Cultivar

B. ‘John Heal’

Photos

2 photos

Identity

Genus: Begonia
Name: B. ‘John Heal’
Originator: James Veitch and Sons
Date of Origin: 1883
Place: Chelsea
Country: England, UK
Region: Europe
Plant Type: Hiemalis
Female Parent: B. socotrana
Male Parent: B. ‘Viscountess Doneraile ’
Publication Reference: GAR;YBG
Article References: The century supplement to the dictionary of gardening… by Geo. Nicholson [et al.]. Hyde Park, Mass. Geo. T. King ;1901. Page 138-42 http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/48615; The Garden, v. 65, (1904)

Plant

Description: John Heal, Flowers clear rose, lasting for 2-3 weeks, leaves much smaller than those of Adonis, habit graceful.; The Garden, v. 65, (1904) VEITCH'S WINTER – FLOWERING BEGONIAS. Among plants introduced of recent years, probably none have proved more valuable than the winter flowering Begonias raised by Messrs. James Veitch and Sons, Limited, of Chelsea. They have undoubtedly been a great boon to many gardeners, both professional and amateur, who value either a supply of cut flowers during the winter months, or who take delight in a greenhouse or conservatory made bright by something other than Chrysanthemums. The new hybrid winter-flowering Begonias are, therefore, a most opportune as well as a valuable introduction, and none who know their value will care to be without them. We lately paid a visit to the Feltham nurseries or Messrs. James Veitch and Sons, Limited, and there we found this new race of Begonias in splendid flower, several houses are filled with them, and they were a blaze of color. Visitors to the Drill Hall shows of the Royal Horticultural Society have had plenty of opportunity of seeing these Begonias, for Messrs. Veitch have made some brilliant displays with them during the late autumn and winter months. To Mr. John Heal, who is a clever and practical hybridist, is due the inception of this race of Begonias, by crossing B. socotrana with the tuberous Begonias. B. socotrana is in itself a valuable and handsome winter-flowering Begonia, but its progeny has been much improved in the important considerations of floriferousness and compact habit. Among the best of these Begonias are: Begonia, John Heal is one of the most valuable, and for the reason that its blooms are extraordinarily persistent. It is of compact habit, growing some 9 inches to 12 inches high, with leafage much resembling that of Begonia Gloire de Lorraine, but much finer and larger flowers. Individual blooms of this variety have been known to remain upon the plant tor nineteen days, so its value for decoration may be said to be unique. The flowers, which are of a bright glowing rose color, do not drop off even when they are over; they just shrivel. This characteristic enables the plants to undergo a long journey without losing their blooms, which in itself is sufficiently rare among single flowered plants to render them of more than ordinary value.