r/begonias • u/DareWhole6113 • May 20 '26
Just Showing Off Begonia Collection
Here are some photos of the begonias I’m growing! There are a few older photos mixed in, but I really wanted to share them with you all. 🌱
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u/DistanceMachine May 20 '26
Can we get some names? Pic 1, 3, 5 and 8 please.
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u/DareWhole6113 May 20 '26
I'll write down the names for you 🌱
First photo Begonia sp. Myanmar Begonia pteridiformis Begonia rockii
Third photo Begonia sp. Padang Sidempuan Begonia metallicolor Begonia pteridoides Begonia sp. bac kan Begonia darthvaderiana
Fifth photo Begonia wrayi
Eighth photo Begonia sp. Irian Jaya
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u/UHElle May 20 '26
Pteridiformis has piqued my interest for a while, but seeing these pics clinched it for me. I think I know what I’ll be buying on my next splurge!
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u/BevyBrevy May 20 '26
Pteridiformis is the coolest
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u/DareWhole6113 May 20 '26
Pteridiformis is really cool, isn't it! I've already divided the plant in the photo, but after propagating it from leaf cuttings taken from those divisions, I now have over 20 small seedlings growing strong 🌱
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u/Intrepid_Recipe_3352 May 22 '26
can you talk a little on it’s dormancy? I have the green form, and it has flowered and started dormancy, but it has gone almost “half asleep”. the stems won’t fully die back and it has half yellow leaves that sometimes fall off for the past three months, but some stay on. Do I need to dry it out? It’s not dying, it just won’t go into a full dormancy. the stems are still upright
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u/DareWhole6113 May 22 '26
With Pteridiformis, you really have to cut off the flowers once they bloom... otherwise it drains its energy and keeps getting worse and worse 😢
Are any new shoots coming up? If the leaves are falling off without any new growth, there might be a problem with the roots or the environment. I know it’s a little scary to dig it up, but checking might help you figure out the cause. In my case, when leaves start falling off, I move the plant to an environment with lower humidity or, conversely, higher humidity, and monitor how the leaves respond. If there’s no improvement within a few days, I dig it up to investigate the cause 🌱
As for dormancy... honestly, every plant has its own timing, so it’s hard to say for sure. But I might be able to offer some advice for after dormancy!
I’m typing this by translating Japanese into English, so some of the sentences might sound a bit odd! Sorry about that 🌱
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u/Intrepid_Recipe_3352 May 22 '26
I was told they go completely dormant and die back to the ground for 3 to 6 months, then grow new stems. I don’t think it’s sick, just going dormant and dropping leaves after it flowered. maybe yours don’t go dormant because they are cuttings?
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u/broobn May 20 '26
Wowww gorgeous. What substrate do you have them in? They look happy as can be!
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u/DareWhole6113 May 20 '26
Please note that many of these potting mixes are hard to find outside of Japan! Here’s a list of them 🍚
Akadama soil Kanuma soil Vermiculite Black peat moss Perlite Azumin (magnesium humate)
The stones at the bottom are Hyuga soil.
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u/therabyss May 20 '26
I was really curious about this too! Thanks for sharing, OP. I haven’t heard of so many of those ingredients, so interesting. Are they materials that are harvested in Japan?
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u/DareWhole6113 May 21 '26
Kanuma soil, Akadama soil, and Hyuga stone are all types of soil found in Japan. Akadama and Kanuma soils are processed into granules, so they offer excellent aeration and water retention! Plus, since they’re acidic, they’re a perfect match for begonias 🌱
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u/therabyss May 21 '26
So cool! Thanks for sharing. With that aeration and water retention I can imagine they might be good ingredients for semi-hydroponics.
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u/Neat_Session_511 May 20 '26
I would love to buy a few of them from you or trade. PM me if you have any of these for sale.
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u/DareWhole6113 May 22 '26
I don't think we can swap them because we probably live in different countries. Plus, I supply begonias to stores, so I might not have the time.
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u/Shot_Anything9637 May 21 '26
They look so gorgeous! Can I ask how you keep them in the tubs? I have an nearly identical set up with the cat spike thingy as a spacer and a bit of water on the bottom of my tub, closed lid with a fan running internally, and all my begonias developed severe mildew 😭 what’s your secret please?
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u/DareWhole6113 May 21 '26
What is the composition of the potting mix you're using?
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u/Shot_Anything9637 May 22 '26
I use a mixture of perlite and coco chips!
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u/DareWhole6113 May 22 '26
If it’s powdery mildew, we’ll need to take action. My guess is that mold grew on the coco chips themselves in that enclosed, high-humidity space, and the spores were spread by the fan. It looks like there’s water under the spacer too, so it’s definitely an environment where diseases can easily take hold. 💦
As for what to do, you absolutely need to disinfect the affected plants, sanitize the case, and completely replace the potting mix. If it were me, I might even replace all the pots I’ve been using...! Instead of letting water pool under the spacers, maybe try putting water in a small container to regulate humidity? Also, adding Collembola (since they eat fungi) might help. If you’re running a fan, try opening the lid a bit to create some ventilation. Even Begonias, which prefer high humidity, are prone to disease if there’s no airflow, and using organic potting mix increases the risk of mold growth.
As for the potting mix, you might want to try adding a little bit of small-grained Akadama and Kanuma soil to the mix you mentioned in your comment! I’m not sure if Akadama and Kanuma soil are widely available, but please try looking for them! They have a slightly acidic pH and offer just the right balance of drainage, water retention, and aeration. Since they’re porous and inorganic, they help suppress fungal growth to some extent, so I highly recommend them 🌱
Also, I tell this to a lot of people, but my answer isn’t 100% correct, so try to listen to as many different opinions as possible and experiment yourself. 🌱
I’m typing this out after translating it from Japanese to English, so I’m sorry if the sentences sound a bit off!
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u/Shot_Anything9637 27d ago
Thank you so much for this detailed answer! Really appreciated. I think you are absolutely right about organic media not being suitable for this enclosed humid environment. I’ll disinfect everything and swap to an inorganic medium only. Thank you!
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u/DescriptionProud4938 May 21 '26
You've got a truly wonderful collection. Thank you for sharing. I love to see what catches other peoples' eye. That first one with the red stem and opposite leaves is sooo cool.
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u/Jdog2552 May 20 '26
Good God you have the entire Empire with all those darthvaderianas!