I love this Rex...whatever it is. My little local nursery had this one today. I had one like it before before but it died. Gorgeous, huh? I'm thrilled... ChuLin
Look what I found today!
WHAT A BEAUTIFUL BEGONIA. I JUST STARTED COLLECTING BEGONIAS, 25 PLANTS SO FAR. THEY ARE SO LOVELY TO SEE THE VARIETIES AND COLORS THEY HAVE. TERRIFIC PLANT
Your very pretty begonia looks like 'Miami Storm'.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/112978/
Hi PamelaQ, I think its a Harmony Red Robin. The Miami Storm leaves look rounder and have less of a black margin around the leaves. Its very pretty, no matter what it is! There was no label on it, other than the price. Thanks...ChuLin
I just saw the picture of Harmony Red Robin. I completely agree. That looks exactly like it.
Beautiful plant, ChuLin. I'm so drawn to the red Rex's. When I see a well grown plant for sale I buy it even though I've got several at home. Even though it's a pain in the side to over winter even in the greenhouse. Usually end up having to plastic bag them and put them under lights. Good luck with your new beauty.
Tussee
Well, this one is going the way of the first RR I tried. It has 2 little leaves left. But I'm still trying with it. If I can't get it going again, I give up on the RR. I do have a leaf in water hoping it will put out roots...never have had any success with that though.
If you water root your leaves, cover them with a baggie. I've had much better success this way than leaving them uncovered. The leaf has to be healthy though.
Okey Dokey, I'll cover it and see...so far its looking real good! Thanks.
Well, that was another failed experiment. The leaf had fuzzy fungus all over it the other day, and part has turned black. So that one went in the trash. Never again with a Red Robin for me!
It does seem that the red rexes are a lot more susceptible to mildew. Spray, spray, spray or like you said - never again.
Some rexes after lots of rain a couple days ago.
Wow, those are GORGEOUS! Thanks for sharing. And no, I will never get a red rex again, since my others are doing real well.
ok, what are we spraying the begonias with?
I have a snail leave that just got spots recently....and my reds however are still gorgeous! I puinched off those leaves though hoping that it will not be back.
There are many antifungals on the market but I prefer the safest ones to use. Sulphur is supposed to be excellent but hard to find and smelly. Diluted milk is reported to be effective. I use neem due to it being organic and very safe.
A commercial grower claims Milstop is the best thing around but is expensive and hard to find.
Thanks for the info. Im gonna have to look next time I get to the nursery.
Here is one of my reds... Have no clue on the ID.
Guess it would help to post the pic! *blush blush*
Aw, pretty begonias!
Butch, That group of silver begonias is absolutely beautiful.
Thanks Stormy.
Here is a group of rexes from a few years back. Even if they are temperamental who can resist? Think of them as annuals - that way if they croak, you won't feel too bad. Usually you can find rexes here and there the next growing season.
Is that a big pot of benitochiba? I knew I wanted that plant for a reason, lol.
Love that snail leaf.
Heres another....(not sanail leaf though! Dont know what it is..)
Yes that is Benitochiba. Now I have a sprig of it left after 3 years of dropping all leaves in winter to filling out in spring. A relative to it is 'Emerald Star'.
Not sure what the rex you have there BB but it sure is colorful.
That is so pretty. Now I know for sure I'll be ordering one come spring. Usually if I grow them outside here I can keep a decent percentage over winter. Late purchases are more iffy. Strange.
You found out the same thing I discovered. If you can grow a decent mature plant by late fall you can usually keep it through winter but if you start off with a small start late in the season then the chances are greatly diminished. I lost a lot of my L.A. convention begonias because it was in September or at least that is what I think. Most of my FL and TX begonias survived because their conventions are early to late spring. Maybe my observations are wrong but I don't know what else to make of them.
