Looks like a hybrid of luxurians.

Give it some time, Toni, it could just be the immature forms. Give it month and see (and save your paperwork, it wouldn't hurt to inquire from the seller about this). How's it going? we have a forest fire in the area today, at least it has cut the heat.

Howdy, HC & Woe. How have you both been? Sorry I haven't followed-up on the other thread. I've looked at your (HC's) Begonias a zillion times.

What a disappointment! I want B. luxurians w/narrow leaves so so bad, but aside from the seeds bought on Ebay, 'which I haven't yet sowed, lol,' is a dream. lol

I was certain the seller had the right Begonia, but no dice. No wonder its cost was 6.50..lol.

BTW, Taylor Green House has really nice plants @ great prices.
I ordered a couple other plants, 'Kalanchoe, 2 Ivys,' via the first order, then placed a second order..
Another Begonia I really like is B. wrightii, so, ended up buying one wrightii and B. Snow Cap, 'after seeing HCM's.'

Sheesh, forest fire? I am so sorry. Did it start from the heat or something else? How much was destroyed?
You said it cut the heat? How so? I assumed fire would warm up the air. I feel terrible for the poor wild-life.
What happens when a forest catches fire? Is there anything anyone can do? How sad. Toni

Forest fires are natural, they are nature's way of clearing fallen timber.The Forest Service will fight them if they occur in populated areas,if they turn and go into the wilderness they just let them burn until they burn themselves out. It is really quite interesting, there are shrubs in the forest which can not germinate their seeds until they have intense fire heat. It is cooler for us in the valley because there is then a light haze which cuts the light/heat, but is pretty tough on people with asthma. Most fires are started naturally by lightning. I still think your plants from Taylor's are juveniles. I have one seedling one inch high already. Before I forget, you were inquiring on another site about Beaucoup White Begonia, I never heard of it but it sounds like a dead ringer for what I grow as 'Million Kisses Elegans' which has white boliviensis tubular flowers, a bit red on the ends, small flowers, small leaves, pretty much red backed and somewhat striped on the front. I just measured ( I have this outside for the summer), the flower is about an inch.Does it sound the same? Hi HCMC if you are there.

Howdy...How've you been? That's strange about how shrubs won't germinate until they have extreme heat from the fire..Very interesting. Do you know what the shrubs are? Are they similar to wildflowers?

Bark from trees hit from lightning turns black, but I never heard if there were fires. The last five or so years, lightening is really harsh..more than I recall in the past.

Congrats on the seedling. How many seeds did you sow? All or a few? I was wondering if I should sow all at once or half now and half next spring..now isn't a good time for germination. I've been so busy w/house plants and outdoor plants, seems like there's never time. I still have Palm seeds to sow. They're huge, look identical to Castor Bean seeds, so they probably should be set in water before sowing.

Wow, I can't recall which forum or Begonia the Beaucoup is, lol. Wanna fill me in?

Do you have a picture of your Beaucoup? The flowers sound lovely..Bell-shaped, tubular, red-tipped..Wow. Toni

Wow, this entire forum is so slow anymore! I did see a suggestion to click the Refresh, but even so it is slow. I deleted my temp. files and cookies, all that got me was other sites making me look up and re-enter my password . . .Toni, I didn't count the seeds I put down as they are so small, I estimate it was about a quarter or more. The largest one is so active I moved it to a baby pot of its own (from the germinating mix). Mountain blueberries, called Huckleberries, grow so quickly over burned areas. People love to go harvesting this time of year, it is a true blueberry. The Forest Service gave a talk a while ago to my horseclub, about controlled burning whch they would like to do, but they are pretty much controlled by loggers, environmentalists, developers, politicians,they did mention a specific shrub and type of tree which will not germinate without heat. Areas which are logged stay bare for several years. About the Beaucoup, perhaps there is more than one Toni in your area? Surely not!

Just to let you know I ordered a crassicaulis from Taylor's in recent weeks and I am 99% sure it is something else. I asked them to quit selling it as crassicaulis since a lot of folks who buy it will think they have the real thing. Personally I think it is 'Bayberry Lane'.

I feel that your luxurians is a hybrid as well (perhaps Stewart's luxurians).

{{gwi:436834}}

One thing which annoys me about Taylor's is that the picture of B. 'Mrs Hashimoto' shows pink or rose colored blossoms; however, the plant is well known for having white flowers and it was registered with the begonia society as white flowered with pink overtones in certain lights.

I agree. I had Mrs. Hashimoto at one time and it was a gorgeous white flowering pendulous cane.

I have noticed that some begonias they show the same picture for more than one begonia. Kind of weird.

Hey Woe. I agree, this forum is super-slow. IMO, one reason is, although there are many people who love/grow Begonias, they go to 'the other forum,' instead of coming here, to ask or give advice to people who grow Begonias.

There are a couple/few questions on top of this forum, still awaiting an answer. How long have these questions been around?

Funny, my dh works for the IEPA. Open burning is illegal in IL, but many people continue burning. Problem is the air is/was so bad. When you're driving towards downtown Chicago, the buildings are obstructed by smog. It's not as bad since the EPA got involved.
Some company's open-burn harsh chemicals, which are dangerous to neighbors living in 'X' towns. You wouldn't believe the complaints the EPA gets..lol..One woman phoned my dh complaining about her neighbors. They're from India and use certain spices. This woman expected the EPA to go to their home and order them to stop using these spices. lol..

Very few Begonias are sold here. All similar varieties. One reason I order online.

Did you say you have a camera? Can you post a pic of your seedings? 'B. luxurins.'

Regarding your comment to Hcm about Taylor's...I don't know enough about Begonias to determine if the species they're selling is right or wrong. Some Begonias look similar to others. I only know basic Begonias. However, it's wrong if they or any nursery is selling plants and naming them incorrectly. Whether it's a mistake or done intenionally.

HCM...I think you're right about my Begonias being 'stewarts' Don't know if you remember, but I won, what was labeled, B. luxurians on Ebay. The Begonia luxurians I got at Taylors is one and the same.

