Pretty survivor in full bloom

8 years ago

I have had these 4 AV-s (NOIDs, from local nursery) for at least a couple of years now.

Last summer I wanted to throw them away before a 3-months long trip overseas, since I had no one to leave them with and I knew they would die anyway.

My 9 yo daughter was so sad about this that she suggested I just leave them outside on the deck - and maybe nature will just take care of them. :-)

Nature sure did because when we came back at the end of July, after 3 months away, they were all in bloom; leaves a bit untidy, but they were more than alive and well.

It's been almost a year and here is one of my pretty survivors in mad bloom again. :-)

Featured Answer

dviolet1

8 years ago

Begonia, if it's an Optimara, google Optimara Field Guide. You may be able to put a name to it with that. Officially it will always be a NO ID plant though. Fortunately there are no plant police hanging out on GW forum, so you're good.

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Comments (14)

aegis1000
8 years ago
Very nice ... very wise daughter ...
Artist-FKA-Novice Zone 7B GA
Original Author
8 years ago
Hello aegis!

It is so nice to see you here again!

I used to visit the AV forum quite often a few years ago under the name of Begonia...but have changed it since.

You were probably my main AV mentor, I learned so much from you!

I can say I did get the hang of AV-s eventually and now I am always growing a few and they are blooming year round.

I just cannot do many for space-related reasons.

Currently I am trying to learn as much as I can from the Rose people (hence my user-name) because I have been bitten by the rose bug; and in the South, it's not easy.

But AV-s will always be my first love.

Best of wishes and I hope you are doing great!
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Artist-FKA-Novice Zone 7B GA
Original Author
8 years ago
I wonder if anyone can identify my "pretty" above.

Nowadays I just get them from my local nursery (Pike) - the sturdy, commercial type. Some are really beautiful and they've worked better for me in the past than the specialty types.
coculo4
8 years ago
Lovely
Paul MI
8 years ago
Like your avatar --- looks like an Orthodox or Byzantine Catholic church. :-)
Artist-FKA-Novice Zone 7B GA
Original Author
8 years ago
Paul,

I sure love it too! It's an interior of Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria. :-)
aegis1000
8 years ago
Hello Begonia ... good seeing you here again ...
Artist-FKA-Novice Zone 7B GA
Original Author
8 years ago
Anyone could guess which variety this pink AV is?

It is a standard that seems to be sold rather frequently in local nurseries.

Not a special type. But these commercial sturdy types seem to work best for me.
Artist-FKA-Novice Zone 7B GA
Original Author
8 years ago
Thank you dviolet.

It think it might be Ingrid, Optimara.

http://www.selectivegardener.com/INGRID-4-IN-Optimara-New-Variety-p521.html
dviolet1
8 years ago
You might try the FB group https://www.facebook.com/groups/africanvioletid/ to help you. You'll also see posters who will not help and tell you that it's just a NOID. For personal record-keeping I like to have a name other than Pink X, though I do include NOID with the name as a constant reminder of it's humble beginnings. ;-)

It's not Rhapsodie Ingrid though -- Here's a pic of that violet:
Artist-FKA-Novice Zone 7B GA
Original Author
8 years ago
Well...I am at a stage where I had to scale back significantly the AV focus - so now I am only growing 3-4 for "pretty" in the house (decoration).

So NOID-s are fine for me - I just thought it might be easy to identify it.

Thank you again! :-)
irina_co
8 years ago
Identifying is unbelievably hard ... just too many of them - and mostly hopeless. It can very possibly be Ingrid, you did an excellent job growing it. If the life makes you to limit your collection to 4 - if all your 4 will look like THAT - this is grand!
Artist-FKA-Novice Zone 7B GA
Original Author
8 years ago
Hi Irina,

Thank you for your encouraging post!

All four are actually doing just as good. They have been blooming their heads off and I just recently dead-headed them and are now on a break.

I am spending more and more time with the outdoor gardening these days especially after we realized last year that the nice garden beds we inherited from the previous owners had gone down significantly under our reign.

She was a SAHM and took such nice care of this garden.

By contrast, we are a dual-career couple who also home-school (partially) - and until recently, I had some major obstacles to surmount in the workplace, so the garden was the last thing on my mind for many years.

When we realized last year that one of the beds has been invaded by weeds and nettles as tall as the lowest branches of our secular trees...we decided it was about time to take charge.

Now I am getting into roses- and these are major Divas. :)