RHIZOMATOUS BEGONIAS
Here’s where the hybridists are creating the most intriguing new varieties, because they have more miniature parent species to work with. The leaf and flower stems grow straight up or out from the rhizome, a swollen, scarred rootstock that creeps over the top of the soil, usually sending down roots as it goes. Sprays of trembling flowers stand well above the foliage in late winter or early spring.
aridicaulis—Mounds of tiny, sharp-pointed, lettuce-green leaves seldom over three or four inches high. Small, white, two-petaled flowers like fairy pocketbooks.
boweri—Better known as the “eyelash begonia” because of the black stitching around the edge of the lettuce-green leaves, marked with bristly black hairs. Flowers are small, baby-pink, and plentiful. This is the seed parent of a whole group of popular namesakes; star-leaved ‘Bow-Arriola,’ chocolate-stitched ‘Bow Chance,’ dark-complexioned ‘Bow-Joe,’ bronzy ‘Bow-Nigra.’ All have the eyelash edging and pink flowers, and are happy plants for the window garden or greenhouse.
hydrocotylifolia—“Miniature pond-lily begonia” for the terrarium or shallow basket or pot. Shiny, penny-like leaves overcast with bronze, dark along the veins; pink flowers on six-inch stems.
‘Maphil’ (‘Cleopatra’)—Most famous boweri offspring, more dwarf than miniature, just right for small window gardens and baskets. The starlike leaves are satiny, irregularly marked chocolate on chartreuse; the flowers, rich pink.
mazae—Bronzy, half-dollar leaves with light veins that meet at the stem end to make a white eye, wine-red beneath. Pale-pink, red-spotted flowers.
rotundifolia—Very similar to hydrocotylifolia except for the bronzy cast and dark veins. May be the smallest of all.
‘Spaulding’—Extra-bushy dwarf with medium-green leaves shading to dark green, edged with whiskers, and oxblood beneath. Showers of pink flowers.
‘Virbob’—Reddish star leaves with yellow-green leaves, bright red beneath. Short stems hold the leaves close to the pot.
‘Spaulding,’ an extra-bushy dwarf begonia
In the past few years, Mrs. H. E. Dillard of Tropical Paradise Greenhouse has introduced a number of delightful new dwarfs and miniatures. Among them:
‘Baby Perfection’—Star leaves splotched mahogany on green.
‘Black Falcon’—Darkest red-brown star leaves, silvery along the veins, whiskery along the edge.
‘Chantilly Lace’—One of my favorites, with cupped, chartreuse leaves stitched with black around the edge.
‘China Doll’—Pointed yellow-green leaves striped brown along the veins.
‘Kathy Diane’—Pointed oval leaves brown splotched with chartreuse.
‘Midget’—Nearly black star leaves silvery green along the veins.
‘Oriental Music’—Dwarf with pebbly apple-green leaves.
‘Persian Brocade’—Green star leaves intricately laced with black along the edge.
‘Raspberry Parfait’—Pointed, velvety, olive-green leaves lighter along the veins; new leaves flushed with bright pink.
CARE. Partial sun, moderate warmth, humusy soil kept moist.
PROPAGATION. Rhizome cuttings, leaf cuttings (slow), seeds (for some species).
Group of dwarf begonias: lower left, ‘China Doll’; upper left, ‘Silver Jewel’; upper center, ‘Bow-Chance’; upper right, ‘Bow-Arriola’; lower right, ‘Bow-Nigra’; center, ‘Chantilly Lace.’