Ironically, I almost bought B. crassicaulis from Taylor's a week or so. I decided to wait. After reading your post, I'm glad I didn't. What did they say after you told them to stop selling this Begonia by the wrong name?

Hope you're both well, Toni

Taylor's sells on eBay too. Did you buy from them without knowing that?

Hcm. The Begonia I got on Ebay was listed as, B. luxurans. I checked Ebay the other day and found two newly listed B. luxurians 'stewart.' Don't think it's the same seller I got my Begonia.

I emailed Taylor's. They insist I was sent the same plant posted on their site. The picture isn't the best, but the Begonia looks like it has narrow leaves. What can be done? Toni

The only thing that you can do is tell Taylor's you are not happy and if you want to push it further, ask for a refund. They are usually very good - quick shipping and well grown plants but obviously they don't know what they are selling at times.

Hi HCM. I contacted Taylor's. They replied the following day.
She said, my plant is the same as the one pictured...if there's any problem to let her know.

The picture on their site isn't the best. I purchased the Begonia because it was listed as B. luxurians. No other name/cultivar like Stewart.
Don't get me wrong, it's a pretty Begonia, but not the one I thought they'd send.

I ordered a few other plants from Taylors, they're beautiful and healthy.

I got a similar response about crassicaulis but obviously the one I got is not the true crassicaulis. Most of their begonias are well grown and probably true to name but getting them to admit that they are selling the wrong thing is like pulling hair.

I'm just trying to warn folks not to buy an obvious fake but no telling how many people buy these and think they have the real thing.

For instance on DG, there is a uber who thinks whatever she buys at her local nursery is the real thing - after all why would a nursery ever give a customer bum data? I couldn't persuade her to change her mind about giving other people wrong information. The begonia in question was Joe Hayden.

Oh well, no wonder there are so many errors in the begonia world. First the sellers, then the buyers. What can you do?

Hey HMC. Since you got a similar email, did you send the Begonia back or keep it?

Have you ever shopped at 'Accent for home and garden?' Most of my older Begonias, and many other plants were purchased from Accents.
The only problem is, they sell fast, but his prices are fantastic and you receive healthy speciems.

The woman who thinks all tags are correct doesn't know much about shopping for plants. Most often than not they're mislabeled.
I worked at two plant stores, Rentokil Tropical Plants and Home Depot 'green house.' 90% of the time, tags were incorrect, or generic, eg, Foliage Plant. lol

Another big problem is customers remove tags, then, instead of placing them in the pot they were originally inserted, they set in a different pot, totally unrelated to the right plant.

I'd love to talk to the woman who believes all tags are correct. She is so wrong.

All she has to do is Google a Begonia she's purchased from 'her' nursery. Some people want to believe 'their store' makes no mistakes.. they're totally mistaken.

Well, you tried, there's nothing more you can do. Does she post plant pics with mistaken identities?

BTW, what is an uber? lol, Toni

I told Taylor's I would hold on to this begonia to give it more time to develop but I think I already know it is Bayberry Lane. This begonia is very easy to propagate and grows rapidly unlike crassicaulis.

Yes, I have bought from Accents many times but haven't visited their store in the past year or so. They are good sized and a bit cheaper than Taylor's but the selection is limited.

Yes, the Uber (not sure exactly what it means but it is either a person who posts a lot or is deemed an expert on DG). She posted the picture of Joe Hayden in Plant Files and I told her it wasn't but she thinks since she is a "Uber" that she knows all. So why argue? Let other folks buy the true Joe Hayden and then wonder why they bought a fake. After all, a Uber posted the "real" picture of Joe on DG, right? I wouldn't trust her judgement on any plants she posted after that snafu.

I know what you mean about the wrong tag going into the wrong pot as well. At our begonia meeting yesterday there was a question about a begonia's name. It was my handwriting but the tag was definitely in the wrong pot. It happens.

Yeah, I like the begonias that come into HD with generic tags. Most times the label says Rex Begonia serratipetala. HUH? There was someone on DG that posted that to PlantFiles and others had to convince that person to pull that plant from PlantFiles since it was wrong.

Hi HMC. If enough people, 'who really know plants' ID, Begonias or otherwise,' complain, Taylor's will start labeling correctly.
One problem I notice, very few people who shop at Taylor's leave feedback on GWD. Have you ever looked at their GWD's feedback page? I bet they have thousands customers,'don't know if they sell outdoor garden plants, too' but they have very little feedback.

If Taylor's or any other nursery started getting neutral and negative feedback, most likely the'd improve their faults. Wouldn't you think? Of course, there are a good number of nurseries who have 98% plus negative feedback on GWD, rip off people, yet manage to stay in business. I don't get it.

On the other hand, people who like plants, or just starting out, are satified when they receive a plant that looks good. Even if it's not the plant they ordered.
I'll be honest, I'm one of those people, 'when it comes to most Begonias.' Not all, but most. EX, B. luxurians: I KNOW the difference and feel deceived I wasn't sent the correct Begonia. On the other hand, Taylor's other plants, 'unrelated to Begonias' were labeled correctly, good-sized and healthy. I just don't know..Therefore, I left Positive feedback for Tayor's on GWD.

I love Accents. He, 'owner' is honest, and ships healthy plants. I never received a bad or buggy plant from Accents. I've been an Accent customer 9+ yrs. Check periodically for new Begonias.

If you wrote to the Uber on DG publicly, those who want 'X' Begonia should check out the picture before purchasing. I hope so. There's hundreds if not more pictures of plants available online, with descriptions.

Seems there's quite a few know-it-alls on the forums, but I didn't know there was a name for them. lol.

ROFL, 'afterall, a Uber posted a real picture of Joe on DG, right? LOLOL Too funny

Do you belong to a local Begonia Club? If so, that's great.
A nearby conservatory has something similar to a club, but they discuss succulents. I considered joining, but don't care for the area. It would be very very interesting and informative. And, you can get rare plants at great costs, too..lol.

