How BSI Handles Bromeliad Cultivar Registration, Awards, and Judged Shows

Updated

The Bromeliad Society International (BSI), established in 1950, maintains a cultivar register, administers three award programs, and sets the standards for judged bromeliad shows. If you have developed a new bromeliad cultivar, want to exhibit plants competitively, or need to verify a cultivar name, BSI is the central body for these functions. The sections below explain what each program covers and how to engage with it.

Cultivar Registration

BSI maintains the Bromeliad Cultivar Register, which serves as the official record for named bromeliad cultivars. Registration establishes a documented, dated name for a cultivar so that it can be reliably identified and referenced by growers, judges, and researchers worldwide.

The register is listed alongside BSI's taxonomy resources, which include an Accepted Name List, a Bromeliad Taxon list, and a Natural Hybrid List. This placement reflects the register's role as part of the society's broader nomenclatural work.

What registration does for you:

  • Creates a permanent, citable record of your cultivar name
  • Helps prevent duplicate or conflicting names
  • Provides a reference point for judges and exhibitors who need to confirm a plant's identity

If you are naming a new cultivar, the register is the appropriate first stop. BSI also offers a Cultivar Registration Award, which recognizes contributions in this area.

BSI Awards

BSI administers three distinct award programs, each targeting a different kind of contribution:

Award What It Recognizes
Cultivar Registration Awards Work in registering new bromeliad cultivars
Cultivar Exhibitor/Breeder Awards Achievement in exhibiting or breeding cultivars
Wally Berg Award of Excellence Outstanding overall excellence in the bromeliad field

Each award has its own criteria and nomination process. The awards are listed under the "Awards" section of BSI's site, separate from judging and show information, which indicates they are administered independently of show results.

Judged Shows and Standards

BSI provides two key show-related resources:

  • BSI Standard Show — defines the standard format and requirements for a BSI-affiliated bromeliad show.
  • BSI Judged Bromeliad Show — covers the judging framework for competitive exhibitions.

These documents matter if you are:

  • Organizing a show through an affiliated society
  • Preparing plants for competitive judging
  • Training as a judge or seeking to understand scoring criteria

Affiliated societies schedule their own events, and BSI maintains a Schedule of Affiliate Events where these shows are listed. If you want to exhibit, checking that schedule is the practical starting point.

How to Participate or Find More Information

  1. For cultivar registration — consult the Bromeliad Cultivar Register section and the Cultivar Registration Awards page for submission details.
  2. For awards — review each award's page under the Awards section to confirm eligibility and nomination procedures.
  3. For shows — read the BSI Standard Show and Judged Bromeliad Show documents, then check the Schedule of Affiliate Events for upcoming exhibitions near you.
  4. For general questions — BSI maintains a Frequently Asked Questions page and a Contact page.

Note that some BSI content is marked as member-only, and the site references subscriptions in connection with its publications. Access to certain materials may therefore require membership. The site also requires JavaScript to display properly, so if pages appear blank, enabling JavaScript in your browser should resolve it.