B. socotrana

Culture

Endangered Status

Least Concern

Original Botanical Description or Link to

Wiener illustrirte garten-zeitung. n.p.,n.d. 1887. Page 78-9 http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/100759 From Fr. Abel. At that time, when nature, covered with snow, makes the impression of the most perfect rest, the educated man longs for the lively colors of the children of Floras; therefore, the plants that bloom in the winter are so sought and estimated. Although a number of so-called winter flowers are now being cultivated in the spring, some enrichment of their number is still very much desired. The Begonia socotrana, whose exceptionally successful picture shows our color chart, is such a plant, which, according to the experience gained so far, regularly develops its beautiful flowers during the Christmas season, which continue until February. This species was given by Dr. Dr. Balfour was introduced into the Kew Garden from the island of Socotra in 1880. It is a tubal-forming species, similar to the South American species B. boliviensis, B. Veitchi, B. Pearcei, B. Froebeli, and the same light culture. In the months of October to November the small tubercles are inserted, and soon their vegetation begins; fully developed, the Begonia socotrana forms small bushes. Between the gentle foliage the rose-red flowers rise. On the stems are formed the small tubercles, whereby the proliferation is quite a rascal. This still very rare plant deserves to be used with full rights by our florists for the winter pile, and could yield excellent results crossed with other species; Garden and forest; New York: The Garden and forest publishing co. 1888-97. v. 2 1889: pg. 561 http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/107316 Begonia Socotrana - Botanically, this is one of the most interesting Begonias known. It was discovered in Socotra in 1880 by Dr. Balfour who sent tubers to Kew, where it flowered the year following. Sir Joseph Hooker, when figuring it in the Botanical Magazine said that “Socotra was one of the last places in the world where a Begonia would have been expected to occur”. Horticulturally, it has proved exceptionally valuable, partly from its own merits as a winter flowering species with remarkable foliage, and handsome, deep rose, large flowers, but chiefly as the parent of a whole of a race of Begonias which promise to be as useful for in-door gardening in winter as the progeny of the Andean tuberous species are in summer. I allude, of course, to the several hybrids raised by Messrs. Veitch, and named ‘John Heal’, ‘Adonis’ and ‘Winter Gem’. These grow about a foot high, have bright green foliage and rosy crimson flowers, large and numerous enough to make a rich glow in the stove in winter. The most remarkable character in the flowers of these plants is that of keeping fresh several weeks in water, or if left on the plants they last a month or more before withering on the stalks. They do not fall as all other Begonia flowers do. B. Socotrana is represented by a large group of plants in the Begonia house at Kew, and it will be attractive until Christmas. The leaves are large, peltate, cupped, shining green, and they spring almost upright from a short, fleshy stem. This plant and its offspring go to rest in spring and start into growth again about July. They should be started and grown in a warm, sunny greenhouse till the beginning of October, when they require a stove temperature.; The Garden, v. 35, 1889 The Socotra Begonias: When Begonia socotrana flowered for the first time in England in 1881, its probable usefulness as a garden plant was at once perceived. Botanically, this species is interesting from its occurring in such an out-of-the-way place as the island of Socotra, thousands of miles removed from the haunts of any other known Begonia. It also possesses characters of an exceptional kind in the form of its tubers, of its foliage, and the persistence of its flowers. In THE GARDEN, 1882 (Vol. XXI., p. 162), a colored plate of B. socotrana was published, and it was then stated that, from the wide difference between the characters of this and the Andean species of Begonia, a cross between the two, however desirable, seemed at least doubtful of achievement. No cross had been effected between the evergreen and tuberous kinds, nor yet between the latter and the South African tuberous species, of which B. caffra is an example. The distinct B. martiana (gracilis) has since then been crossed with one of the Andean seedlings, notably by Mr. Cooper, gardener to the Right Hon. Joseph Chamberlain, M. P., in whose garden some distinct and pretty hybrid Begonias have been raised. However, nothing is so likely to happen as the unexpected, and in the pretty Begonia figured in the accompanying plate we have the first undoubted hybrid raised from B. socotrana and one of the Andean seedlings. B. socotrana, illustrations of which we here give, was discovered by Professor Bayley Balfour on the island of Socotra in 1880, and he sent a few bulbils of it to Kew, along with other plants collected in the island and at Aden. A batch of about twenty plants of the Begonia was raised. These flowered in the winter of 1881, when a figure was prepared for The Botanical Magazine and for