Does your club display rare Begonias?

Did you place the tag in the wrong pot or did someone move it? Embarrassing. lol.

I'll need to check out DG's more often. I really don't know much about it, other than leaving feedback.

A couple people from DG emailed me asking for cuttings, but this happens here on GW, too. I got two emails last week. One was from someone I talk to, the second was from someone I never heard of. I got ripped-off 3 times the last couple years; don't want to make that mistake again.
It's worse when they don't give a name, or address you. I compare it to SPAM.
Do you ever get emails from ppl asking for cuttings/plants? Toni

I was just checking on my plants, since I need to move them back inside soon and noticed the lowest leaves on my luxurians look exactly the same as your plant.
I got mine a year ago, also from Taylor's. Right now the plant is about 4 feet tall and upper leaves look like they suppose to do, so your begonia should develop some longer and skinnier foliage as it matures. Good luck

That's good news that your luxurians from Taylor's developed into the real thing, Senga. That is encouraging for Toni.

Toni,

I suppose any good vendor would listen to negative feedback and change if they want to stay in business. Some stay in business because they threaten to sue any public forum that posts negative feedback about them. Pretty sorry way to do business.

I know what you mean about starting out with nice plants even if they aren't true to name. I had ordered from GHW for a few years because of their selection and they always sent freebies, bonuses. That was fine even if they subbed. What really griped me is the last 2 or 3 orders took 3 to 4 months to ship. I didn't need that kind of service so I will do without or continue looking for another vendor.

I did not write the Uber a public rebuke but rather a tactful private message that the begonia was not what she thought it was. I got a dressing down for that courtesy.

I do belong to the Atlanta chapter of the ABS. I joined back in 2005 after I visited Miami's annual begonia show and sale. Then joined the ABS and started going to each year's convention with the exception of this year (Oklahoma City).

Our club does have some members who enter a few begonias in the Southeastern Flower Show. I've entered a few myself in a couple of those shows but it is a giant hassle.

I have no idea how that tag got into that pot. I've been going to Orlando for the past 3 (or 4) years and buying begonias wholesale for our club's annual sale. I write the tag names while my host tells me the name (if I don't know the name). I give him the tags back to stick in the pots but it could also happen when I bring back a truckload of begonias on sale day and all the volunteers start unboxing all the plants - maybe a tag falls out and they stick it back in a pot. It happens. Anyway the tag said Green Dreams which is a rex and the plant was a rhizomatous and looked more like Green Fountains.

DG is more active than here but to get all the access to all the forums you will pay an annual fee (not that bad).

Yes, I've been burned by folks asking for cuttings as well. Those folks make it rough for anyone else. I like to know someone before I even consider sending cuttings after those few bad transactions. You also meet some great folks as well but I don't jump into trades. The ones that really gripe me is when they say they will send money for S&H. Gee whiz if it was that simple. It takes time, some supplies, and even a bit of gas to deliver a package to the post office.

So some of the folks I've traded with or sent cuttings to free of charge are in Canada, Turkey, Australia, and Taiwan. I've had requests from Pakistan but that never happened. The worst one was a college student in Chicago and I never got a thank you or kiss my &%^ after sending her a box of canes. Now I ask for money up front to cover all costs if they want to get down to business. One person on GW was hitting all the forums about her sob story of being in poor health and no money to pay for anything. I wrote her in private that she could either send money to cover all costs or drive to my house and I would give her cuttings free (she lived on the other side of Atlanta). She said she couldn't do either. Admin found out about her scam and pulled all her posts off. She was panhandling.

Senga, you made my day. If only my B. luxurians is a true luxurians, I'll jump for joy..lol
Thanks so much.
Now that winter is approaching, I don't expect much growth, but my Begonias will be placed under artificial lights, so that might help.
4' in one year is fast-growing. Congrats..

HCM. I had no idea a company would dare sue a forum because people left Negative feedback. Talk about unfair!
How do they win?

If you have time, 'better not name names,' please check the nursery, on GWD, that sells trees. Mainly citrus and 'cados, etc.' The main company starts with 'G.' It has two sister nurseries, all the same place, located in CA.
Another green house, in Bloominton, IL, that is contracted with several sister affiliates has 325 Negatives. This company starts with, D..One sister affiliate starts with, F. The list is endleess.

Thanks for reminding me about GHW. I ordered two Begonias several months ago. Well, haven't heard a word. Unsure if they billed my cc yet. I'll have to check my statement. The Begonias were supposed to arrive in August. Yet, no word.

Well, you warned the Uber. If she doesn't take your word, eventually she'll be criticized. Maybe she'll rewrite w/an apology??? One never knows. lol.

You're so lucky travelling to other states, dealing with one of your favorite things: Begonias. How cool is that?

Oh, I think the woman who was pan-handling plants wrote to me last week. lol. She said she couldn't leave the house..well, I've fell for that excuse before, sent cuttings, only to be ignored afterward.

I didn't bother emailing back. But, other times when people said they were agoraphobic, I asked, 'how do you intend on getting soils and pots?' They never wrote back.
This woman went to several forums asking for cuttings. Same 'sob' story.
A couple years back, one woman asked about trading. I told her I had the plants she offered, but would send her an entire plant for shipping. The cost was 9 and change. No profit. After she got the plant, she offered to send me Petunias. I told her I wasn't interested, besides, it was autumn.
That was the last I heard from her.
I have sent a few other cuttings afterwards, but made sure shipping was no higher than 2.50.
In the future, no matter what story strangers conjure, I will delete their emails.
It's very rude of people to regester on GW, only to ask for freebies.
I am generous, don't like saying NO, but when people start taking advantage, one has to be strong. Whether it hurts feelings or not.

