简体中文
EnglishWhat Do You Get by Joining the African Violet Society of Canada?
Updated
Joining the African Violet Society of Canada (AVSC) gives you four concrete things: a members' newsletter called Chatter, a community of growers to learn from and share with, access to named hybrids to grow, and a connection to a local affiliate society if one exists in your area. These benefits apply to anyone who wishes to join — the society describes itself as open to anyone who wants to learn and share.
The four membership benefits
1. The Chatter newsletter
Members receive Chatter, the society's newsletter. According to AVSC.ca, it carries "the latest about growing these wonderful plants from other members." In practice, that means growing information written by and for other members rather than generic houseplant advice — useful if you want to know what is working for people actually growing African violets in Canadian conditions.
2. A community to learn and share with
AVSC describes itself as "a community that centres on learning together and sharing of knowledge." Membership is the entry point into that group. If your goal is to have people to ask when a plant is struggling, or to compare notes on what you are growing, this is the benefit that matters most.
3. Access to named hybrids
Membership gives you "a connection into the community to obtain named hybrids to grow." This is a meaningful difference from buying at retail. African violets sold in grocery stores, home improvement stores, and greenhouses are often unnamed or mass-produced varieties; a named hybrid is a specific, identified cultivar. If you want to know exactly what you are growing — and to be able to look up how others grow that same plant — this is the benefit to weigh.
4. A local affiliate society
If you want in-person contact, AVSC points members toward local affiliate societies. The site offers a "Find a Local Affiliate" path alongside "Join/Renew Membership." Joining a local affiliate connects you with people in your own geographical area rather than only online.
Who this suits — and who it may not
| Your goal | Does AVSC membership fit? |
|---|---|
| Learn from experienced growers | Yes — learning and sharing is the stated purpose of the community |
| Get named hybrids rather than unnamed retail plants | Yes — access to named hybrids is an explicit member benefit |
| Meet growers in your own area | Yes, if a local affiliate society exists near you; the site provides a way to find one |
| Receive regular growing updates | Yes — via the Chatter newsletter |
| Buy plants at the lowest possible price | Not stated — the site does not present membership as a purchasing channel or discount program |
A note on what the site does not say
AVSC.ca does not publish membership pricing, payment methods, or login requirements in the material available here. So treat cost as something to confirm directly through the "Join/Renew Membership" link rather than assuming it is free.
Background worth knowing before you join
The African violet is a hybridization success story: AVSC notes that today's plants descend from species native to eastern Africa, mainly the Nguru mountains of Tanzania, and that generations of hybridization produced the range of flower colours, patterns, and variegated foliage now available. The plant belongs to the Gesneriad family, alongside other houseplants such as the lipstick plant (aeschynanthus) and goldfish plant (nematanthus).
That context explains why a society like AVSC exists and why named hybrids matter to its members: with that much breeding history behind the plants on your windowsill, there is a lot of specific knowledge to share — and a community is the practical way to get it.