Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Beefsteak Begonia in bloom

The Beefsteak Begonia (Begonia 'Erythrophylla') is grown for it's foliage - very large, round dark colored leaves.  But that doesn't prevent it from blooming.

beefsteak_blooms
Beefsteak Begonia blooms
A while back a neighbor gave me some cuttings of her Beefsteak Begonia - 4 large leaves with stems attached.  I rooted the leaves and then gave 2 of them to my mother-in-law, who grows some Begonias.  We both planted the leaves in potting soil about the same time.  My plant is now in a small 4" pot with about 8 leaves.  Hers is in a 12" or larger pot with about 8 million leaves!  In fact, I think Cheryl's plant is probably larger than the parent plant from which the cuttings were taken.

beefsteak_blooms_cheryl
My mother-in-law's monstrous Beefsteak Begonia (Begonia 'Erythrophylla') in bloom
A week or two back she reported to me that it now has tall, thick bloom stalks with little pink flowers on the ends.  Not to be outdone, my own tiny plant decided to put up a little bloom stalk of its own.

beefsteak_mine
My tiny Beefsteak Begonia

3 comments:

  1. This is great. I would love to get a cutting of this. My sis was just diagnosed with breast cancer and my son broke and killed hers. Can you email me? kckid68@yahoo.com

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  2. I had this plant for 30 years and moved last year and it died over the winter. Is it possible for me to get a cutting or an established plant?

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