Begonia Breakdance - Part 2

INTRODUCTION:

This particular rhizome begonia is very often introduced as an ornamental begonia in most nursery - often sold from Cameron Highlands where these are cultivated and usually will make a comeback every 6 months time or so in the general plant market.

These are sold using 2 leaves as main propagated plant and you will find a colony appearing from this leaf cutting - grown from cocopeat and often appear with beautiful healthy rootball of which I may say may have taken somewhere around 3-4 months time.

The problem with these begonias are none of these are suitable to be grown or cultivated in lowland conditions - I have tried countless times and had failed miserably when these begonias shows signs of stress when they start to overgrown or finished its season.

Propagation can prove to be very challenging as their growing conditions are not easily met in lowland hot and wet climate zone leading them to rot and perish under stressful conditions.

Hence, the proper care and balance is highly required and may only be cultivated by experts where watering, feeding and type of soil medium which can prove difficult to figure out due to different garden conditions.

Therefore, I wouldn't recommend this particular begonia to new beginners unless you have a colder garden especially like the ones found in the highlands. These do well in cold freezing nights and bright sunny days.

CHARACTERISTICS:

This plant has characteristics similar to Begonia Chivalry and Black Velvet Begonia.

Also very similar to black fang. They do indeed have the blue sheen when viewed from an angle.

It is a rhizome type and so need to be very watchful if over-watered as it might cause severe rot.

The visual display on this picture explains the formation of the foliage structure - of which I'm lost for words to describe.

GENERAL BEGONIA PLANT CARE:

Plant Care is very similar like most Rhizome Begonia Care & Cultivation Needs. This depends in different garden or indoor conditions - its all depending on getting the right balanced conditions.

Depending on the Begonia adaptation and its ability to handle hardy conditions - if the plant is stress it may drop all it's leaves before regeneration - hence more care is required to ensure the right balance of watering and humidity verse root and stem rot. 

Medium:

Fast Draining - 1/3 Compost at the bottom layered with coconut chips and sand in between the rhizome root-ball.

Watering
Water only when the Medium is Dry

Feeding
Foliar Fertilizer - Once a Week with 1/2 Dilution Strength. 

(Depending on what works best in your garden conditions - some gardeners use chicken/goat manure, coffee based fertilizer, organic fertilizer - test out and see on a trial basis to see what works best in your garden conditions)

Light

Place in Bright, Indirect Light - Shaded from direct hot sun areas - Ideal for Balcony Plants.

Do take note that this one truly hate too much water - the leaves may also change colors, especially turning pale green and the red and burgundy coloration faded. Do take note that if this happens - most likely the plant lifespan is numbered and the eventually leaf by leaf - they start dropping and the rhizome dried up or rotting and it is too late to safe the plant or rectify the problem.

Hence - do watch out on the overwatering part - the medium too play a big part on this, especially if it purchased with cocopeat planted with it - its more likely a dooms-day time clocking by the days for it to kaput.  It is much better to take the risk to replant it to a new medium and allow the plant to grow through shock and recover and safe the plant - keeping it long term for years to go by then seeing it fall apart when the cocopeat dried up together with the root-ball.

 Begonia Common Names and Images

Do click on the Link Above ☝

Here is the link where I had put together a list of all the begonias that I had come across. 

A database of all the different types & their characteristics. 

Please click on the link on the title above for the post.