I best get to sleep..It's almost 1am..lol..night

I love that name, uber, it reminds me of WW II movies because I think it is German for upper rank of some sort, "Heil Hitler, welcome uber-lieutanant to the S.S." Sound familiar? Toni I am going to thin my seedlings to the three strongest soon and go from there. I am busy cleaning out the yard and moving some things to the GH, later they will all have to come in doors.
Hemc - remember we talked about Kit Jeans Mounger? She has gone back to growing begonias and I am glad to hear that. She has already written a story for The Begonian and sub mitted it. Over the past few years she has also written 3 books and edits the Maine Coon Cat Breeders newsletter or magazine whatever it is. She was big into quilting, too, for a long time. I don't know when she ever found time to hybridize. Your friends in Atlanta will be pleased, too.

Woe, you are too funny. Sieg Heil! lol. Yes, I can picture the old SS movies, though one of the best is Schindler's List.

I was going to start a new thread to you. I finally sowed B. luxurian seeds. Not the best time, but I feared they'd be infertile. Even in the fridge.

Please tell me again. How did you go about sowing luxurian seeds? Soil/mediums, heat, light?
How long did they take to germinate? Should seeds be covered in plastic for humidity?

I had the hardest time seperating. lol. Still don't know which were seeds or medium packed with the seeds. lol.

How many seedlings grew in one cell that you have to thin? And how tall have they grown?

Oh, having fun hauling plants in the gh? lol. I dread it..The work isn't what bothers me; it's the thick-bodied-thick-legged spiders. I don't care how helpful they are!
If there's any plant bugs, I'll deal with them w/o the help of a spider, lol.

I have a thick-leaf fern, don't know its type. Two of these ferns are potted in one container. While hosing last week, and studying plants, sure enough, right in the center of the fern was one, big spider.
I hosed it full-force, attempting to scare it out of the pot, but don't know where this arachnid went. Now I have to worry where 'IT' went w/o touching this creature.

What have temps been like there? We had a couple 49F degree nights. I was hoping the cold chased spiders away, but I think they hide in the soil..YUCK. I despise them!

When you get a chance, please write back w/instructions, and post a pic of your seedlings. Toni

Toni,

Apparently the company that threatened to sue DG over negative comments must've had enough clout to retract those comments. It is a shame but other folks have commented negatively on the same company (goes by several names though) throughout some threads. Any time you do mail order it is best to go small on the first order just to test the waters.

There are some real beggars out there on the web so it is best to have some conversation before sending anything else you will get burned. If someone asks point blank for something I give them a quote on how much it will cost in S&H, time, gas, etc and I want the money first before shipping. This usually separates the wheat from the chaff.

As for GHW I wouldn't be surprised if your CC wasn't billed the first month you placed your order. You have to keep a fire lit under them to get what you paid for. The other one that was notorious was Plant Safari for keeping them on track with your order.

Woe (Joan),

Yeah, I saw the same emails from Kit as you did on the Yahoo group. Good to see her get active again. Was hoping she might come to Atlanta for our meeting this past weekend too but it didn't happen. Her "Book of Days" was shown at the meeting as well which I found to be a bit of deja vu or weird at best. This book of her illustrations must have been quite a hit at the only convention in Atlanta back in '98 since people remember it on the Yahoo group. Shame I wasn't involved at the time (didn't even know about the ABS at that time).

Good Afternoon, HMC. You're saying a company 'made' GWD retract negative feedback? I don't understand. Something isn't right.
Feedback, whether positive or negative is one reason GWD exists. Shoppers want to hear from other consumers. Need opinions. In fact, I feel sorry for those who are serious gardeners, and never heard of GWD. Too bad they don't advertise.

I know I shouldn't ask, (you got me curious) but can you name the company? I have a couple ideas, but not sure if either are correct.
A first letter will do. lol. I know, curiosity got the cat, but............

I agree whole-heartedly. When I find a new nursery, the first thing I do is check GWD.
If you Google, 'where can i buy begonia luxurians,' a page pops up...Taylor's is mentioned a few times. There's one place, eCrater, that claims they have two luxurians, different prices. I'm not sure if eCrater is a nursery or middleman, so, I fear ordering from them. I didn't see this place listed on GWD either, unless they've recently added it. Ever hear of eCrater?

The last person who emailed, asking for plants, said she'd been on GW a long time, but I've never once seen her name or screen name. It's always the same thing. Ppl say they're agoraphobic or handicapped.
I believe some people sign on GW w/the sole intention of getting free plants. How rude is that??

Do you really tell ppl about gas, etc? LOL..good going!!
Wish I had the courage..lol.

You know, it's been so long since I phoned GHW's..3-5 months. I talked to a man, asked if he had luxurians, which he didn't at the time, in addition to ordering 2-3 other Begonias. Perhaps I should phone.
I should have written down the date. How in the world do I go back several statements to check if GHW's was paid? Also, I wonder which name they use.

Plant Safari? Never heard of this nursery. What type of plants do they sell? Are they still around? I'll have to check them out, lol..even though I have a zillion plants outside waiting to come in. I dread hauling them inside. Mainly because of spiders and ants.

BTW, how are your Begonias doing? You have some gorgeous specimens. Are they kept outdoors year round, or do you have to bring them inside, too? If so, isn't it fun? lol.

The only plant I've been searching for is B. luxurians. Don't think I'll ever find one, and don't know if the seeds will germinate and/or grow. If one comes along, great, if not, oh well. When I really want a plant, it becomes an obsession. lol. But, that must stop.
My house is filled, and so far, I've only brought one, small, 4" potted, E. 'Crown of Thorns,' variegata inside. lol. Where on earth were my plants kept last winter? lol..

The luxurians is unique, though. So, I'll probably continue my quest.

Not sure what GWD is but I'm talking about on DG (dave's garden) about the negative comments being removed. The company is in GA of all places and post gorgeous photos of many plants but from the comments I've read you don't even want to take a chance.

If I've heard of eCrater then I haven't paid attention to it nor shopped there.

Gas is money at nearly $4 a gallon at times. It all adds up. Boxes, tape, labels, plastic bags, etc, etc. Notice how a lot of folks charge outrageous S&H on eBay?

You would have to go back through your CC bills and find anything that looks out of place. Call the phone number of the vendor if you aren't sure to verify the charge.

