Begonia Blogging

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A stunning specimen of Begonia 'Benitochiba', from the Yahoo Begonia Group. This Japanese hybrid with silvery leaves, dark green veins and hints of lavender, is a favorite of mine, although begonias with silvery leaves are usually more prone to mildew and harder to grow.

More begonias

Begonia Blogging

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Begonia 'Annan Blossom'. Another beautiful shot from the Yahoo Begonia Group. This is a Ross Bolwell hybrid from 1996, a very compact growing cane with dense foliage, rich green, spotted white, with undulate margins and a white drip tip.

Eye Candy

This specimen of the extremely difficult to grow Begonia 'Midnight Sun' earned a much-deserved Best Of Show at one of the recent ABS conventions. It was most likely a Texas or California convention. Apologies to the grower and the photographer, because I didn't save the info. The striking foliage is fantastically variegated, with bright pink, pale pink, dark green and red coloration mixed throughout. Who needs flowers when the leaves are so colorful? The photo is from the wonderfully informative Yahoo group on Begonias.

Gone With The Wind

Begonia 'Little Miss Mummey', another victim of Hurricane Wilma.

Random Begonia

Begonia 'River Nile' is one of many unique rhizomatous hybrids by Brad Thompson, in California. I love the neon lime green centers and dark burgandy edges, as well as the double helix at the umbo. The plant pictured is only in a 4" pot, but the leaves are easily 5" across. I once had a 10" hanging basket of it growing in an enormous rounded mound and spilling over the sides. You can grow a lot of begonia in a small pot.

As with most rhizomatous begonias, flowering occurs from late winter to mid-spring. This shot of B. 'River Nile' flowers was taken at night. Most of the blooms haven't opened yet, but you can see two open female flowers on the lower left.

Begonia nelumbiifolia

One of several forms of B. nelumbiifolia, a species from Mexico and Central America with a large, peltate leaf. The leaves actually get larger than the ones in the picture next to the disembodied hand. It's quite easy to grow here in South Florida, and often used in the landscape.



It's profuse white flowers on tall stalks appear from mid winter to late spring.

Begonias I Can't Grow

I'm posting this picture of a gorgeous display of tuberous begonias, even though it's the one type that I can't grow in the subtropics. Tuberous begonias require cool nights, and to say that we don't have them is an understatement. Except in the winter, of course, but by then the tubers are dormant. I believe that this picture was taken by Mike Flaherty, a superb grower in Santa Monica, California.

Tuberous begonia species were found in the highlands of South America and Asia. The nights are quite cool in the mountains, and that requirement remained, even after extensive hybridization. Parts of California and the Pacific Northwest, some of the mountainous areas of the US, and some parts of Australia can grow them. But the premier growers and hybridizers of tuberous begonias are in Scotland. I was fortunate to have met Hugh McLaughlin, of Edinburgh, who has been to many of our American Begonia Society conventions. He always gives a talk and slide presentation, showing off the dinner plate-sized flowers that he grows.

Begonia of the Fortnight

I forgot to post one last week.

The Begoniaceae family probably has the greatest variety of leaf shape, size, patterning and texture of any plant family, but even plain green can be dramatic. This rhizomatous hybrid, B. 'Oliver Twist', is a lovely shade of (what?) forest green? emerald green? I need a list of all the shades of green. It has a few very dark green, almost black, streaks here and there, which don't show up in the picture. I love the helix and the frilly edges...reminds me of a petticoat.

Brazilian Species U043

This begonia is rare even among collectors and has unique characteristics that make it one of the most intriguing species I've ever seen. The gray-green leaves can get nearly a foot across. The edges fold inward, giving them an umbrella-like appearance. The backs of the leaves are a striking burgandy color, and there are red scale-like appendages up and down the petioles.

New leaves emerge looking like crab claws.

This species, which used to be called Rudy's [Ziesenhenne] J-11, has not yet been officially named. It has been given a U (unidentified) number until a positive ID is made, and has been classified as a thick-stemmed begonia. This is one of those begonias that collectors put at the top of their wish list.

Begonia acetosa

B. acetosa is a species from Brazil with leaves like plush velvet. This photo doesn't do them justice, but it gives you an idea. The leaves are just as soft and fuzzy as they look.

Begonia 'Dale Sena'

B. 'Dale Sena' (deliciosa x 'Bob Cochran') is a hybrid by Tim Anderson, owner of Palm Hammock Orchid Estate. It has rex characteristics in the leaf coloration, but in growth habit it's more rhizomatous, jointed at or below the soil. Tim is a grower and hybridizer from Miami who has attempted to create crosses which will withstand our summer heat. Begonias are more comfortable in the same temperatures that humans are comfortable in. This one does seem to stand up better to summer temperatures than other rexes. I love the lavender and seafoam green colors in the leaves, which can reach 6"-7" from top to drip point.

