tucson. We were prasied for our design and bold use of bromeliads. The title of the display was "Proven Bromeliads for the Bay Area".

The garden was designed by Dan Arcos, Casper Curto, Daryl Durcharme, David Feix and Tom Vincze. Casper's crew from his company, Casper Landscape were indispensible in the building of the garden. Our Thanks to them.

The BSSF would also like to thank all its members that participated in providing plants to create the garden and volunteering to greet and inform the countless people at the SF Garden Show. 2007 saw a marked increase in attendance at the SF Garden Show.

BSSF Annual Garden Tour: Sunday, July 27, 2008
The 2008 Annual Garden tour will be Sunday, July 27th in the East Bay. Please check back for details.

Newsletters in PDF:

2008
January | February | March | April | May

Newsletter Archive
Checkout previous newsletter for information and articles about bromeliads and their cultivation.

Watch Flash Slideshow of Hardy Bromeliads in Bay Area

S.F.Chronicle Article

Scrapbook