Plant Safari sells some begonias (not a lot) but gee whiz, I had to email them twice after I placed the order. The owner lost the information of the order not once, but twice! Finally after about 10 weeks or longer I got the order in. Very nicely grown plants plus a couple of freebies to say sorry. One freebie was quite nice - Steve Brigham (or Steven or Stephen). This thing looked like a semperflorens on steroids. Grows nice outdoors but quickly succumbed to indoor conditions.

Most of my begonias are doing quite well but I lost a few as I always do. Some were in too much shade and some of the small ones got lost under giant ones' new leaves and that did them in.

I take them out in May and bring them indoors in late October. It is quite a job (days worth) but the results are worth it. I guess as long as I can do it I will. When I can't then I need to find some young person who is interested in a new hobby.

B. luxurians is unique but so are most of them. I guess I prefer the bigger leaves, colorful leaves, curly leaves, silver and dark leaves over a finicky luxurians.

HCM, you're kidding??? GWD, Garden Watchdog, is a part of Dave's Garden.
When you go to DG's, look on top of the page for tabs. It should say GWD.
Click on the GWD tab, and up pops different nurseries. Scrool down..About halfway down the page, there's a list of nurseries from A-Z. Let's say you click on A. Numerous nurseries are listed in alphbetical order. You then click on a nursery name, starting with A. People who shopped at that store leaves Positive, Neutral or Negative feedback.
Some nurseries have no feedback, others have several pages, going back to the, I think, early 90's.

I'm confused..lol. Where is there other feedback on DG? lol

I have to submit..somehow the page went to Preview Message. I don't want to take the chance of losing what I typed. lol.

Sorry about that..Hate when that happens.

Since the nursery's in GA, it's not the one I'm referring to. The nursery I mean is in CA.

Shipping costs doubled, if not trippled the last few years. The last package of cuttings I sent was 7 and change. Next time, if there is a next time, I'll have to ask for shipping expenses. Money doesn't grow on TREES.

Guess I'll phone GlasshouseWorks, and check older cc statements. It's a pain, but if I paid, I want the plants or a refund.

Thankfully, you got the Begonias, even though you waited so long. Some vendors take $$, but don't send plants or refunds.
One reason I wish more people were aware of the feedback forum on GWD/GD.

LOL, I too worry how plants will be brought outdoors when I'm unable. Last year, Aug 30th, I had knee surgery. I really should have waited till plants were indoors, but the docs considered it important it be done ASAP.
So, 3 wks later, I hosed, rehosed, and hauled plants in the house. Before bringing plants inside, I clean the areas thoroughly..also spray with my home made insecticide.
Like you, it can take a week, sometimes longer, bringing plants inside. Last year it took at least twice the time. Plus, 'my doc doesn't know,' the surgery was unsuccessful...I'm sure it had to do with carrying plants..lol.

Sorry you lost some Begonias..it's the smaller plants that get away. I lost baby succulents a couple summers back. They were in front, inside windowboxes. 2-3" pots. That summer, winds were super-strong, then to top it off, lightning hit the neighbors' tree..the whole tree fell on my front porch and house. What a disaster!!!
I never found the baby succulents, just empty pots.

Guess luxurians is unique to me because until recently, I never heard of a Begonia that grew taller than a foot, and reason 2, they're almost impossible locating.
The first sold on Ebay went for 66 and change. lol. That's Unique! lol.

Don't get me wrong, I love most Begonias..they're gorgoues with their vividly colored foliage and shapes.
After seeing your Begonias, I grew to appreciate those I have. Believe me, H, getting something one can't becomes a vendetta..lol. Toni

Funny, I never thought of GWD as Garden Watchdog and I cannot find any place on DG that says GWD - sure it says Garden Watchdog but not GWD. Well at least I know now what you are talking about. I don't use it since most places I buy from I am pleased with. Shame it wasn't around years ago because I've got some places I would never buy from again.

The other feedback on DG is throughout the forums on individual threads. Lots of folks are content with a few forums (me for instance) and not posting on GWD or Plant Files, Bug Files, etc. Those are for Uber Goobers.

I don't mind sending freebies but time and expenses should be covered when it comes to complete strangers.

Plants outdoors always make growing seem easier (still have floods, droughts, animals, wind, cold, heat, bugs, and other threats to consider though) but moving them indoors and outdoors is a pain. The basement can't take many more plants. I said I will not buy any more stands, make any more benches, nor add any more lights. Hopefully I can stand by that statement. I am running 76 shop lights in winter.

Losing plants is part of gardening. Lose some, add a lot more, and move on. Time is too short to worry about some losers. I can always buy more or get some starts from friends.

We've lost some trees but luckily no serious damage. Had one large oak blow over at our last house and a beautiful pink dogwood ended up in our pond.

There are many begonias that get tall. Maybe luxurians is the tallest growing but many canes get six feet tall or taller. Probably the reason you don't see a lot of luxurians for sale is 1) they are hard to grow and keep going and 2) they aren't that good looking - they are odd looking but not good looking. I feel sorry for the person who paid $66 for it on eBay. Hope it grows and prospers for them. Maybe one day they will be selling them on eBay?

Whatever you do, don't let kangaroo paw ferns germinate and grow in your begonia pots. They will take over in a year or two.

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Afternoon HCM,

LOL, so sorry. I 'assumed,' everyone who purchased online and had large numbers of plants, knew what GWD/Garden Watchdog was; I believe, 'now confused,' it's part of Dave's Garden.

H, I'm confused because you said you don't post on GWD. Do you not leave feedback for nurseries? If not, you should, lol. I'm not telling you what to do, but many people depend on feedback. If a nursery has 99% Positive feedback, there's a good chance others will shop there. On the other hand if a nursery has 99% Negative, people will steer clear.
It's not meant as a forum, just a place to leave feedback. I've learned a lot reading feedback on GWD. Believe me.

I don't know what Plant or Bug files are..lol..Are they a part of DG? Too baffling for my brain. lol.

