Begonia luxurians revisited

Last July under the topic of 'Trout Begonia', I posted about Begonia luxurians that I had planted in a shady border. Due to protective overhanging evergreen vegetation from Cornus capitata and Dicksonia antarctica, I gritted my teeth and left it to the vagaries of our winter climate. Quite a risk to take, but made easier because it is locally available and easily replaced. It continued growing well into December and eventually topped 7 feet with 4 stout canes and several shorter, more slender ones from the base.

Flowers were carried through much of the winter, but it was a bit too chilly to discern whether they had any great amount of fragrance. Happily it not only survived with consummate ease, but following a moderately severe pruning (down to 4 feet high) it is growing away with greater vigour than ever. I fully expect it to reach 8 or 9 feet this year.

I took this in late August, by which time it had grown a feet more than in the previous pic. In this the largest leaves are 18" across and are probably about as large as they can get. Mind you, that won't stop me from trying to persuade it to do even better.




I think I promised a cutting to Honeybee and unfortunately forgot all about it. Very remiss of me, but things became a bit chaotic later in the summer. I'll do some more soon HB if you're still interested.

 

Nice to see that beauty growing outside, something I never thought of doing when I had a Begonia collection 12 years ago but it would have been risky even then.

 

That is one nice Begonia, well done
Now where can I get one.....

 

Yep it's certainly reassuring to see big fat buds at each leaf axil, plus sturdy shoots starting to emerge from the roots. I'm just a bit worried that it will crowd out the Himalayan Rattan palm at the side. The palm was planted a few years ago and theoretically should clamber up into the Cornus overhead. I don't want to shift the Begonia and moving the palm would stop it in its tracks for a few years at least. I should have realised before I planted it, but I never expected the experiment to work quite so well. Fingers crossed it can get a few fronds above the Begonia if we get enough summer heat.

Blackthorn, since you're in N. Cornwall, it might not be too far for you to get one from Hill House Nurseries near Ashburton. They are just a couple of miles off the A38 and there's an excellent range of plants - both the usual suspects and stuff out of the ordinary. Unfortunately they do not do mail order, but it's well worth a visit.

 

Thanks for that DaveP, will look in next time I'm down that way.