B. ‘Triomphe de Bois-Colombes’

Culture

Original Botanical Description or Link to

Begonia Triomphe de Bois-Colombes Le Jardin. Paris: Librairie horticole du Jardin, 1887-1921 Page 155-6, 312-13, 331. http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/35959 Since then, the introduction, in European cultures, of various tuberous Begonias such as B. boliviensis, B. Veitchii, B. Pearcei, etc. The hybridizations produced surprising results not only as varieties, but also as types. Those who, since the beginning, have followed the progress made by various foreign horticulturists and particularly French, have been amazed by the unexpected transformations which have succeeded each other. In fact, what contrasts we compare with the varieties above named with the tuberous Begonias erecta superba, which we now possess, with flowers of enormous size. the tones of the liveliest colors, almost infinitely varied, presenting majestically their flowers, very distinct above the foliage. These advances left much to be desired in the primitive types, which only had small flowers. After the first changes were noted in flower size, the Begonias has large simple flowers. the Begonias with double flowers began their appearance in the establishment of M. V. Lemoine, of Nancy, we believe; the first step was made, and this new type was not late in generating new varieties which have since been constantly improved, from small flowers with weak peduncles, we have succeeded in obtaining monstrous flowers and well-formed flowers. Among the principal French horticulturists who have contributed most to this progress since the beginning, we shall mention M. Victor Lemoine, Thibautet Keteleer, Mallet, Crousse, Robert, Arnoult, Fontaine, etc. which has obtained many remarkable hybrids. Like our colleagues, we have, from their appearance, constantly been occupied with the improvement of the genus Begonia. We had good fortune to introduce a few types. such as begonias with panache flowers stripes red on white background, the flower’s center illuminates white. Begonias with punctuated flowers and marbling. the race the Vallerandi breed, which is the especially noteworthy by its crystalized leaves with white, pink, red veins, sometimes reminiscent of the Begonia Rex. Among the double begonias that we have obtained in recent years. we have concentrated on the flowering plants. Two years ago, we found in our seedlings a certain number of seedlings with exactly the characters and of the colors we wanted. We in presented the first to about twenty poets to the S.N.H.F. under the name of Begonia ‘Triomphe de Bois-Colombes’; the plants obtained then a first-class merit certificate. Since, we have specially worked them and this year our new seedlings gave us a level of uniformity and that we had not encountered in any seedling of double begonias. The flowers are enormous, undulating, of bright orange-colored vermilion and of a very beautiful texture. Moreover, the attached color plate is the direct photograph of a subject taken from our cultures. - VALLERAND FRERES.