Dale Sena is curator of the Begonia Species Bank at the University of South Florida, in Tampa. There are only two begonia species banks in the US. The other is in Ft. Worth, Texas.

Begonia U192

This lovely little species from the Philippines, B. U192, has always been a favorite. A delicate looking begonia with sparkly pink leaves, it's classified as a trailing/scandent; it trails along the rainforest floor and occasionally climbs. In tropical and subtropical climates it makes a beautiful ground cover, but it can also be grown in a hanging basket. The one in the picture is growing in a shallow tray. When the light hits the leaves they sparkle with thousands of tiny built-in reflectors. It blooms almost year-round.

Incorrectly called 'Martin's Mystery' by some growers, this is actually an unidentified species. U numbers are given to species until they can be officially identified. In the past when new species were found and named, it was often later discovered that the same plant had already been found and named in the past. This caused a lot of confusion. Giving new species U numbers avoids that problem. I wish they would hurry up on this one. It deserves a name that suits its almost magical cuteness.

Begonia 'Flamingo Queen'

This one is an Australian hybrid by Ross Bolwell, another prolific hybridizer who keeps churning out one beauty after another. Unfortunately, because of import/export restrictions on plants, it's very difficult to get our hands on any of them. This cultivar made it to the US somehow, and I've been growing one for several years now.

B. 'Flamingo Queen' is my favorite cane-like begonia, with a height of 3'-4', prolific pink bloom clusters and enormous, long, curling spotted leaves. I've often thought that Ross really meant 'Flamenco Queen', instead of 'Flamingo Queen', because the leaves remind me of a gypsy dancer's skirt.

Begonia of the Week #5

Begonia 'Lady Prado', a Brad Thompson hybrid. I love the bright orange flowers contrasting with the silver-patterned leaves. Brad is a prolific hybridizer in California with many mouth-watering creations. His Web site is the most complete reference on begonia cultivation that I've found.

Begonia of the Week #4

There are several rex begonia hybrids that look very similar, but I think this one is B. 'Harmony's Red Robin 2'. Impossible to capture in a photo is the sparkle that you find in begonia leaves, especially in rexes. Up close, this looks like the metallic red paint used on cars. Botanists speculate that it may be a device to reflect more light to the plant, since begonias are shade lovers and often grow on the jungle floor. It's magical, whatever it is.

Begonia of the Week #3

B. 'Sierra Mountain King' is a rather small cane-like begonia (up to three feet in height) displaying enormous, pendulous bloom clusters with very fuschia-like flowers in pink and white. As you can see, each bloom is almost as long as my finger.

This is a very showy cane that doesn't get huge, so it's great as a patio plant in summer and a houseplant in winter for the northern growers. It's a Cynthia Bishop hybrid (maculata x lubbersii).

This is what's known as a primary cross, which is a hybrid formed by crossing two species, in this case, the two Brazilian species, maculata and lubbersii, both discovered in the 1800's. Every spotted cane begonia that you see can be traced back to B. maculata. You will always get very similar plants by crossing two species, whereas species-hybrid crosses, or hybrid-hybrid crosses, can produce an almost endless number of different results from the same seed pod, depending upon the genetic variation contained in the hybrid. Some are better parents than others, and some are sterile.

This was one of my favorite canes, but the hurricanes blew it away. I'll find another one some day.

Begonia of the Week #2

I'm fascinated by black leaves, and there are a number of begonia hybrids to choose from. This one was labeled B. 'Mimi' when I got it, but there doesn't seem to be any record of a hybrid by that name. In any case, I love it! The velvety leaves are enhanced with white eyelashes and a double helix and are about as black as begonia leaves can get. This photo illustrates a phenomenon that I've noticed with dark begonia leaves. In the right light, an iridescent blue color shows through.

Begonia of the Week

Begonia goegoensis, with its round, green-bronze, quilted peltate leaves, was discovered on the island of Goego, in Sumatra, in 1881. It's a rhizomatous form that can be grown in a terrarium, but if you give it 50-60% humidity it will survive indoor conditions. The ideal temperature range is 70°-75°, but mine has experienced daytime highs in the 90's to nighttime lows in the 40's and didn't drop a leaf. However, this one requires a bit more attention to its ambient conditions than most. I have a weakness for peltate leaves, and B. goegoensis is one of the most exotic-looking that I grow.

They say that the number of species lost forever is greater than all the species that have been discovered in the past or will be found in the future. Some species in cultivation are already extinct in the wild, so growing, propagating and sharing them is a way to prevent them from disappearing.

Begonia Hotel

I woke this little guy up with the flash. He's got the cutest little toes!

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