Begonia Rules!!!

After the period where the dinosaurs once ruled, the earth was filled with ferns and so it happened to my garden when the reign of the ferns fall short of its glory. It happened when I decided to reduce all the evergreens into coloured ones and the best candidate that fit the bill was begonia. I had sold all of my ruffle ferns except two pots hanging by the roof corners and most of my maiden hair ferns died due to the change of weather - they seemed to be a very sensitive plant. While these were going on with the ferns, the begonias decided to expand their territory.

And so the champions:
1) Black Velvet Begonia. (1st pic)
2) Cane Begonia (2nd & 3rd pic)

My Black Velvet Begonia had grown very huge and for some strange reason the stem started to rot by the base, and the poor plant just barely survive dangling by the rotted base. I had re-set the whole thing but they didn't rejuvenate back to the former glory, most of them shrink and died. And so I have 2 - 3 hanging pots of it compared to the earlier 5 - 6 ones.


Those extra empty pots where fitted with my flame violets - they are doing well so far.


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The Cane Begonia never seemed to stop growing, it had already reached to my roof.
I'm still contemplating whether to trim it down or leave it and see what happens.
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These are known as Trailing Watermelon Begonia.

They are not actually from a begonia family. One thing for sure, they are really drought resistant. I found that the soil was as hard as dried clay but this survivor seemed to thrive in that condition. (in comparison with coleus which all of it had dried up)

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And so I have decided officially to plant this one at this region, they seemed to do so well and look pretty with the watermelon coloured leaves. Also found that False Philodendron (Peperomia Scandens) does well too in this condition.

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Its also due to my lack of interest in watering these plants and the whole row of hanging plants suffered and died. And one of the casualty was the curled leaf begonia - now, its considered extinct from my garden.

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The same plant: Trailing Watermelon Begonia

They change colour when exposed with too much sunlight.

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This one known as Martin Mystery Begonia

One of the rescued plants which I had collected way back many months ago. The growth progress was very slow and it really took a lot of patience and care for it to arrive to this stage.

I really thought this one is not going to survive.

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This is another type of Cane Begonia. It got spots.

Also rescued and I really thought its not going to make it when I saw the whole plant dying in stages, somehow it had managed well and progressing.

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Finally these are the extinct ones. I really don't know why they never seemed to make it in my garden. This one (top) was given to me by my mum. She got few in her garden and she too don't understand how this one grows - as she mentioned, this one is very unpredictable.

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I got the other one (below) from a nursery and bargain it for few dollars. I tried to revive by cuttings and feeding but it just won't grow, finally the whole thing died in stages.Guess not all begonia behaves well. As for now - I'm very certain that there are some which are very hardy and there are some which are extremely sensitive.

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Also my Wax Begonia and slowly died and never recovered. I have collected their seeds and probably sow them towards September when the weather is most cold and wetter. They seemed to grow very well by the drain side. Probably will experiment on this when I really have the time.

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And so before you make your pick in getting your begonias, always choose a hardy one. You will not regret as you can propagate more by cuttings in your garden.

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