Cultivar
B. ‘Essie Hunt’
Photos
5 photos
Identity
- Genus
- Begonia
- Name
- B. ‘Essie Hunt’
- Originator
- Mae Blanton
- Date of Origin
- 1974
- Place
- Lake Dallas, Tx.
- Country
- USA
- Region
- America
- Plant Type
- Rhizomatous
- Female Parent
- B. conchifolia var. rubrimacula
- Male Parent
- B. manicata var. aureomaculata
- Publication Reference
- MLT2; B90 p163; Bb92 ap131; B96 r218;
- Article References
- The Begonian (47) May 1980, p. 136;
- Photo References
- Murotani, Begonia in Colour :129. 1983; The Begonian, May 1980;
Plant
- Description
- Easy to grow: B. 'Essie Hunt' by Elda Haring If you are fond of B. 'Bunchii', one of those commonly called "lettuce leaf" begonias because of the frilled edges of the pale green leaves, you will be thrilled with the extraordinary beauty of B. 'Essie Hunt'. This begonia-pictured on the cover -was originated by Mae Blanton of Texas, by crossing B. conchifolia var. rubrimacula (formerly called B. 'Zip') with the lovely B. manicata aureomaculata crispa. It is classified as rhizomatous, erect, with crested margin. The rounded, deep green, shiny leaf with a pointed tip is curled (spiraled) where the leaf meets the stem. Leaves are quite large with red center veins and bordered with a very fine red band. The leaf edge is frilled and crested similar to B. 'Bunchii'. B. 'Essie Hunt' not only is a gorgeous begonia but is very hardy, growing well under varying conditions of climate, temperatures, potting mixes, and fertilizing practices. Too much sun in summer, however, will burn the red veins of the leaves. During winter, bright light is essential, but if you live in the South where a strong winter sun prevails, the plant must be observed carefully to assure that it retains its lovely coloring. In many parts of the South and West, greenhouses are constructed of translucent materials. My own greenhouse is glass and the roof vent is shaded all year by a lath cover. The overhead and side panels are protected from strong rays of the sun by adjustable plastic shades so that the winter sun does not fade the leaves of my begonias. As the glass goes to the ground level, I keep B. 'Essie Hunt' on the floor of the greenhouse under the east bench where it gets sufficient light and even a little morning sun. winter nighttime temperatures are kept at a minimum of 58 degrees and the floor in very cold weather may be 10 degrees colder, yet B. 'Essie Hunt' is always magnificent under such difficult conditions. Under fluorescent lights in my cellar, the leaves are deeper green and the red veins much more pronounced. When well grown, the leaves of this begonia are very crisp-they rear easily if the plant is not handled with care. [n February rosy pink flowers appear 111 clusters on long stalks. As this is a winter bloomer, if you are growing it under fluorescent lights they should be kept burning no longer than 10 hours a day during November, December, and January to set buds. However, [ consider this plant worth growing even only for the beauty of its foliage. B. 'Essie Hunt' does as well in my potting mix containing some soil as it does in packaged potting mixes and the so-called soilless mixes. As a matter of fact, a rhizome cutting taken last September, placed in a pot of propagating mix constantly fed with Shultz Instant Liquid Fertilizer, is as handsome as those grown in the potting mix. B. 'Essie Hunt' is not a registered cultivar. ABS Nomenclature Co-director Thelma O'Reilly says it cannot be registered because it is nearly identical to B. 'Nagare'-they have the same parents and cannot be distinguished from it easily. - Editors
- Stem Type
- Erect
Lineage
4 descendants
Parents
Ancestry tree
Descendants
4 recorded children
As female parent
4
As male parent
0
No children recorded with this plant as the male parent.
Culture
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