Help me decide on a cane Begonia

9 years ago

I've been interested in getting a cane begonia for a while and the opportunity has come around for me to get one. I've been looking at Begonia 'Cracklin Rosie' and Begonia 'Wightii', but I'm open to exploring others. Can anyone give me some advice or suggestions (pictures of your beautiful plants are also welcome!) on any cane begonias they have a particular fondness for?

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Comments (4)

hc mcdole
9 years ago
Both of those canes are indeed beautiful but Cracklin Rosie has never bloomed for me and I understand it may never bloom (one of those "shy" bloomers). As for maculata (var. wightii) it is a great begonia too and if sited in a great location will bloom a lot. B. maculata is the parent of many hybrids (I have a few of my own canes grown from seed collected off this plant) but it is a bit susceptible to mildew (just so you are warned).

Some other easy great canes are 'Irene Nuss', 'Sophie Cecile', 'Lana', 'Silver Mist', 'My Special Angel', and so many more. The canes that have more silver in their leaves than green seem much slower and more difficult to grow (at least for me) but they are so showy!

Have fun in whatever you choose and continue to add on over the years.
hc mcdole
9 years ago
Here is a maculata I grew back in 2009 from a small pot. The lower all green cane below it was Mrs. Hashimoto. The seeds I collected off maculata must've had pollen from Mrs. Hashimoto because one of the seedlings I grew had the shape of M.H.

Here is one of those seedlings (I cut it back in September to make this pot much fuller).

And a giant one I added this year from Fort Worth when I visited in May. This is U445.
Don't limit yourself to canes either. Try some rhizomatous and rexes.

This little cane is another one I added from Fort Worth (Bronze de Nancy)

Esther Albertine starting to bloom (late September)
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Jaycee
Original Author
9 years ago
Thank you for the suggestions and the beautiful photos! I actually have a rex, which is what got me interested in the cane type begonias. There's just something about their coloring (and polka dots!), upright growth and wing-shaped leaves that I really love. I haven't given much thought about rhizomatous begonias, but I think I will after seeing your beautiful plants.

Out of curiosity, what is the name of that pink rex on the right hand side of your 4th photo? It looks the same as mine, but I've received conflicting answers on what its name is.
hc mcdole
9 years ago
I don't know the name of that rex. Think I got it at Lowe's a couple years ago when they get a lot of new plants in the spring. One of those Exotic Angels that is never labeled with the name.