I'm still shocked you have 76 shelves. lol. Are they the same or different levels, etc? Your basement has to be packed..lol.
Do all your shelves have lights? If so, your electric bill must be outrgeous. lol.
Thank God my house has plenty of windows, but I still use lighting for certain plants, 'like succulents' that need as much sun as possible. IL winters are very depressing and grey.
When there's snow on the ground, the sun reflects off snow, bounces through the windows. Since my walls are ALL Semi-Gloss White, rooms are much brighter. I refuse using other colors. Besides, I have SADS, so bright light helps me, too.

If you don't mind me asking, when did you last vow not to add more plants and shelves? lol Have you stuck to your oath? Good luck. I too have sworn not to buy more plants,(a million times) and what happens...I see a plant I like or hear about then end up hunting, and if found, shopping..but as of now, my heart is mainly set on luxurians.

Good luck. I hope you succeed. It's not an easy task.

As you said, insects, winds, etc can damage and kill plants. If one of your favorite Begonias, ahem, died, 'despise that word,' would you replace it?
Afterall, you're not adding, 'if you replace,' right? lol

What caused the Oak and Dogwood to fall? You must have been thrilled finding a tree in your pond! Sheesh.
Were the trees on your property? How on earth did you remove the tree from your pond?

We lucked out. The night the neighbors tree landed on our house, the city came out that night, around 9pm, chopped and hauled away. The town was in disarray, so I was surprised they came out so fast.

Can you please name a few Canes that grow 6' tall? You sure know your Begonias..

H, living in IL, we don't see many rare plants, believe me. A few nurseries, some that were in business nearing a century, closed their doors. There's one nursery left. A good drive away, but worth the trip when I'm in the mood.
One thing I don't like about this nursery is, most plants are without price tags. I want to know the cost.
His prices are a little higher, but not terribly. Still, you never know. I wouldn't want to walk to the cash regester and find one plant cost 100.00!!!!

Most stores sell the same Begonias here. About a dozen or so species. Heck, not only Begonias, but other types too. Tropicals and succulents are limitted.
They sell common, Dracaenas, 'corn plant,' etc. I don't even want a Corn Plant, lol. However, I have a few other Draceanas..
A few were purchased on Ebay, no way sold here.

I adore Citrus, but since the ban, citrus trees are prohibited being shipped out of state. The last Citrus tree I purchased was 2006.

I too hope the buyer who spent 66.00 can over-winter their luxurians. Can you imagine??? I'd cry.
Losing such an expensive plant would be devestating. Plus the fact it's so pretty. At least, I think it is.

Is Kangaroo Paw Fern the same as Rabbit's Foot Fern? Why would this fern be planted with a Begonia? Is it tropical?

It's hard telling by the picture. What am I looking for? lol
If we're talking about the same fern, the one you're holding must be a different species. Oh, the fern I'm referring to is Davillia/Rabbit's Foot Fern.

I should start hauling plants in, but not in the mood..it's terribly cloudy, and drizzing. So much needs to be done before hauling them inside.
For starters, where they'll be placed. lol.

What temps do you bring Begonias indoors? Most say Begonias like cooler temps. Is this true? Toni

Abbreviations can often be taken to mean many things.

No, I don't post feedback. Feedback can vary depending on a lot of factors. Some folks you can't please, others are too easily pleased, etc. One order might be perfect and the next one a big mess. Think about eBay feedback - it is really screwy where the seller can give the buyer negative feedback if they got negative feedback. That is just crazy.

If you are on DG, then you should know what those forums are. They always have the bloom of the day, fun random bug, fun random plant, fun random bird, etc. Check it out when you log in.

That is correct a shelf has one four foot light. The electric bill for all the lights probably adds $120 - $140 extra a month. You need to move to the tropics to get over your SADS.

Last year. I added four more shelving units and 12 more lights. I think I hit a limit on space unless I want to trip over shelves.

I may replace it if it is a favorite. If it is difficult and I tried it 3 times then it won't be replaced (any time soon).

Lots of rain followed by high winds usually brings down lots of trees. Both trees were on our property. I went and bought a chainsaw after the oak fell. I tried to prop the dogwood (about 12 feet tall) back up but another wind blew it over and so I cut it after that.

Neighbors are usually very good at helping out after a storm. We just have to watch out for the con artists - some will do the work for an exorbitant amount while others will take a down payment and not do the work.

White Cascade, Encanto Bronze, Irene Nuss, Grey Feather, coccinea, and I'm sure a lot of others if you are so inclined to stake them and take care of them. At the conventions there are always some very tall canes.

So what do you do? Buy the plant or put it back down. Can't you ask the employees in the store to get the price for you before putting in the cart?

Yeah, I know what you mean. You have to think like a business person and not a gardener else you might lose your shirt. If you bought exotics for you customers and only one sold you probably would never buy those plants again for your clientele or go out of business. If you had success at selling exotics then you might carve a niche or other garden centers would catch on and start selling the same thing for cheaper. It could be vicious.

What about imports though? I didn't know IL grew citrus for export.

Yeah, spending that much money on an "iffy" plant is always risky. The most expensive plant I ever bought was a two way grafted cherry - mahogany bark cherry trunk on a rootstock and then a weeping Yoshino on top of the trunk. Lost it! Never buy that again. I lost a $60 purple rhododendron. I'd rather buy small and grow it large - at least this way I don't lose a lot of money and the plant usually succeeds better than a larger specimen.

Kangaroo Paw fern is a lot larger than a rabbit's foot fern. (Think of a kangaroo paw and a rabbit foot for comparison). It is tropical and I sow spores in some of my pots so if the fern comes up, great, and if it doesn't then that is okay too. I also sow begonia seeds in other pots. Sometimes they grow on but usually not.

Glad to hear you figured it out. I will post a picture of the big fern.

Me too. I will wait until mid Oct before I even think about moving any in.

Usually the last week in Oct. We sometimes get our first frost around Halloween.

Well begonias do their final growing in the waning days of fall and harden off some. Not sure if they "like" cool weather though. Can you spend the night outside in 40 temps without a coat or something to break the wind?

