Cultivar
B. ‘Tuberhybrida cv.’
Photos
1 photo
Identity
- Genus
- Begonia
- Name
- B. ‘Tuberhybrida cv.’
- Article References
- La Semaine horticole et revue des cultures colonials, v. 3 (1899)
Plant
- Description
- La Semaine horticole et revue des cultures colonials, v. 3 (1899) The English Hybrid Begonia: The Gardeners' Chronicle published a series of interesting studies on hybrids and their breeders at the Hybridization Congress held in London in July. We reproduce the one that relates to Begonia. The development of the various races of Begonia has been so well and so thoroughly studied by Mr. F.W. Burbidge, and that of Begonia tubereux, especially by Mr. B. Wynne, in his treatise published ten years ago, that we can easily come to the facts directly. There is perhaps no plant which has been so rapidly improved, and which has gained so much popularity in a short time, as the one which is the subject of this study. The Rex type, which was once grown on such a large scale for decoration and exhibitions, has been largely abandoned. In recent years, some fine small-leafed varieties have come from the mainland, but until now it does not seem that vogue returns to these plants, although some of the old varieties are still planted in the winter gardens. Fifty years ago, B. fuchsioides figured in almost every plant collection that could claim to be complete. The late Colonel Trevor Clarke was probably one of the first to use Begonia fuchsioides for hybridization with other closely related species and varieties, and he got a lot of hybrids that probably present an interest rather botanical than horticultural. The best of Colonel Trevor Clarke's hybrids was B. weltoniensis, which has become very popular as an orangery and greenhouse plant and is still very much grown in some parts of England. Mr. W. Earley, from the time he was a gardener at Digswell, obtained an interesting hybrid named B. digswelliensis, which was very popular until the day when it was eclipsed by the new tuberous varieties. It is thanks to the introduction of B. boliviensis by MM. Veitch, in 1864, was founded the section of tuberous Begonias. B. boliviensis was followed by other imported species, such as B. Pearcei, B. Veitchi, B. rosaeftora, B. Davisi and B. Clarkei; it was with these plants that Mr. Seden produced his first hybrids, but it does not seem possible to fix with certainty the exact time when he began his work. In any case, the first hybrid that was put on the market was the B. x Sedeni, in 1870. A separate species introduced in 1872, and named B. Froebeli, was then used, both as a pollen carrier and as a seed carrier, and the seedlings in many cases reproduced many of the characters of the type. In 1871-72, following the commercialization of B. x Sedeni and a few others, Mr. O'Brien, who was then at Wellington Road Nurseries, worked very carefully with crosses between some of the Chelsea varieties, and obtained some seedlings which included a variety called White Queen, which, with the Queen of Whites, of MM. Veitch was undoubtedly the starting point of the beautiful white Begonias that have since appeared. All of O'Brien's efforts to obtain hybrids between the new tuberous varieties and the Rex type resulted in failures. He was more successful in obtaining the first two double varieties, but these were unfortunately lost. He also produced beautiful novelties at Mr. W. Bull. It is worth noting that at about the same time that Mr. O'Brien obtained his double-flowered varieties, a double-flowered B. Sedeni form appeared in one of the public gardens of Lyon. and we succeed in preserving it. Mr. Victor Lemoine and Mr. John Laing were the first to produce the double form. At this time, MM. J. Carter and Co. and MM. Sutton and sons were actively producing new varieties, and the latter were making rapid progress by obtaining new shades in the colors. About this time, Mr. J. Laing, of the Stansted Nurseries, at Forest Hill, began to apply cross-fertilization to B. boliviensis, B. Veitchi, B. Pearcei, and so on. The first results, however, caused some disappointment. Mr. Laing then procured all the finest varieties he could find, among those obtained in the country and abroad, and began this series of improvements by which the name of Laing will remain eternally attached to the history of Tuberous Begonias. The spirit of initiative which has always characterized Mr. Henry Cannell led him to devote himself ardently to the improvement of these plants, and the Swanley breeds are known throughout the world for their beauty and variety. At the same time, the same task was pursued by MM. B. R. Davis, Yeovil, J. R. Box, Croydon, H.J. Jones, Lewisham, Webb and Stourbridge, T. S. Ware, Tottenham; the latter in particular presented to the last Temple Show varieties quite superb, especially among doubles. Its head of crops, Mr. S. Pope, was the obrider of the first round-flowering Begonia, B. Woodmani, from B. Veitchi and B. Pearcei. He was at Torquay for many years at MM. Lucombe, Pince and Co., of Exeter, and at Mr. Laing and Sons, at Forest Hill, and as head of their establishment at Begonia, at Bexley Heath. Excellent results were also obtained in other parts of the country, especially by amateurs. The simple Begonia is now nearly a large, symmetrical, circular, petal flower of the same size; the double forms compete with the Double Hollyhock for size, shape and duplicature. The introduction of B. socotrana furnishes to M. J. Heal, of the Veitch house, a new element from which it was possible to draw a new infinitely valuable race of Begonia in winter bloom, double and simple. His first hybrid, socotrana by Viscountess Doneraile, was rightly named B. John Heal. Since then, this skilful sower has produced wonders; and it can be said that Winter Flower Begonia must be included in all gardens and greenhouses. The important work accomplished by M. Victor Lemoine and others with regard to the winter-flowering Begonia, which reached their apogee with the B. Gloire de Lorraine and other splendid forms, can not be over-praised. We must not forget the beautiful varieties of MM. Sutton and sons with B. semperflorens; they produced perpetually flowering varieties, not only for pot culture, but for summer beds such as Crimson Gem and Princess Beatrice. In short, it may be said that the progress achieved in the Begonia genre for a quarter of a century is based on the novel, so considerable is it. A correspondent of the Gardeners' Chronicle, Mr. B. C. Ravenscroft, completed this note with some interesting observations: You say that Mr. O'Brien failed to cross Rex-type Begonia with tubercle. You may be interested to learn that around 1884, I managed to obtain fertile seeds by fertilizing a red flowering tuberous variety (seedlings) with the pollen of an ordinary form of Rex, which was grown in very large quantities. this time, or rather a few years before, for the markets. I have obtained, I believe, five plants from a small seed capsule, and there could be no doubt as to the actual accomplishment of the crossing. One of the plants had the leaves richly decorated, with a clear silvered area, and intermediate form and size between those of both parents, with pretty dark scarlet or light crimson flowers, 5 to 7 ½ centimeters in diameter. Another promised to be even more beautiful, but her first flowers melted, and I never saw her in good condition. Another produced a large number of small plum leaves from the base, but no flowers; the others seemed not to push very well. Unfortunately, we had to use the space the following autumn, and the plants in question, with others that had promise, fell into the hands of someone who did not care for them. You do not talk about hybrids of Rex discolor, produced on the continent. From what I've seen, it's an excellent acquisition. This last remark is very correct, and it would be very much to complete the above notice in speaking of the continental varieties; it would take us a bit far, however, and we will leave it for today. But it is interesting to note that the B. x Rex-discolor, obtained by M. Bleu about 1859, pencils us, and exhibited by him only about 1878, was crossed by the same sower with tuberous Begonia; this crossing has given magnificent results. Seedlings do not appear tuberous; we admired it, in the greenhouses of M. Bleu, who had truly splendid foliage, notably the varieties B. Reine Nathalie and B. Madame Goulet. - G. T. G.
Lineage
Parents
No parentage recorded.
Descendants
No recorded descendants.
Culture
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