Cane Begonia 'Maculata wightii' Original & Mix Hybrid Collection - Part 2

INTRODUCTION:

I have wrote a comprehensive write up on this particular Cane Begonia in my earlier post. Do check it out for more details on Plant Care. However in this particular post - I want to share my experience concerning this overall journey on what had taken place over the years.

As you can see - the plant growth and the coloration and the leaf structure, you can somehow gauge the plant growth and progress on the measure of what happens over the years.

I must say that it is indeed quite challenging to keep them growing in long term as these do have short life span in my garden.

Short like 3 - 4 months in life-span duration where you may need to cut and propagate them otherwise they do succumb to old-age and rot which may infect the whole stem with rot bacteria and somehow nothing can be saved from that cutting.

As such the main issue is constantly checking to see whether nothing is actually rotting and often take cuttings and cultivate them into propagation to ensure you have spare plants especially these Cane Begonias. 

Another factor which I very much noticed that these are very hungry plants as they may require heavy feeding on weekly basis just to keep them going - otherwise it is just get into a switch off mode and the leaf drop start taking place - that is another major NO-NO as it is too late to safe anything.

Hence with all the challenges, 
Cane Begonia 'Maculata wightii' do able to handle well in the lowland climate given the facts that they can thrive and grow well if they are given proper care for all their plant requirements.

Another factor is their growing medium should be fast draining which I find that works best in the rain and overwatering factors - here I had switched to 50% sand and 50% coconut chips and I find that it works well for the lowland climate zone.

However, it doesn't really help when these are planted in deep tall pots, somehow the roots don't go so deep and they do require staking - giving support for the Canes otherwise they just fall and break under their own weight.

Humidity is a must, otherwise you will end up having tips burns and leaf curling up but too much can also cause rots - so the balance is truly a challenge.

CHARACTERISTICS:

This popular highly sought after Cane Begonia has oval shaped dark green foliage with silver polka-dot features on the leaves. The younger new leaves have olive yellow green tones which eventually turn to light salmon pink colors before fully turn green. 

The back leaf consist of a burgundy colored features that denotes the first main features of the Original Maculata Wightii species - other hybrids may have green or with just red veins on the back.

This also have a Bamboo like features hence commonly known as Cane Begonia.

 

DIFFERENT TYPES OF CANE BEGONIAS

Other matters are very much similar with the general information about Cane Begonias.
Do click below for more information on Cane Begonias.
Cane Begonia Care & Cultivation information.