Here is the plant.

Here's another rhizomatous type I need a name for, perhaps heracleifolia? Variety nigricans?

I might have the name of this cane somewhere, opinions? Flowers are more orange colored than appear here.

The first one may be popenoei or a hybrid from it? Yes, the second one is heracleifolia (or a hybrid from it as well). No idea on the cane though. I have one similar and thought it was Mary Ann Flunker but someone out in CA said it wasn't so I just have it as "looks like Mary Ann Flunker" - solved that problem.

My popenoei from ? - don't remember. One on both sides of this small path. One on left is in a clay pot while the one on the right is in an aluminum "lasagna" pan with other plants - probably the heracleifolia too. They could be larger if I put them in a bigger pot but then they take up a lot of space.

Here is a big begonia at Discovery Cove parking lot a few years ago. Would've loved to know what it was and how to get a piece.

closer

cropped from the picture above

Thanks for the IDs!! On popenoei, I couldn't get past Thompson indicating it max's at a foot and mine is 2.5 ft. Maybe that reflects growing conditions in Long Island NY in the early 80s when Millie and Ed wrote the book. It should definitely be in the Giant Leaved category in their book.

You have reminded me of the name of the cane, I received it as Mary Ann Flunker. Your camera is much better than mine with a better representation of colors and intensity.

I like that one at Discovery Cove too, no clue what it is though.

Thanks Butch!!

I am sure that the plant growing in its preferred environment should grow a lot larger than in a house. I was amazed at begonias in the ground at Fairchild Tropical Gardens when I visited. Then the biggest leaf was in the greenhouse there - a lotus leaf begonia (nelumbiifolia) had to be two feet across!

I visited in 2005 and then in 2006.

In the landscape, the leaves were half the size but they sprawled a long way (not like Kudzu though).

Very nice! Popenoi is the largest leaved rhizomatous begonia I've seen, are there any bigger than 2 1/2 feet? I've read that Freddie is a big one.

I love Selph's Mahogany... dark, heavy leaved, not too large. I'll be giving away propagations for postage year, I have way more than I need.

Lotusland is the biggest I've seen and owned.

The lens cap is around 3 inches in diameter. Lotusland is too large to really own for me as it took up a lot of space in winter. I kept it for two years before it disappeared. 2009

late September 2010

Immense and Challenger were very large leaf begonias too.