The Garden. The plants then passed into the hands of the Messrs. Veitch, who distributed them the year following. But B. socotrana has not become popular in gardens, notwithstanding its many excellent qualities as a winter-flowering plant. At Kew it has continued to be grown in quantity, and during mid-winter its bright rosy flowers are very attractive. IT is easily grown, it is dwarf, the leaves are a healthy green, and it blossoms very freely, the flowers lasting several weeks. Cut and placed in water they have been known to keep fresh for more than a fortnight. Unlike all other Begonias, this species retains its flowers even after they have withered, a character which cultivators of the Begonia well know how to appreciate. The success of Messrs. Veitch in plant breeding has been most marked, not only amongst orchids, but in almost all horticultural departments in which hybridization has been effected. Mr. John Heal, to whose skillful manipulation we owe many beautiful seedlings and hybrids, shared this information, he fertilized the flowers of B. socotrana with pollen from a tuberous variety called ‘Viscountess Doneraile’ and obtained as a result one seedling. This flowered in 1885, and was named John Heal. It was awarded a first-class certificate at South Kensington in the same year. All the plants distributed under this name have been raised from cuttings of this one plant, as curiously enough no female flowers have been produced by this hybrid, so that seedlings of it have been impossible. Mr. Heal suggests that no doubt the absence of female flowers accounts for the length of time the male flowers stay on the plant. He also states that after exhibiting the first plant at South Kensington he cut off all the flowers and kept them in water until the next fortnightly meeting, when they were again exhibited and were quite fresh. This suggests the usefulness of the flowers in bouquet making and for vases, etc. In habit b. ‘John Heal’ is intermediate between its two parents, attaining a height of about 9 in., branching naturally and freely, the leaves obliquely heart shaped (not peltate, as in B. socotrana), and bright green. The flowers are borne loosely on graceful peduncles well above the foliage, every stem developing flowers. Strong plants bear as many as twelve flowers on each peduncle; they are about 1 ½ in. in diameter, elegant in structure, their color being a bright, rosy, carmine. Each flower continues fresh about 18 days and then shrivels. No stakes are required for the support of the plants, which is a relief to those who know what a disfigurement stakes are in the summer flowered Begonias. The plants commenced blooming in the second week of last September, and were gay with flowers until the middle of January. In gardens away from London, some plants continued to bloom up until mid-February. B. ‘Adonis’ was Mr. Heal’s next success. This was the result of fertilizing flowers of a large flowered Andean variety with pollen from B. ‘John Heal’. B. ‘Adonis’ is more robust than B. ‘John Heal’, the foliage being larger and the flowers which are all male, are almost as large again, or 3 in. in diameter; they are of a soft pleasing rose color, paler towards the center and arranged on graceful arching peduncles. This variety was certified by the Royal Horticultural Society in 1887. B. ‘Winter Gem’ is the best of the trio, and is a most beautiful flowering plant, possessing all the attractions of the best of the Andean race, with the useful habit of flowering in winter. It was obtained by hybridizing the flowers of B. socotrana with pollen from a crimson flowered Andean variety. In habit it is not unlike the first named parent, but it is more compact; the peduncles are not so lax and the flowers are large, of good substance, and of a deep carmine, almost crimson, color. No doubt these hybrids will form the nucleus of a new race of Begonias which is certain to prove of the greatest possible value. The accomplishment of this is now only a matter of time. We already have several very distinct and useful races of Begonias: The Rex section, a glorious race of ornamental leaved plants now very much neglected, the tuberous or Andean section, the semperflorens section, a group which promises to soon become valuable for the stove in winter, indeed, we already have several first-rate flowering plants in this section. The octopetala section, the first of which was lately figured in the Garden (see p. 125), and the Socotran section. We are gradually finding out the immense value of many of the Begonias as garden plants. The culture of B. ‘John Heal’ and it’s two allies is simple enough. The plants go to rest as soon as the flowers are over, and they remain dormant until July, when growth recommences. The tubers are then shaken out of the old soil and repotted, 5 in. pots being used, and one tuber is placed in each pot. The soil should be the same as that used for ordinary Begonias. If a stock is wanted, the shoots, if removed and treated as cuttings as soon as they grow long enough, will soon root, and make nice flowering plants the same season. Even the smallest plants bloom when the flowering time arrives. A warm greenhouse or intermediate house suits them, and they should have all the light possible. – W.