Greenelbows - thanks for pointing out that they aren't all rexes. I had always thought Iron Cross was, but after reading about it online I found its considered a rhizo. Naturelover, your Pandora is very similar to my Mini Boston - dark background with pink spots. I went to my OTHER local HD last night and got a Savannah Pink Parfait and a Tornado! Now, of course, I just HAVE to go back and get an Iron Cross from the other HD (the one last night didn't have it) before I go crazy. I can't get it out of my mind - its haunting me, and I won't sleep until I have it in my hot little hand! Randi

It's definitely not a common begonia--I think I've only seen it in a few pictures. Beautiful thing. I would assume culture would be the same as the regular Iron Cross (B. masoniana). First of all, don't over-water. You can grow it outside in the shade--little or no sun but good light. Don't over-water. I like to grow begonias like this in terra cotta bowls so they can stay moist but still be sure of good drainage, and in our hot muggy climate terra cotta keeps the roots a little cooler as the moisture evaporates from the pot, so it's important to keep it moist. But also, be sure not to over-water!

Secrets. I need your secrets. Seems like my leaf cuttings "fade out" and become limp in a couple of weeks. I'm putting them in a mix of about 50% perlite, 50% mixture of fine peat and Miracle-Gro. I moisten the mixture just until damp and lightly push my leaf cuttings into the mixture. They're kept covered in an assortment of translucent, lidded boxes in a north window. I see humidity grow and in a couple of weeks I peek inside and the leaf cuttings are faded and limp. What's funny is a friend gave me a rhizome cutting that didn't make it. On its LAST LEAF I cut it off, pushed it down into soil and did nothing else but water it (kept moist). In a couple of months I had my baby sprouting up. No tenting, no sterile razors... Check out "Immense" now, just a year later on my begonia gallery! Here is a link that might be useful: Fred's Begonias

I love those silver ones! but I love the purple-silver curls even more :)! >>Hmmm, never heard of 'Philip Seiden'. Time for them to wake up and start growing Longwood sells all kinds of starter begonias in small pots: never know what they will put out for sale. they have 'Philipp Seiden' and 'Iron cross' and 'tiger kitten' and a bunch of others very pretty 'Autumn' something or other..the color of blazing fall leaves. it's listed here as Phil seiden well, my little starter produced those pink leaves in December! and is going strong. of course, winter is the main growing season in So FL. so I am not surprised. I read some posts from FL growers that their rhizomatous and rexes do not go into dormancy in winter. when we visited PHOE in dec-jan of course they had plenty of begonias rhizomatous and rexes in greenhouses growing fine. The caladiums grow here in winter too, but those do go dormant for a few months even here. but they plant them out for winter season, not summer season. it's all reversed. I brought several barely alive rhizomes from last year purchase. they had like 1 leaf left..2 have woken up and have several small leaves going. am waiting on 2 more: harmony's fire dragon and possible kartuz 'Pandora'. I see small buds forming. Harmony's "Raspberry Beret' was the largest past summer and it is doing best with regrowth. Harmony's 'Xmass Eve' was the smallest but with most leaves and it held them thru fall, never went dormant. So it added new leaves here at a double pace! I bought new rex variety last june with huge leaves 'Paso Doble' . it grew a couple smaller leaves, bloomed and then in sep all leaves slowly withered, starting from the edges. the rhizome is firm, but I forgot it! left it in a tented shell up north for a couple of months. convinced DH to fly it in for resque :). that's my greatest wish for wake-up :). it has 2 buds. it'll have another month of 'plant spa' and then it's going back north ;)...but I have very good light in april-may indoors: so it should continue to grow. but it's been dormant for 6 mo now!