Phoe's Cloe

I picked this up yesterday. Thought it was pretty. Anybody know anything about it? Soil, Humidity and what have you?

That is a real green PHOE's Cleo. I thought they were more on the yellow side. It is a very showy plant but loses all its leaves in winter followed by blooms on leafless rhizomes. (at least that is what mine did this year - just got it last year at PHOE).

Might just be green from it's growing conditions, but I agree, mine is more lime green/yellow. I got mine at PHOE in Feb. 06 and so far so good. I didn't have the same leaf loss but perhaps that's because I had it in a greenhouse over winter.

I keep mine that are in pots in the bathroom during Winter. I put shelves on the walls and we installed florescent lighting. They set all around the walls and on the coffee table in front of the tub. I keep pebble trays full of water for humidity. I'm thinking this year about getting a humidifier. Mine seem to do real well but I still loose a few every Winter. The hanging baskets hang in the sunroom with the tropicals. Both greenhouses are too cold. I try to just keep things from freezing in them. Both are too much to heat all Winter.
Tami

Hey, just saw your post to the yahoo group, (I'm the B. emeiensis nut) - I think your green PHOE is just possibly due to the growers lighting or environment. It may change somewhat. Wish I had a set up like your bathroom. Our tiny house just doesn't have that much room.

Here's an article on the ABS site - the first photo is PHOE's Cleo http://www.begonias.org/begonian/begonianItem.asp?ArticleID=177
and they show a nice B. 'Bunchii'

Here's a shot of my 'Bunchii' from the other day

Very Pretty. I have a beef steak looking one that has ruffly edges but not like that one. Really cool.
If you had as much room as me you might be as big a nut as me. I have a 10' X 20' Greenhouse and a tall 20' x 30'(for Plumeria). I have a 10' X 16' sunroom that I keep tropicals in that need warmth all winter. I have been down all Spring and summer with two herniated disks and can't take care of much anymore. I still can't stop collecting.

Tami

Ooooooh photos of the greenhouses please!!!

Here's the 10 X 20 right after we built it.

Tami

Here is the Commercial Greenhouse while we were building it.

Tami

I'm so jealous! Thanks for posting! Did you cover the ends of the commercial with plastic or add doors?

Nice greenhouses. I kind of miss mine at times.

Here are a few more sites with 'PHOE's Cleo'.

http://www.kartuz.com/pc/20363/2BEG06/Begonia+Phoes+Cleo.html

http://www.terranovanurseries.com/wholesale/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=444

Laurie, maybe it is something to do with growing conditions (maybe a dark corner will make it go green). We need to experiment, huh?

Here is a picture of one at the national convention last year.

I have a nice one, bought from an ebay seller early last year.
Mine kind of has both the yelowish and green going on.

Though mine did lose a few leaves last winter, it did, for the most part keep on growing strong throughout the winter, and didn't bloom!

I have it in an east window in a hanging basket....it's a very carefree, easy-to-grow plant, in my opinion.

Here is mine last week. It has smaller leaves than last year but has a lot more. I think with the heat and humidity it has really begun to grow.