Good points...thanks

You don't have to cut it - there are no rules about this. I usually do not cut mine but after a few years (or less) they become unsightly so cutting or trimming makes them look better.

Last year I let one big pot of mixed canes with a golden Duranta outdoors as I took cuttings of the Duranta and I already had plenty of the canes in other pots. Then in early December I had a change of heart by bringing the pot indoors but all the canes and Duranta were basically pruned to the ground by Jack Frost. The Duranta was dead but sometime in early March I noticed a begonia cane coming up from the ground. By the time I moved the pot outdoors in mid to late May, the pot had many canes up. The leaves were bigger and thicker from the canes that came up from the ground than any pot where I did not cut back to the ground. So this fall I cut many of my pots of canes back very hard - new shoots are looking very promising!

I still have a few dozen pots that haven't been cut back hard (YET) but I do plan on doing those as well - probably in January.

I never had problems with canes, but just recently I watched a youtube video on how it was explained to root thick stem Begonias, in either water and/or soil. I did do so with one of those reiger begonias. One in vermiculite and another in water...they both failed in only a couple of days. I even used root compound. The one thing those youtube videos don't say, exactly where they are located...which may have something to do with success or failure. They did say though when your ready to bring indoors because of the change of season. No, I wish I had as much luck with those thick ones as I do with the canes.

Anthony, I too have a couple little pots of canes I'm trying to propagate & one cane in a shot glass. the 2 pots I used rooting hormone...one pot & the one in water are in my kitchen window north side of house. neither look promising. The one in my indoor greenhouse w/heated mat & grow light however looks pretty good....keeping my fingers crossed....

I have another Cane begonia, that is dropping leaves a lot lately, as is my escargot begonia....do they go dormant in winter I wonder..

I'll go do some research.

Anthony,

Reiger (rieger/hiemalis/elatior) begonias are typically grown as annuals but some folks have had good luck in 1) keeping them going and 2) propagating them from stem cuttings. I have tried them in the past but gave up on them as perennial favorites. I will briefly admire them at the grocery stores as I pass by them.

http://www.gardenguides.com/84859-propagate-rieger-begonias.html

Debra, a Rex begonia is not a cane but rather a special kind of rhizomatous type begonia. Rex begonias do go semi-dormant in winter if conditions are not to their liking. Do not stop watering but do cut back quite a bit if they do totally defoliate - keep barely damp but never dry. Escargot is one of the most challenging begonias you can start out with. Very finicky indoors - often a mildew magnet and can quickly go south if too dry or too wet. Best bet is to place it in a terrarium under lights or close to a sunny window. Water the media and drain any excess water. It can be weeks before it needs water again as wilting will show when it needs it.

Oh, yes. I knew that! pardon my memory. I do see new growth coming up on the Angel wing & escargot. Not all is lost. I put the escargot in my indoor greenhouse..under a grow light. we'll see what happens..Thank you so much.

I managed to get a nice root system on a geranium cutting (actually it was a piece that fell off) I put it in warm water in a north window...I planted it in the same pot as its parent.