B. ‘martiana Grandiflora’

Culture

Comments

"This B. Martiana gracilis was crossed with B. racemiflol'a rosea grandiflora by Messrs. Lemoine, producing a plant which was distributed in· 1885 under the name of B. Martiana grandiflora, the plant figured in the Botanical Magazine." -R.A. Rolfe, Kew Bull. :400, 1910.

Original Botanical Description or Link to

L'Illustration horticole : journal special des serres et des jardins, ou choix raisonne des plantes les plus interressantes sous le rapport ornemental, comprenant leur histoire complete, leur description comparee, leur figure et leur culture. Gand, Belgium :Imprimerie et lithographie de F. et E. Gyselnyck, 1854-1896. v.42 Page 98 (1895): http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/53595 (translated using Google translate) The engraving below (fig. 14), which we owe to the kindness of the house PFITZER, of Stuttgart, shows the beauty of this Begonia; Here is the description of this house. Native to Mexico, this superb species is similar to B. diversifolia. It forms a bush of 40 to 50 centimeters in height, covered during the whole summer with flowers of a burning carmine pink. The plant thrives in full sunlight and in all situations, and is one of the most floriferous and of those that have the most effect in massifs; Its flowering lasts until the end of autumn; It is very sought after for the cut flower. B. martiana should be considered as a variety of B. gracilis, which was described in 1829 by Humboldt and Bonpland; The B. diversifolia, mentioned above, is also a variety. These various forms of tuberous Begonia have become very popular in recent years and deserve to be cultivated by all flower lovers. Their culture can be exposed in the following manner. At the beginning of March, the tubers which have passed dry winter, either in sand or bare, are deposited in a layer of leaf mold, in a damp greenhouse, at a temperature of 15 ° C. And the tubers are then replaced in a mixture of clay soil and potting soil with a little fine sand to make the compost lighter. It is also possible to water it with a little water, Fertilizer. When the leaves are well developed and the weather has become more favorable, that is to say towards the middle of May, the pots are transported in a cooler greenhouse, which is kept for a few days Plants to get used to change, and gradually develop them; Later on, it is given more air, and always a fine blow of water. Towards the middle of June, the Begonia were planted in the open air; They can also be kept in pots for the ornamentation of the apartments. The only difficult point in this crop is the graduation of the first irrigations, and the resumption of vegetation, in order to evade the rotting of the tubers. It is well to remove them from the soil, and to give them moisture rather in the atmosphere than in compost, so long as they have not emitted roots. For the first few days, the water should be irrigated moderately, and rather towards the edges of the pot, than in the middle where the tuber is.