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Toni, I think you will have to start a new thread, we are reaching the horizontal stage, scrolling left and right to read it all. Can you do that?We've had temps down in the mid-30's, it is interesting we all strike the tents in October when we live so far apart!
My sowing method. Any medium is probably fine, but I use Jiffy 7's stripped of the netting, soaked and heated a few times in the Micro. That is so anything which might mildew likely is killed. Then you cool it, of course. Put a sheet of bond paper on your table, then fold another sheet in two, put it over the first, then find a more firm piece of paper about 4x4" and fold it, that is now your sowing paper. Now for practice try to judge about a quarter or third of your seed packet, or pour out the entire packet on to the sowing packet. (THIS IS ALL PRACTICE) The first two pieces of paper are to catch any spillage. Practice pouring the seeds back and forth
from one folded paper to another.It bounces quickly so pay attention,you don't want it to come to the soil in a clump.When confident, sow from the 4x4" firm paper.
For sowing one type of seed I would suggest you find a small, tight container such as Papa Murphy sells for its Pesto sauce (good sauce by the way!), it has a clear, tight lid with a few tiny holes in the top. Or check out other fast food places for small containers. After sowing, light is necessary but not as important,IN MY OPINION (I am not an uber), as room temp.I don't use bottom heat much if I sow in the summer, if the house is cooling off rapidly at night remember lamp ballasts, or water heater top, something similar, but never hot to the touch. I dont like to use a heating mat until I really need the heat.
Any more questions? I have no pictures to show you but if I can get my plants to maturity you shall have one.

HEMC, I did join DG but after I struggled with them over a password and they let me in, then they told me it would cost to join. I might this winter because I like the photos. I had a cute name picked out, and a second one and they didn't let me use them. Same with the Yahoo site, I gave up with them and let them pick it. Maybe I am too cutesy! There is a good Rate and Review Vendors on this site too, which is very helpful. I tried to give a seller on Ebay a neutral rating and caught all kinds of flak from Ebay, telling me I should be a good sport and talk to the seller, etc., putting words in my mouth, I thought. It was simpler just not to leave feedback. I would be thrilled to have the number of plants under lights that you have, but not that much space, I hve to share our basement with exercise eqpt., fish tanks, and cats who think they own the whole place. Please continue with the photos, I hope sometime to learn how to do this.

How to repel ants: This is from Jerry Baker's gardening ad for his garden book, I didn't buy the book but this is from the teaser: 4 to 5 T. cornmeal, 3 T. bacon grease, 3 T. baking powder, and 3 pkg. baking yeast. Mix meal and grease into a paste, add powder and yeast. Dab onto jar lids and put them in place. I hope none of the nasty little things get by us into the house this fall.

Howdy, HMC. About Ebay, sellers can no longer leave Negative feedback for a buyer. I think that's wrong, 'I've never sold anything on Ebay, only bought.'
It doesn't sound fair. Say a buyers buys an item, clicks the proper buttoms, but doesn't pay. In the meantime, the seller removed the item from Ebay. Well, that's that. To top it off the seller can't leave Neg feedback? I don't understand.

I believe I'm still a paid member on Dave's, but I paid some time ago. Maybe a year or more. They never sent a letter saying it expired unless the email went to Spam.

LOL, no, the Citrus ban takes place in Fl, not IL..lol. Fl cannot ship citrus anywhere out of state. IL doesn't export citrus. lol.

Funny you should mentioned the fern. I have a Rabbit's Foot Fern. A couple wks back, I bought one called, Giant Davillia/Rabbits Foot Fern, don't know if there's a difference.
I have a 19-yr-old fern that resembles leather. I don't know its Botanical name. Wonder if that's the plant you mean.

BTW, I took your advice and bought Irene Nuss and Grey Feather. lol..'no more plants, right!' lol

What are the two plants you posted? They're lovely. Very pretty.

This is an older pic of the fern, and it's next to two others, maybe you can make heads, and let me know if this is the fern you mean.

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Hey WoeBegonia. Shux..I got antsy, so sowed the luxurian seeds..ended up setting them in small Peat Pellets. They're inside a plastic bag, but the end is open for ventilation. So far, nothing. I should have waited till spring to sow. The house has been cold, and with a zillion other things to do, I didn't look for the heating mat.
So far I brought two plants in, now, only 300 more..lol.

The ants are gone, for now..but what's been happening is, they return in spring/summer. The only thing I can figure out is they lay eggs in plant pots, then hatch when the weather warms. How in the world can people want ant farms? Sheesh. lol

Are the fires out? I hope so..sounds terrible, and had to be..Hope nobody got hurt.

Funny, Jerry Baker was the second author 'James Underwood Crockett, from Victory Garden's being the first,' I learned about basic plants. This was longgg ago. Late 70's, early 80's. He's got some weird ideas..using urine for plants, lol. Can you imagine.

Friend: you're plants are gorgeous, what do you use to make them so healthy-looking.

Me: Oh, urine. Just feel the texture. lolol

Back to luxurians..I don't know how moist to keep the pellets. Too wet they rot, too dry seeds die. What a pain. I also sowed Bottle Palm seeds, but they can take a year to germinate, if they germinate.

We're supposed to get several days of rain. I'm worried about succulents. Don't want to lose any.
Friday and Saturday, I spent the day cleaning windows and areas plants will be wintered. A lot of work. If it wasn't raining, I'd bring in baby Euphorbias..hope it stops some time today..these grey days are driving me up the wall.

Oh, H, you asked if I'd like to be outside at 49F degress, w/o a coat, etc. I wouldn't like to be outside at 60F degrees w/o a coat. lol. I'm always cold.
Actually, plants are doing great outside..it's after coming in I'm worried about. Dry, stuffy air, less light, etc.
Funny, some days/nights I think, my poor plants are probably cold outside, lol. Some more than others. Certain plants need a certain amount of cold to produce winter blooms, and it hasn't been under 32F. Thank God!!!

