Might be my favorite begonia

B. manicata ‘Aureo-maculata’ I think is the name!

I saw it at MIke Flaherty's Gazebo Plants, Santa Barbara in an incredible room display. I just had to have it but it was no where to be had. Though Lali has a small one at home and offered to share as I dragged her for the 10th time to see it. Then when we got to Kartuz Greenhouse, I spied it. I came home with a small one to my delight.

Edited to correct the spelling of B. manicata ‘Aureo-maculata’

This message was edited Sep 7, 2006 9:52 AM

Just about had to adopt out my cats. when I got home from our Thelma and Louise adventure, my cats had knocked mine off the patio table and broke all but one leaf off of it! Grrrrr. I found it upside down on its head. The good news is the rhizome is fine so it will bounce back but gee whiz those cats!

They bonked all the babies off my 'Mother of Millions' too. Anyone want a passle of rotten cats! (no, only kidding, I forgave them within seconds, they're too cute not to! Especially Thing One and Thing Two! )

Great shot Kell!

So when life gives you lemons I hope you made potted leaves. LOL

Ohhhhh, on my wish list!! Man, I wish I could go shopping with you two this weekend!!!

Awwww Sue, I wish you could too!

Beautiful, definitely on my wish list

Yesindeedy! I put down all the leaves and so far all but one has rooted. The others turned to mush. I guess they spent too many days broken off the mom to want to root? I dunno.

Sue, I'll look for one for you this weekend. You never know! We do have it at the arboretum, but I just started the leaves so it will be a while before we have them up for sale.

So Lali, do you know the name of this one for sure? Mike said it was a species?

I want one, too! So if anyone has any babies for sale (shame on me for that word), please look up my d-mail. Same goes for the canes.

Susan

Im a variegated freak..this one will be on my want list.....what a beauty...Judy

Kell/Lali- Does Kartuz have this one on their website? If not, can you ask for it in a phone order? How does one on the east coast get this pretty one???? LOL

Thanks,
GH

I'm with you Juttz. I like anything variegated, especially begonias. That's another one to add to my wants list. It's a real beauty.

Actually I think its spelled b. manicata aureo maculata (aureo with an O) and yes, it's a species. We had a great slide presentation last night at the SFO begonia society meeting (and yes, I came home with two new begonias) Anyway, this was on the slide show. I also bought another from Kartuz that was variegated like this. I'll try and get a photo a bit later if time allows. And for the life of me I cant recall the name of it! here's another shot of it http://www.athenee-horticulture.be/didactique/nomphoto/in019.jpg

There's a great semperflorens with similar coloring on the leaves called 'Charm' - semps can winter over in a warm greenhouse or inside as a house plant too!! http://www.begonia-net.com/db/senp/charm.html Kartuz had this one as well. I can't believe I dont have this one!!! I see it on eBay every so often too.

And just to let you know, they didn't have many of them. I think maybe one or two more of b. manicata a. m. So y'all better hurry!!!

This message was edited Sep 7, 2006 11:15 AM

I found the spelling here Lali
http://www.begoniatalk.com/Begonia_Research_Variegation.htm

Editors Note Variegated Begonias
“On B. manicata ‘Aurea maculata’, B. Cally Lily, B. Charm though, some leaves are nearly all yellow or white, some green with splashes, some half and half, each leaf is different. This I would consider variegation....."

However I just googled your spelling and come up with many more hits so you are right. And I found out that B. manicata ‘Aureo-maculata’ is the parent of Freddie. How cool is that? And then of course also to Red Fred.

That second link in Laurie's last post has a period at the end. Remove it in the address bar (if you have it displayed) and you will see a Japanese picture of 'Charm'.

I wonder why the hybridizers haven't created more variegated begonias? Maybe they have but the progeny is too weak to survive or too ugly to be marketable?

