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  Horticulturist Awards Program HAP 

The Horticulturist Awards Program (HAP) recognizes DFWAA members’ achievements in raising aquatic plants. If you keep plants you can earn points, certificates, ribbons, plaques and bragging rights. The purpose of the HAP is to:

• Promote and encourage the keeping and captive propagation of aquatic plants.

• Gather and spread information about aquatic plants, their cultivation and propagation methods.

• Ensure the availability of aquatic plant species for future generations of aquarium hobbyists.

• Encourage members to become active in the club and to expand the experience and diversity of the membership.

DFWAA members grow and propagate plants in their aquariums and submit them to HAP for points. The points accumulate for individual achievement levels and are tallied for annual awards.  Plants that are submitted to HAP are donated to the club for auction at the general club meeting, with the proceeds going to support club activities.

Any participant of HAP may bring one extra bag each month of a plant species that he/she has previously HAPed. This bag will be auctioned during the BAP/HAP auction and the seller will receive 50% of the selling price.  The intent of this allowance is to provide more member access to member-propagated species and for the horticulturist to pass on excess plants of interesting species to fellow DFWAA members. 

 

Participants whose membership lapses will be ineligible but shall have their points reinstated upon renewing their membership within 45 days of lapse for that calendar year. Points from a previous year will not be reinstated. If your membership is not renewed in the 45-day time period you forfeit all points you have earned thus far. Example ( Member has been raising plants since January 2022 their membership lapses October 1, 2022, the member will still be awarded points once their membership is renewed as long as it’s before November 15, 2022.)

All Plants must be legal in the state of Texas ….

POINT CLASSIFICATION FOR PLANT SPECIES The HAP Committee will be responsible for the point classification of each plant registered. If the point value of a plant changes over time only new registrations will be affected.

CLASS A 5 points “very easy”:
Azolla  (Ex: fairy moss, actually a floating moss)
Ceratophyllum (Ex. Hornwort)
Cyperaceae (Ex: Dwarf  Hairgrass)
Echinodorus Bleheri (Amazon Sword),
Elodea/Egeria(Ex: Anacharis)
Hygrophila
Lemna sp. (Duckweed)
Limnophila (Ambulia)
Nomaphila
Riccia (?)
Sinnersia (Ex: Mexican Oak Leaf),
Synnema (green hygro, giant hygro, wysteria, etc.)
Vallisneria
Vesicularia Dubyana (Java Moss)

CLASS B 10 points “reasonably easy”:
Bacopa
Cabomba
Ceratopteris (water sprite)
Cryptocoryne (EX:Wendtii, Lutea, Undulata, Walkeri, Beckettii, Aponogetifolia)
Didiplis Diandra
Echinodorus Tenellus (Ex: Chain Sword)
Heteranthera
Hydrocotyle (Ex: Pennywort, Japan)
Lagarosiphon
Lobelia Cardinalis
Ludwigia sp.
Micranthemum (Java Fern)
Microsorum
Myriophyllum (Ex: ParrotsFeather)
Rotala (Ex: Indica, Rotundifolia)
Sagittaria Platyphylla 

CLASS C 15 points “moderately demanding”:
Alternanthera
Anubias sp.
Barclaya Longifolia
Cryptocoryne (EX: Red Undulata)
Didiplis
Echinodorus sp. (except for pygmy chain swords)
Limnophila Potamogeton
Lagenardra
Mayaca
Nuphar/Nymphoides/Nymphaea (water lily, pond lily, banana plant, vegetative)

CLASS D 25 points “demanding”:
Ammania
Cryptocoryne Cordata complex (Rosanervis, Blassi)
Ludwigia Glandulosa

CLASS E — SPECIAL 30 points grown from seeds:
Aponogeton
Barclaya
Nymphaea
Propagation of any plant from seeds produced by an aquarist’s plant (two propagations per species are allowable)
Donation of any plants to DFWAA for auction

REQUIREMENTS

• A doubling of the original amount of plant material is necessary to receive credit for reproducing bunch plants or floating plants.

• The reproduction of one separate plant is sufficient in the case of plants that produce runners (like Amazon swords).

• Plants produced sexually must be large enough to identify as the same as the parent plant.

• Ferns and plants reproduced by rhizome division (such as Anubias) must be free of the parent plant and at least 1/4 the size of the parent plant.

• Propagation by seed points will be awarded in addition to points awarded for flowering.

• Points for flowering of plants may be awarded for either submerged or emersed specimens.

ADDITIONAL CRITERIA

• Points are awarded for only two reproductions of each species.
• Seeds must have been propagated from the breeder’s own plants.
• Report forms should be given to the HAP committee or any HAP board member either by mail or at the monthly meeting.
• The aquarist must be a member in good standing (dues paid) of the DFWAA.
• All participants are encouraged to give a short oral report of the details involved in propagation of plants that have been submitted for points. An article to be published in the monthly bulletin would be greatly appreciated for any plants, especially in class D or E.
• Propagations and/or tanks should be witnessed by a DFWAA member. A photograph is an acceptable alternative.

 

AWARDS
A certificate will be awarded to recognize your accomplishments at the following levels: 

☆Novice Plant Breeder 50 points, any class
☆Aquatic Horticulturist 100 points, max 50 in class A
☆Advanced Aquatic Horticulturist 200 points, at least one in class C, E
☆Expert Aquatic Horticulturist 300 points, oral or written report
☆Master Aquatic Horticulturist 400 points, write at least one report for the bulletin and present a program at a general meeting 

 

IUCN Red List:

If the plant you are submitting to the HAP program are on the IUCN Red List an additional 5 points will be awarded. Please check WWW.IUCNREDLIST.ORG 

to receive the extra points. You must circle yes at the time of turning in your HAP form if your plant is on the IUCN Red List. Any forms turned in without this will not be awarded the extra 5 points. All HAP forms submitted stating that the plant is on the IUCN Red List will be verified, if your plant is not on the IUCN Red List all points will be void and all forms will be denied from that participant. 

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