BEGONIA EUNICE GRAY by Irene S. Nuss President of Westchester Branch B. Eunice Gray is one of my earliest attempts in hybridizing using two species. Being very new in this field and a member of the American Begonia Society for only four years, my collection of begonia species at that time was very limited. As a beginner, I found many of the hybrids easy to grow and readily available while some of the species were more demanding and not always easy to find. B. Eunice Gray is the result of the crossing of two species, echinosepala, Regel x venosa. It carries the characteristics of both plants but with real hybrid vigor. It is a fast grower and will put out many new stems from the base making a full plant in a very short time. Even as a small plant under my growing conditions it will usually start to bloom in April and continue through December. It is an easy plant to grow, doesn't seem to be bothered with mildew or insects. Requires no special care and will grow in any good begonia mix. Feed as you would other fibrous begonias. It is best to keep it under lath with good air circulation and good light, perhaps with a southern exposure but never allowing the sun to shine directly upon the plant. Seems to be easy to propagate from tip cuttings or small side shoots from the base. It may be grown as a potted plant if staked or if left free will make a lovely basket. Will also make an excellent trellis, see photo in October 1967 Begonian. The leaves are medium green, of heavy texture, have a smooth shiny surface with slightly serrated edge, are four to five inches long and about two inches wide positioned on one inch petioles. The leaf nodes are about two inches apart. There are small papery stipules which turn brown and remain. The flowers are snowy white, spicy fragrant, dichotomous positioned on six inch pedicels arising from each leaf node. The female blooms, usually eight on each stem, have five round petals with deep yellow pistillate and light green ovaries. The male flowers appear first, of ten as many as fourteen on each pedicel and consist of two large and two small petals with yellow stamens. The blooms are a showy contrast against the glossy green foliage. Unless the flowers have been pollinated the spent blossoms will fall as well as the flowers stems giving the plant a clean fresh appearance. So far, I have been unsuccessful in obtaining fertile seed from my plant, selfed or otherwise. The seed pods swell and ripen but seeds fail to germinate even though it appears to be firm and viable. I have found it extremely fascinating to watch tiny seedlings of some cane begonias change from plain green to beautiful bronze with many silver speckles and markings. The seedlings of echinosepala x venosa, of which I had several hundred were all plain green, very succulent but showing no sign of venosa frost. Their growth rate was about the same, appeared to be almost identical as if a species. When the seedlings. were about eight inches high I decided against growing them on to maturity even though they seemed different from some of my other seedling crosses. However, a friend persuaded me to grow some on to maturity before giving up on this particular cross. I am happy I relied upon her good judgement and grew several, for I might otherwise have overlooked Begonia Eunice Gray.
