Lifelong Learners: African Violets - Beyond Box Stores

Presenter: Jeff Smith, Emeritus Director of Academic Affairs of the Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics and Humanities

Description: Have you ever purchased an African Violet from a box store, only to have it die or stop flowering?  Dr. Jeff Smith is a member of the African Violet Society of America and has combined his training as a Botanist with his hobby of African Violets. His program will give a brief history of African Violets, a short course on how to grow and reproduce these plants, and an informative slide show of the many types of violets that are available in the hobbyist world but not sold in box stores.

Bio: Dr. Jeff Smith is the Emeritus Director of Academic Affairs of the Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics and Humanities. His grandmother grew African Violets, but it wasn’t until a trip to an African Violet greenhouse in the mid 1970’s that he learned about the diversity of these plants. Dr. Jeff, as he is known in the African Violet Community, is a member of the African Violet Society of America (AVSA). He has written a Genetics Advice column called “In Search of New Violets” for the African Violet Magazine for 32 years. Jeff has combined his Botanical training with his hobby and has become an international authority and researcher on African Violets. He currently chairs the Research Committee and the Registration and Master Variety List Committee for the AVSA.              

The Association of Lifelong Learners (ALL) is a group of retirees and community members interested in continuing to learn and engage with each other on a variety of educational topics. If you're not already a member, feel free to attend a meeting or two to see what we're about before making the commitment. Find out how to join by visiting us at www.bsu.edu/lifelonglearners