Just a followup that after compulsive searching on the Internet I found a few sources of heracleifolia and discovered that its common names are star begonia and hardy star begonia. I also found the nigricans variety at Plant Delights in NC.

I am curious to know where you will grow B. heracleifolia, the leaf can reach 12" in circumference and the edges will curl under if the humidity is not high. Is this intended for a house plant?

I do intend it as a houseplant with the plan that I will grow and replace with successive plantlets when the parent becomes too large. Do you have experience with it to know if that will work? My manicata propagates easily from leaf segments. I've seen photos of them as houseplants and corresponded with someone who has it as a houseplant.

You will do fine with it in TN (summer outdoors is similar to GA). Depending on pot size will dictate how big the plant will become ultimately. Big pot - big plant, small pot - small plant. Pot down in winter though if the plant seems small to the pot. Take it indoors for winter though if you want to be absolutely sure it will survive.

Oh that sounds like a plan, hcmcdole. I understand these were very popular as houseplants in the 1960s, then the trade moved on to hybrids.

I didn't even know a begonia in the 60's so can't comment. I think it is a cyclical thing though. What was once popular declines as new stuff comes in, then the old stuff is new again (to younger folks).

I bought this one from eBay a number of years ago as Kumwha. I understand there are a lot of hybrids from heracleifolia. I suppose they are weeds in Mexico and Central America.

I think I should have said diameter not circumference. I admired one for years at a nearby nursery, it was so large I knew I couldn't grow indoors. The Thompson Guide classifies it as large-leaved meaning 6-l2" leaves.

Twelve-foot leaves will be really something, Woebegonia!!

I think we knew you meant across Joan. If you want a large leaf there are plenty out there. My largest was probably Lotusland (RIP) but popenoei got very large for me last year. Maybe 20 inches across? Selph's Mahogany is the dark one and is no slouch when it comes to size.

Yes, I was being silly, mesmerized, as I was, by 12-foot leaves. That one would definitely be a front-yard plant! My first encounter with an image of heracleifolia was this. It appears to be a houseplant albeit a quite large one. I've been searching for it for two years. Size and warnings withstanding, I definitely have to give it a whirl. I love my manicata, which is a close relative, and it has aspirations of largeness, too. Just measured a leaf, and it's six inches too. But not 12. :-)

This post was edited by memery06 on Fri, Jul 25, 14 at 13:44

Yeah, I don't see where the 12 feet was mentioned but whatever...

That photo looks like the green form heracleifolia. So many star shaped begonias.

You should try Bashful Bandit (I think that is Greg Sytch's hybrid). Very dark, quite large and the one that got me hooked on begonias.