Only if negative feedback is warranted but tit for tat doesn't work. If I had a bad experience buying something from a seller and leave negative feedback, then the seller will usually return the favor (in the past they would). That just doesn't make sense. Most sellers won't ship until they receive their money (and I've adopted that same principle if I ever send a plant to John Doe) so that end of the deal should be secured first. I've heard stories from sellers who say they sent a package and the buyer says they didn't receive it. Someone is going to get screwed on this deal. Why should the buyer accept the loss when the shipper may be at fault or the label fell off? What if the buyer is lying and received the package and wants a refund plus the goods? It's crazy with two people in different locations and the shipper in between. I don't know the answer but these are some of the hypothetical questions.

You can click on My Info in DG and find out what your status is. It will tell you when you signed up and when your subscription ends. If you can't see all the forums or all the big pictures then you are a guest (more or less).

You made it sound like IL exported citrus which is why I asked. Funny!

Yep, same rabbit's foot fern. Don't know how old mine is but I found out that it is kind of hardy here. I picked the basket up to bring indoors for winter (about 2 years ago) and some rhizomes rooted between the cracks of our stone slab patio. The next spring three came back up. They eventually died - probably should've dug them up and moved them to a better place.

I told you I would show you the full Kangaroo Paw fern or Bear Paw fern (Polypodium aureum 'Mandianum') - that was what the two photos were - a cluster of some of the ferns I grew last summer.

Some plants do indeed need cold to flower and fruit but I think begonias prefer it a bit warmer than 40 (or if it was me 50+). I'm with you on the 60. It was 52 here this morning and I took the dogs out in shorts, tee shirt, and flip flops so when I went to breakfast a couple of hours later I was in jeans, long shirt, and sneakers. Then it got downright warm - mid 80's. Nice to spray weeds in that kind of weather.

You will like Irene Nuss. Big cut leaves and pink flowers. Grey Feather is kind of odd though, it can grow tall, and it is quite shrubby.

Here is Irene Nuss (grown by my mother from cuttings I gave her). This was about five feet tall two summers ago.

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And Irene Nuss at Callaway Gardens (Pine Mountain, GA) next to some young banana plants.

Here is Grey Feather last winter under shop lights in the basement.

Toni, I finally have a picture to show you. I can copy-paste it into your Email if you like.

THis was taken Nov. 27, seeds germinated July 9, it's about six inches tall in this picture.{{gwi:436845}}The label is a broken one used to support the bottom leaf; note true assymetry showing on the nearest leaf, the ones behind it symmetrical/immature, have to look closely to see the difference.

My God, has it been 3 months since I've been here?

Wonder why I didn't get an email when HCM wrote, but got One email when you, Woe, did??? Even though you posted two messages, only one email came in..

Anyhoo, it's amazing how fast your Begonia luxurians grew from July 9-Nov 27. After germination!

So, its leaves are wide. Will foliage grow thinner as it matures or do you think your Begonia is a 'Sterwart' cultivar?

The second to last B. lux, on Ebay, '4" pot,' went for 68. and change. Then, last week, the same seller had another luxurians, same pot size, starting at 8.00 or so..not 1 bidder.
The only thing he did different was add the name, 'Stewart.' The display showed the cutting and mom which had thin leaves. I debating ordering, forgot, then the bid was over. No buyers. How about that?

I think because of winter plants aren't selling as well. Most sellers are selling seeds.

Wow, I'm embarrassed to say this, but my seeds are still in the fridge. lol.
Several times I was going to sow, then either got distracted, or couldn't find something, like the heating mat. Then the top plastic piece was gone. Sheesh! Don't think I was meant to own a Begonia luxurians. lol.

Yours is doing fantastic. Summer will be here before ya know it, 'well, sort of, lol,' then your Begonia should really grow. Are you going to place outdoors?

Hcm. Don't know if you're still around. Irene Nuss is adorable. Wow. Love the hanging blooms. Beautiful!

Grey Feather is pretty, but what's the Begonia to the left, back? That's my favorite.

Sorry I didn't answer sooner. Problems at home. I turn on the computer, then walk away..sometimes I leave it on from morning until night...Toni

Toni, I have lost my B. luxurians plants, but I think one may recover. I don't know what went wrong. I won't be able to keep my promise. But I will keep trying to grow this one.

Hello Woe. God, what happened?

How tall was the largest seedling? Is it possible you over/under-watered?
I'm really sorry. I know how much sowing, germinating and growing meant to you.

What exactly went wrong? Can you describe the problem?

I was just thinking about you this past weekend..

I hope the one luxurains recovers.

Woe, don't worry about a promise. To be honest, I don't recall your promise..lol.
I assume it's plant related, 'luxurians?'
Whatever, don't think twice about it.

Instead focus on keeping your luxurians alive.

I still do Ebay searches, but a young luxurians cost too much money..the last, '3 or 4" pot,' final bid was 41 and change.

Begonia luxurians 'Stewarts' are sold on Ebay, inexpensive, but I alreadhy have two. I want a true, thin, palm-like Begonia luxurians.

Anyway, good luck Woe. Keep me posted on its progress. Toni

PS: Seeds are still in the fridge. :(

Toni I will try to get a picture here, then follow u{{gwi:436846}}p.

Toni, here is my follow up to the above picture of the luxurians seedling. Photo taken in January, about 7 inches tall there. You will note the larger leaf starting to drop its leaflets as a new leaf appears, I think this is normal for this plant. You may see too from the prior photo that it no longer has the 'fat' leaves, I think this was getting close to starting the adult form. I will keep trying, if I can't succeed with the smaller plant(s), I have a lot of seeds left. I don't know where I failed, it happened right after this repotting. See you later.

Hi Woe. Hey, your luxurians looks good. Yes, new leaves look like a true luxurians. Not a different cultivar.

Is the pot 4"?

Also, is it in/near a window or under lights?

I think your luxurians is doing well, Woe. It'll make it. Give it time.
Do you feel B. luxurians is fast or slow-growing? Toni