A long, long, long time ago! I was a kid. lolz... Every summer we went home to my mom's hometown to visit our grandparents at the same time summer vacation. A month long summer vacation where we met all of my moms siblings and our cousins. Could still remember those days where we roam around the house and often got scolded by our grandma because we were running around. She was just afraid we will end up breaking something, glassware and plates.
The 2nd floor had a balcony where my uncle used to sleep and where I use to hide. Especially at times when I don’t want to be found. And there I mused myself with my grandma’s begonia display. I never saw flowers but the leaf display was amazing. I could still remember the array of collections she had, where many of it were given from her “social” (rich) friends. Ahhh! I could really still remember, how I envied her collection was that I come to steal new shoots as we were about to come home to Cebu. Hahaha! Oh! Grandma knew, we share the same passion to the point that she actually gave me some plants to begin with. And I was so happy.
There are a lot of plants to talk about but today, I want to talk about begonias. One of her favorite that has become my favorite as well. When I left our house and live from a well-build to a barely made room by the mountains because I no longer have any reason to stay. I get to pursue my thing –gardening. Oh! The collections I have, portulaca and some succulents, it’s simply good to see. That every time I come home work seeing them bloom is just something that made my day! However, I lost many of them of I transferred near my work place. Covid cases are still up and rising, the thought of underemployment is something I couldn’t bare, especially rearing the kids alone, -I just couldn’t risk it.
What I like most of begonias are there fairly good display, -just about anywhere. Oh! This is my 1st plant and I only bought it at Php50, -im a cheapepay plantita. I love to collect but only the affordable ones. I bought 2 so the other one I let it flower while the other one, I divided so I will have a lot of new plants, soon mother plants. So, this one became the immediate favorite since it flowered vigorously when I bought it. It has small white flowers and it adopts well to extreme heat (direct sunlight) and drought, which is why it became an immediate favorite. Surprisingly its leaves didn’t burn. Aside from the nice white flowers, oh my, the leaves are as attractive too.
This one, I was immediately enticed to buy because it resembled the displayed begonia’s my grandma had on her balcony. And I was so surprised that it flowered, also white small flowers, isn’t it amazing? I had it divided into shoots and I think it will be bearing flowers either before the year ends or 1st quarter next year.
Oh, im not sure it this was one but I kinda have the feeling and it was good to know its begonia manaus “steve’s star”. I liked it in a way it different from my other begonias because it has thick leaves and almost like crawling. Its very easy to propagate because the stems eventually bear roots as it crawls and if its near the soil, roots grows.
Begonia floccifera, these were part of my grandma’s begonia collection. Oh! This one, has a story. Well, I really envied the owner displaying it on the streets so I really stopped by to ask to buy a shoot. Arggg! But the owner refused because she insisted to sell the whole plant. I can afford thought but I don’t want to waste the entire funds for a mother plant. I really don’t mind starting from scratch. So instead of buying, I stole a shoot. Shh! Im so sorry, I just didn’t know what else to do. I couldn’t find anywhere within my reach to buy this variety. Sorry.
These ones were bought. And this became and immediately favorite… yeah, yeah, I already a lot in the list of favorites… hahaha! So, what happens if I really buy those expensive begonias!? Ahhhhhh! Oh no! they will all be my favorites. One good this about them is that hanging them or place them in row, they’re just magnificent to the eyes.
Oh! Just before I end, here’s one Winged begonia, “Pink Sinbad”. I bought this at SM consolascion. I wish to expand this collection because there is really this winged begonia I like so much because the flowers it bear are tangerine/orange, I rarely have orange flowers for begonia. Most I have are pinks and white, barely have reds too or yellow. Hopefully my finds will expand… Good luck!
Thank you so much. Hope you find this share interesting and hopefully there are people who shares the same interest. God bless in all your pursuit.
P.S. The names, please do correct me. The names may not be accurate but they’re the closest.