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MULTIFLORA BEGONIAS
Dennis Need

   These small flowered tuberous begonias owe much to the discovery of B;davisii, which was collected by W. Davis when on a plant collecting expedition for Veitch and Sons in 1876. It was discovered in the Andes at Chupe, Peru, growing at 10,00 feet. Its dwarf compact habit has been passed on to its ancestors which makes an ideal plant for bedding during the summer months

      The nearest cultivated variety to the original species, is “Le Flamboyant”, bred by the French hybridist Arthur Billard in 1911.  Whilst it is classified as a single, the centre is composed mainly of small petaloids rather than anthers.

 “Frau Helenè Harms” came from Germany circa 1904. It is interesting to note, that a friend of mine using seed saved from B; pearcei, had a number of seedlings virtually identical to this variety. So we can assume that this variety arrived under similar circumstances. 

   Another of Arthur Billard’s varieties shown is “La Madelon” introduced in 1919, again listed as a single, but similar to “Le Flamboyant” in that the centre is composed of petaloids and not anthers.  This is an extremely free blooming variety and makes a wonderful show from early summer through to late autumn.

    I have been trying to increase the range of multiflora varieties during the past 10 years with limited success, and have to date only managed a small number. “Peardrop” being one that is different, named by my Daughter, as she thought the colour combination was similar to the sweets called Peardrops she had as a child.  This is a totally different colour combination as can be seen from the picture, although at the height of summer the yellow centre can fade.

“Yellowhammer” the first variety I bred, makes a brilliant display, being the brightest yellow begonia I have ever seen.  The picture does not do justice to glowing colour seen when planted in a bed in full sun.

Redcap

Lemon Bergermaster

Pink Bergermaster

Apricot Bergermaster

  I hope the pictures of the cutting raised multiflora varieties shown, will encourage more gardeners to grow them, as they make a neater more free blooming display than the seed raised varieties.

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