Species
B. acutifolia
Photos
5 photos
Identity
- Genus
- Begonia
- Name
- B. acutifolia
- Author
- Jacquin, Coll.
- Publication Date
- 1787
- Country
- Cuba, Jamaica
- Region
- America
- Section
- Begonia
- Chr 2n
- 156
- Plant Type
- Shrub-like
- Synonyms and Comments
- acuminata Dryander. 1791. ; hamiltoniana Lehmann, Neue Allg. Deutsche Garten–Blumenzeitung 6:456. 18 50. ; malabarica auct. non Lamarck. 1785.: F. Hamilton ex Walpers, Ann. Bot. Syst. 2:650. 1852 pro syn. halmiltoniana Lehmann. 1850. —O.E. Schulz in Urban, Symb. Antil. 7:13. 1911.; obliqua auct. non Li nnaeus: Van den Heede, Les Begonia :7, 59, 65, 145, pl. 6. 1903; also known as ‘White Richmondensis’
- Reference
- Coll. 1:128, “1786”.1787. –J. Sierra, Flora de Cuba 3:22, pl. 3, fig. 1. 2000.;JGSL9/08
- Article References
- Curtis’s Botanical Magazine v. 69 = ser. 2, v. 16, 1842
Plant
- Description
- A mound forming plant that grows in full sun producing an almost everlasting display of white blushed pink flowers; Curtis’s Botanical Magazine v. 69 = ser. 2, v. 16, 1842 B. acutifolia as SYN. B. acuminata The various species of BEGONIA have not been valued by Horticulturists in general, according to their merits. As stove plants, few families present a great variety of color and form in their foliage. They are easily increased, ready flowerers, and the blossoms are highly beautiful. A collection of various species, grouped together, as is now the case in the Royal Garden of Kew, is at all seasons of the year attractive; and from among this group the present one, though far indeed from being the handsomest, is selected. It was introduced to the establishment by Sir Joseph Bank, from Jamaica, In 1790, and flowers, more or less copiously, from May to December. Description: Our plant rises with several weak, though rather stout, fleshy, semi-pellucid, reddish stems, having a few scattered patent hairs, to the height of three or four feet, branched. Leaves on short, rounded petioles, two to three inches long, succulent, very oblique, or, in other words, semi-cordato-ovate, hispid, plaited at the nerves, acuminate, lobed and inciso-serrate at the margin. Stipules ovate, membranous, deciduous. Peduncles axillary, longer than the leaves, hispid, bearing three to five flowers. Male flowers consisting of four, white petals, two large and acute, two about half that size and obtuse. Female flowers with five white petals, of which two are smaller. Fruit with one large and two small membranous wings.
- Growth Type
- Shrubby
- Growth Rate
- Fast in growing season (spring and autumn)
- Plant Habit
- Bun shaped mound
- Plant Spread
- 1 m
- Plant Height
- 600 mm
- Stem Type
- Narrow, upright and lax, slightly zig-zag, swollen at the nodes
- Stem Habit
- Moderate branching
- Other Features
- Stems red in full sun
- Internodal Distance
- 40 mm - 60 mm
- Sun Tolerance
- Tolerant
- Plant Hardiness
- -2°c, no frost, takes heat to 40°c+
- Pests Diseases
- Resistant to mildew
Lineage
2 descendants
Parents
No parentage recorded.
acuminata Dryander. 1791. ; hamiltoniana Lehmann, Neue Allg. Deutsche Garten–Blumenzeitung 6:456. 18 50. ; malabarica auct. non Lamarck. 1785.: F. Hamilton ex Walpers, Ann. Bot. Syst. 2:650. 1852 pro syn. halmiltoniana Lehmann. 1850. —O.E. Schulz in Urban, Symb. Antil. 7:13. 1911.; obliqua auct. non Li nnaeus: Van den Heede, Les Begonia :7, 59, 65, 145, pl. 6. 1903; also known as ‘White Richmondensis’
Descendants
2 recorded children
As female parent
2
Male parent: B. minor
Male parent: B. ‘Carmen’
As male parent
0
No children recorded with this plant as the male parent.
Culture
- Propagation Method
- Seed if available, otherwise mallet stem cuttings (nearly every node flowers, so very few growth buds at nodes)
- Cultural Requirements
- Pot into a free draining medium with a pH of about 5.5. Grows well in the ground. Fertilise in growing period. Medium feeder.
- Comments
- Very tough begonia suitable for landscaping use in frost free areas.