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ArtV
Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2017 3:46 pm Posts: 151 Location: Middlesex, UK
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Begonia luxurians
I bought a small Begonia luxurians cutting last spring It is doing well, now about 60cm tall, but is looking a bit spindly. No side shoots.
How do I get it to grow side shoots and become more bushy? Pinch out the growing tip? Now or next spring?
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Wed Sep 13, 2017 7:06 am |
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Chad
Joined: Tue Oct 30, 2007 10:03 pm Posts: 2343 Location: Inland Cornwall UK
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Re: Begonia luxurians
It all depends!
If it is going to be kept warm and in growth then you can cut it back whenever you fancy.
If it is going to be outside [brave] or under unheated cover then you will lose the tip over winter anyway.
They come easily from , so you could cut it back hard and use the pruning as cuttings.
I have just cut mine in the soil of the unheated polytunnel back to the ground as part of an autumn tidy up. I don't expect much regrowth until the spring.
It's funny how this plant has gone from a much sought after and much discussed rarity to a common plant that seldom gets mentioned. The change happened in one season when released it as wholesale plugs. Whatever demand there was for the plant was satiated at one go!
Chad.
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Wed Sep 13, 2017 9:12 am |
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ArtV
Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2017 3:46 pm Posts: 151 Location: Middlesex, UK
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Re: Begonia luxurians
I plan on overwintering it on a bright windowsill indoors
Mine came from Dibley's Wasn't expensive at all for a few cm rooted cutting
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Wed Sep 13, 2017 10:07 am |
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Andy Martin
Joined: Thu Apr 24, 2008 8:58 pm Posts: 1279 Location: Oxford UK
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Re: Begonia luxurians
I have had mine in a largish pot for some years now. Attempts to maintain the long stems have invariably been met with disaster as they tend to overwinter aphids which then spread to other plants I keep in my frost free shed. My plant because of its great age has effectively produced a pseudo caudex and there are currently fresh growth from that area
Chad... I assume your polytunnel is frost free in Winter?
_________________ Lover of Yuccas,Palms,Nolinas,Schefflera.
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Wed Sep 13, 2017 12:44 pm |
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Kev Spence
Site Admin
Joined: Mon Oct 29, 2007 3:59 pm Posts: 10902 Location: Loughborough, Leics, central UK
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Re: Begonia luxurians
I have tried B.luxurians twice outside it does not work in the Sub Tropical East Midlands I find that new cuttings from side shoots grow easier through winter than some of my older plants which tend to die off in winter so a back up is always advisable. I plant mine out in summer and they always flower just opening in the last few days....a great plant.
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Wed Sep 13, 2017 3:17 pm |
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Chad
Joined: Tue Oct 30, 2007 10:03 pm Posts: 2343 Location: Inland Cornwall UK
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Re: Begonia luxurians
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Wed Sep 13, 2017 4:21 pm |
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David Matzdorf
Site Admin
Joined: Mon Oct 29, 2007 4:06 pm Posts: 5321 Location: Islington, London UK
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Re: Begonia luxurians
I've kept two of them going for the past 5 years by plunging them in pots and leaving them out (under evergreen canopy) until there is a hard frost and then bringing them indoors. They really don't like the dry heat, so they go out again as soon as the frosty period passes.
They tend to die back quite a bit every winter, then they branch of their own accord, often from near the base, the following spring. I just prune the die-back off and let them get on with it. I do stake them, or the stems fall about. They look best about now. I'll try to get some photos tomorrow.
Although they reach about 1.5m height every year, they've never flowered. Might be too much shade, might be that they get high-nitrogen fertiliser because it's really the foliage I'm interested in. Not really bothered.
_________________ 51º33'07"N x 0º07'21"W
43m (142 feet) ASL
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Thu Sep 14, 2017 12:15 am |
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johnw
Joined: Sun Mar 24, 2013 2:37 pm Posts: 240 Location: Halifax, NS
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Re: Begonia luxurians
One here in Nova Scotia and obviously it has to be brought indoors for the winter in this climate. As you see in far too small a pot and so was transplanted to a larger one a few days ago. This one flowers rather shyly but does set seed reliably, the flowers are quite insignificant.
john 23c & sunny
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Thu Sep 14, 2017 11:59 am |
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Kev Spence
Site Admin
Joined: Mon Oct 29, 2007 3:59 pm Posts: 10902 Location: Loughborough, Leics, central UK
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Re: Begonia luxurians
That's a beauty John about as big as the biggest one I have ever seen which was at the late Will Giles garden....very impressive! Do you have to keep it watered through winter mine stay in my cool greenhouse but still require watering now and again?
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Thu Sep 14, 2017 7:06 pm |
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johnw
Joined: Sun Mar 24, 2013 2:37 pm Posts: 240 Location: Halifax, NS
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Re: Begonia luxurians
Kev
I started it on a very sunny roof garden and almost cooked it, it did however make a splendid root system from that torture. Then I moved it to my own garden but it simply was too crowded here. It got too big for me so it is now at the home of a friend, I get to see it regularly. Last winter she wintered it in a very cool room 12-15c and watered it very cautiously as had I. She's just moved it to a bigger pot so we're apprehensive that it will get a lot bigger.
john
23c & sunny
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Sat Sep 16, 2017 1:12 pm |
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David Matzdorf
Site Admin
Joined: Mon Oct 29, 2007 4:06 pm Posts: 5321 Location: Islington, London UK
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Re: Begonia luxurians
Photo from last week.
_________________ 51º33'07"N x 0º07'21"W
43m (142 feet) ASL
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Sat Sep 16, 2017 3:54 pm |
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johnw
Joined: Sun Mar 24, 2013 2:37 pm Posts: 240 Location: Halifax, NS
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Re: Begonia luxurians
Now that's a brute! Well done.
john
22c
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Sat Sep 16, 2017 9:15 pm |
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ArtV
Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2017 3:46 pm Posts: 151 Location: Middlesex, UK
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Re: Begonia luxurians
Thanks everyone for the replies.
I think my Begonia must have heard us talking. It has thrown up another growth from the base. Quite late in the season, but will see how it goes.
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Mon Sep 18, 2017 3:44 pm |
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katalina
Joined: Mon Sep 18, 2017 7:27 am Posts: 17 Location: Lancashire UK
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Re: Begonia luxurians
Good luck Art!! K
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Thu Sep 21, 2017 7:47 am |
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