Anyway the first picture is the best I've seen of this species (or mutation of the species). Here is a picture at the abastro site for another view.

http://absastro.tripod.com/skey/spic_gm/manicataaureomaculata_l.jpg

Butch, it was a very healthy plant! I was mesmerized by it. LOL. Ask Lali, I drove her nuts.

Gazebo Plants was a combo florist and plant shop. But outside it had lots of garden rooms just for display and for teasing us plant nuts. I had such fun there looking. And I learned where I went wrong in life......... I should have done such a shop and had my own garden outside it and I could have not only bought all sorts of fun plants on the business but had all the hard work done too! I am too old now.

I want to enter it in PlantFiles, do you guys know if it gets big leaves like Freddie if grown under perfect conditions? Is the correct classification a giant leafed rhizomatous begonia?

Doh! thanks Butch, I fixed the link. Let's bug Brad, maybe he'll hybridize us some cool varigates!

I'm surprised Mike hasn't shown this on the Yahoo group (or Julie). Those two are the ones who got me lusting a few years ago for all the begonias you never see around town (I've never drooled or slobbered mind you, just lusted).

There are so many nice looking variegated plants out there, that the few in the begonia world pale in comparison. BUT this one is splashy enough to have some bragging rights.

Most home nurseries never make it so hats off for the ones who do. P.S. You're never too old to try something new and think about all the neat plants you'd see before any customers. That would be my downfall - I'd never sell the new stuff, just hoard it for myself.

According to the Thompson's book, under 'Culture by Groups' it's considered under the category 'Rhizome Erect' and on page 133 (quoting here)

"In this group there are begonias that have rhizomes that will grow upward and then grow downward and sometimes sideways, giving a semblance of twisting. these plants present a challenge to the grower because they are generally difficult to grow into symmetrical plants, but they are interesting and unusual. " It goes on to list this in that group.

They go on to list it under 'Growing Ease of Well Know Rhizomatous Begonias' as 'For the Collector' which is the listing right after 'Advanced Grower' group. Hmmm...

Soft pink flowers, late winter.

Those 2 are sure nice people. I took lots of pics of Julie's garden too but can't find most of them. I just can't figure out what I did with them. I think I downloaded half my card and stopped it and then never went back and downloaded the rest. Then later deleted all the pictures to reuse my card not realizing I had not fully downloaded them. I am so mad at myself.

Julie's place was so fascinating because not only is she a collector with all the pots of begonias like we all have (though she has so many more LOL) but she also has effectively planted them into her landscape year round and they are so happy. Just a truly inspirational yard. I would say I want to grow up and have a yard like too but it is too late for me. LOL

From Julie's garden of delights.

Thanks Lali, I guess you can see I haven't read my book yet. I never even opened it once on our trip. All that driving we just yakked. What did we have to yak about for 16 hours?

Oh no Kell! First the moolah and now your photos? We better have an evening of Lemon Drops to make you feel better!

While this is a bit premature since I'm nowhere near finished uploading and editing photos. It's a bit like having you all over to my house before I got to cleaning - so never my my dust, but.... here's a few from Joolz amazingly beautiful garden.

http://flickr.com/photos/begonias-photos/sets/72157594269439467/

And last night I watered my camera and it died.

oh no!


Here's the other that has similar variegated markings. This is Begonia 'Templinii'
from what I can find, it is a sport of b. 'Phyllomaniaca', thick stemmed, bare leaved, large, leaved, deep pink flowers, January- April, profuse.
And b 'Phyllomaniaca' is a hybrid using b. incarnata x b. manicata.

I also have b. manicata 'Crispa' that I picked up at PHOE this spring. I think I have a photo of it somewhere....

Oh my Lali, those images and her collection are awesome!! Is that first one a begonia? I want the reddish curly fuzzy one, picture #4 and the dark leafed with veins and yellow bloomed one. And Holley' Rhyme, and Star Frost...and...the cute little spotted one with white bloom and...her custome shelving display and... I have work to do but now I am seriously lusting and dreaming and want to go hunting for more!