It's the same here, I wondered if it was to do with pot bound so not as likely to overwater for winter, but begs that I had or that I got at least mid summer, are fine. Pretty and growing right now, no major leaf loss on rexes and canes, but I got a couple later in the season and they are just tiny red pinpoints trying to grow and I'm wishing they would just save their energy until spring... Hmmm, I guess this means something. I need to save up all I can afford for spring and then not buy anything else, period. Really.
Give them some good light - as much as possible, some fertilizer if they are growing, and you might see some growth. If they are very small they place them in a terrarium to keep conditions optimum. Part of growing is observing and learning.
Sounds good. They are in dappled sunlight, so maybe it needs less dappled, lol.
hcmc, your begonias are beautiful!
Thanks plantnutz. I entered 7 begonias in the flower show yesterday and was a passer at the begonia table. There are some nice looking begonias at the show with an amazing carolineifolia - I will post pictures of it when I go to the show this weekend. It is a very unique way of growing this particular species - it is in a window box and the huge rhizome occupies it nicely with very large leaves.
'Bill Claybaugh' with U400 in the background - setting sun late Sept.
Hi Butch,There is a cultivar named Silver queen that looks very similar to your Bill Claybaugh. Do you think they are the same or different.
Here 's a link to a PDF from the University of FL
http://hort.ufl.edu/floriculture/gpn/RexBegonia.pdf
I have a very similar plant and wanted to ID it.
No they aren't the same. Silver Queen has much thicker leaves and different markings. It also turns pink when the weather gets cool (cold) kind of like Cancan does.
Here is my Silver Queen. I wished I had Bill Claybaugh and SQ together (SQ is just starting to put on new foliage). Maybe this summer I can do that for side by side comparisons.
Then I think I have bill c. Since mine doesn't turn pink
Wow, I love them and want to start a collection. I do have a couple Rex Begonia. One that is planted outside and miraculously comes back every year. I have been very lucky - I need to dig it up as it never gets very big. If it comes up this year, that is.
I was on the verge of tossing my rexes out..I even set them aside to do so.. then I forgot about them and now they all got new growth.. they had lost their leaves and I thought they died...
hc,, does passer mean yours didn't make the entry? Well, I would think all those beautiful ones you have shown would certainly make the grade. You just need to become one of the judges.. I am thinking about going to the show on Saturday, but it's a drive from down here in Lizella,,,
Elaine
Blossom, I'm glad you didn't, then. I don't throw begonias or gesneriads away for quite a while, as they can be surprising, lol.
EFG,
Passer is the term used for the person(s) that inspects entries for correct identification, cleanliness of plant and pot, entries are filled out correctly (size of pot, flowering or foliage, etc), and rules are followed for entry. If a plant looks diseased or has pests then it will be rejected and not allowed to enter the show.
I don't know how many categories the Flower Show has but there is a string of tables where after a person registers their plants they bring their plant(s) to the correct table for passing. Once passed, the plant will be taken to the show room floor where another group will do the staging. This is my second year for being a passer for begonias.
BB,
Glad to hear you didn't toss your begonias. If the rhizome remains firm then patience is often rewarded.
Here is B. 'Lowe's Pet'. Many years ago (ten?) I picked this up along with two other begonias at a local Target Store (the only time I've ever seen begonias at Target) for my almost vacant new greenhouse. The GH was still pretty empty so I went on line and consumed everything I could find out about begonias. In 3 years my GH was stuffed and my side of the garage was full as well so most of my bromeliads went into the shed with a faulty (new) kerosene heater. I lost over half of my bromeiads that winter and gave them up after that.
Oh man thats sweet!
I saw some stunning rexes not too long ago.. then I passed on them cuz I thought of the issues I was having and though.. ima wasting my money if I got them.. now Im sorry I didnt! Cant win!
Glad you were a 'passer' then,, Will look for you if I can make it up there tomorrow.
thanks for the info.
I will hope to be a passer soon.
Elaine
Well, I will look at them again. They are such a lovely plant and I really want to try them outdoors so.. guess next time I will not pass them by.