Cultivar
B. ‘Worthiana’
Photos
1 photo
Identity
- Genus
- Begonia
- Name
- B. ‘Worthiana’
- Originator
- M. Barre, gardener at M. Worth's
- Date of Origin
- 1869
- Publication Date
- 1870
- Country
- France
- Region
- Europe
- Plant Type
- Tuberous
- Female Parent
- B. boliviensis var. boliviensis
- Male Parent
- B. unknown
- Synonyms and Comments
- B. ‘De Worth’
- Publication Reference
- C; Le Jardin. Paris: Librairie horticole du Jardin, 1887-1921. 1897 Page 231-2 http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/36250
- Article References
- Le Jardin. Paris: Librairie horticole du Jardin, 1887-1921. 1897 Page 231-2 http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/36250
Plant
- Description
- Le Jardin. Paris: Librairie horticole du Jardin, 1887-1921. 1897 Page 231-2 http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/36250 We have recommended, in our last article, the charming Ranunculus as plants for spring mass planting. I believe that all those who, this spring, have seen the beautiful flowering of these Ranunculus will agree with my opinion. But, after these abundant and long-lasting flowers, there are others: it is for the summer bloom. Pelargonium zonal, tuberous Begonias, Petunias, Verbena, Calceolaria, Ageratum, Begonia Vernon, B. versaillensis and others, etc., render many services, and among these latter plants are the floriferous Begonia Worthiana (fig. 82) I was, in fact, in one of the finest estates in the neighborhood of Lille. at M. Alfred Descamps, at Wattignies. It is the ancestor of the family Du Maisurel, the castle, still existing and repaired by the new owner, dates from 1640. This castle, formerly, was surrounded by water: today, these are mass plantings of flowers, bowling greens, and carefully trimmed bushes which fill the shallows and slopes of the pit. At the foot of the ground, large baskets in a semicircle surround the castle, and the gardener plants 9,000 to 10,000 plants. That's what I saw, with pleasure. in June, the Begonia Worthiana is a perfection of one of the first tuberous Begonias, B. boliviensis. Who still remembers this last Begonia who made so much noise when introduced. in 1867, it is to the Botanist Pearce, that one owes this admirable plant; it was M. Veitch of London, who put it to the trade in 1868. It was by sowing seeds of Begonia boliviensis, from which M. Barre, a gardener at M. Worth's, in Puteaux obtained the Begonia Worthiana. It must be in 1869, for M. Carriere described it in 1870. It was this scientist who gave it the name B. Worthiana. At the same time, there were B. Vesuvius of Veitch, and B. Boliviensis superba, both who have now disappeared. The B. Boliviensis had a defect: if too much watered, and for summer baskets it is not suitable, for, owing to its high size and texture, it breaks in the slightest wind. B. Sedeni was an improvement in this respect, and is stockier. But it was lawful to produce such an effect as B. Worthiana. The latter grows vigorously and ramifies well; it is covered with flowers of a beautiful red coral which are more abundant than the leaves. In these two half-moons. around the former residence of the Count of Maisurel, 500 subjects of this Begonia produced great effect. True, the tuberous Begonias has large flowers of our time, have great value and their floribundity is extraordinary, but, as a whole for a massive planting that one wants to have great effect, the Begonia Worthiana is certainly better. The flowers are smaller, they are elongated but their shade is delicious: it is blended red, coral and orange. This decoration of the chateau filled me very much: I found it happy. Also, I strongly urge amateurs to seek this Begonia and to multiply it; they will be satisfied. This chateau, surrounded by flowers, ornamental motifs, vases, etc., is framed by a 22-hectare parterre. or many trees, of which the secular ones are admirable. Planted by Lei'fotre (Mil 13-1700), this parterre was designed by this famous architect-gardener. One stays there in ecstasy in front of a superb silver lime tree, whose circumference of the crown reaches 4 rounds of turn; it is straight as an l and its carpenter branches are big as centenary trees! A few meters away, the body and the branches had to be strapped with iron. A black pine of Austria, also twice secular, seems to send its summit, divided in two, in the clouds. A beech with laminated leaves seems to me to be one of the first plants in France: a magnificent Tulip tree, in the trunk of 3 meters 50 in circumference are splendid; Elms of 25 meters in height seem to have arrived at the end of their Long Quarry. The Hurricane of March, 1876, destroyed 38,000 francs of trees in this property! Also, the plan of Le Notre had to be changed. This garden, built in the French style, became an English garden, except for the lack of hills, which was characteristic of the gardens of that time. The new owner is thinking of re-establishing the old plan. he will encounter enormous differences! And how many unfortunate complications will follow! The Begonia Worthiana is cultivated like the Begonias tubereux. It is easily propagated by seedlings, and by the section of the tubers which possess several eyes; it is necessary to cultivate it on layer in the spring and to put it in place at the end of May, near the Ranunculus. Ad., VAN DEN HEEDE Vice-president of the Regional Horticulture Society of Northern France
Lineage
Ancestry tree
Descendants
No recorded descendants.
Culture
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