Begonia grandis Bulbils
Comments (9)
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
4 months agoZone 7b
4 months agoRelated Discussions
HAVE: Begonia Grandis (seedlings)
Comments (1)Hi, I'd love to try this plant out in my yard even though I am zone 5. Anything in particular you are looking for? I have astilbes (purple chinensis, white Bridal Veil, Weisse Gloria , dark red, looks like fanal but not sure and some others) Toad lily Mizaki hybrids from bluestone anenone sylvestris Lady Diana Japanese Anemone Lady Emily Japanese Anemone goats beard tradescantia Sweet Kate Other misc shade plants too. Please let me know....See MoreBegonia Grandis Newbie
Comments (1)I wouldn't worry about moving the ones you have - their hardiness will be enhanced by leaving them in place for now. The plants will spread on their own over time - actually, I have several forms of B. grandis, and they've become delightful "weeds" all over the garden, colonizing any relatively moist spot in sun or shade. The easiest way to spread them is to collect the bulbils that will form in a month or two in the leaf axils (where the leaf stem, or petiole, attaches to the main stem of the plant), and scatter them immediately where you want new plants next year....See Moreinstructions on sowing b. grandis bulbils
Comments (2)In my experience, they won't come up this time of year. The ones i've brought in have always quickly died to the ground. On the positive side, they make excellent spring house plants, coming up a month or two ahead of those out doors. You might pot them up and stick them in the basement, then next March expose them to light and watch them grow. A head start can make a big difference in the size of your plants by mid summer, since first year plants bloom much later than established ones, and are generally much smaller....See MoreWhere to order online Begonia Grandis Seeds
Comments (3)For some reason I don't recall seeing B. grandis listed as seed. The plants produce enormous quantities of seed, which doesn't require a cold period to germinate (i.e., does not require winter sowing). I have propagated it very easily by sowing seeds indoors but have yet to see a single seedling appear spontaneously in my garden (although it spreads all too readily by bulbils). I have tons of seeds of the pink form and would be happy to send you some if you will send me a self-addressed stamped envelope. Email me at jkb25xyz@cornell.edu (remove "xyz") if you're interested. I may also have seeds of the white form but they would be 2 or 3 years old. (All are open-pollinated so I can't guarantee the color of the seedlings!)...See Morehc mcdole
4 months agoZone 7b
4 months agohc mcdole
4 months agoSounds like a good plan. I have bought them over the years and grew them in the ground and in a pot and lost them. I got some from a gardening friend at a begonia club meeting. I brought in some cuttings or rooted begonias to pass around in an aluminum pan. I put those dug up plants from my friend in the same pan, added some potting soil (poked holes in the pan) and put them under the shade of an azalea. I haven't done one other thing to this pan of begonias and now I have them spreading over the years from bulbils and maybe seeds. Guess the answer was not to buy them? Or quit coddling them?
This is them in 2018 with two different florist ivies (they have to be weed whacked these days).
Here they are back in July this year. Where's the pan?
May 1st, this year. They are as competitive as the florist ivies.
April 20th, they are waking up after a winter's rest.
Last year's blooms.
Late Feb seed pods
Can be weedy but I like that.Zone 7b
4 months agohc mcdole
4 months agoYes, they are tough. Here are some at one of our local nurseries where they are growing next to and under potting benches outdoors.
One of mine from a few years ago starting to bud. This was G. evansiana which may be a little different than what I have now. I lost the G. E. This was one I bought instead of being gifted by someone else.
Zone 7b
4 months ago
hc mcdole