vaughn’s view BY VAUGHN FLETCHER Bodacious BEGONIAS Boasting diversity, adaptability and performance in 2019 trials, these begonias deserve your attention. 1

he prolific breeding and 1. ‘SPRING FLING BUTTERCUP’ 3. ‘MISTRAL PINK’ interspecific hybridization Ball Ingenuity Selecta One and introduction of new This vegetative series is comprised We have an assortment of boliviensis Tbegonia cultivars, specifically of two colors: Buttercup and Pink Tulip. vegetative and seed series available from in the past 10 years, is Both varieties have large, single, vibrant multiple breeders. Selecta One introduced unprecedented. The commercial flowers with a compact habit and dark the Mistral series in 2016 with Yellow varieties available today originated foliage. I was impressed with the free and Pink and have since added Dark Red, from wild sources throughout the flowering habit and heat and humidity Orange and Double Orange. This series world, and the variation in colorful tolerance throughout the summer. Both is characterized by lanceolate, serrated foliage, habit, unique flower varieties mature at 12 to 16 inches, and green leaves; elongated cascading forms and colors is immense. have production application in baskets and flowers; and a compact habit with tight The gene pool is significant with combinations in shade to partial shade. internodes. The varieties manifest over 1,300 species of annuals, They were in multiple summer trials, and excellent heat and drought tolerance, perennials, shrubs and climbers. Spring Fling Buttercup — with its large can be used in partial sun in the Northern Vaughn Fletcher The advancements from international single yellow flowers with a rose blush — regions, and make an outstanding series is president of breeders in seed and vegetative forms was floriferous and distinctive. for bench run basket programs. Fletcher Consulting. for production application in packs, He has been in the combinations and baskets is unparalleled. horticulture industry 2. ‘ON TOP SUNSET SHADES’ 4. ‘DREAMS BEAUVILIA HOT PINK’ We began marketing, promoting PanAmerican Seed Beekenkamp since 1971, working in and selling vegetative begonias such Five AmeriHybrid tuberous begonia The vegetative Beauvilia series is many areas including as Lois Burks, Cherry Blossom, and series derived from seed were introduced comprised of four colors, including landscaping, garden Richmondensis in the 1980s and Dragon last year: Picotee, Roseform, Ruffled, Dark Salmon and Hot Pink for 2020. center and greenhouse Wing in 1992. Fast forward to 2019 and On Top and Sun Dancer. This is a The Beauvilias are part of the extensive production, greenhouse we had more than eight international wide collection of novelty and bicolor Dreams assortment, which includes and nursery sales and breeders represented in the flower trials, varieties. They are recommended for multiple collections of the Waterfalls, sales management. with entries in many classes including partial to full shade, and many were in Fragrant Falls, BK, Barkos, Ilona and He can be reached at semperflorens, hiemalis, tuberous and the Northern trials last summer, including Solenia series. The boliviensis Beauvilia [email protected]. boliviensis. I have focused on current and the On Top series, which continued to Red and White were introduced a new begonia introductions in multiple flower profusely through late August in few years ago and have manifested trials last summer — but specifically in a shade environment with excellent heat outstanding summer performance in late summer in the Northern trials, which tolerance. There are five colors in this partial shade trials in the South and in full includes Michigan, Colorado, New Jersey series, and they manifested a compact sun exposure in the Northern trials. The and Pennsylvania. growth habit with an eye-catching flower new introductions continued this level When using bodacious in the title of canopy. Sunset Shades with bicolor of performance with an abundance of the article I am referring to the bold and yellow flowers tipped with a red edge large single flowers, mounded cascading audacious flower form, floriferousness, was one of the most impressive in the habit, minimal dead heading, and heat and the profusion of distinctive colors. summer trials. and humidity tolerance. Hot Pink with the

30 APRIL 2020 GPNMAG.COM VAUGHN’S VIEW vaughn’s view yellow center was extremely vibrant and 7. ‘SHINE BRIGHT WHITE’ floriferous. This series has demonstrated Westhoff its excellence in basket production and Westhoff began a comprehensive now, with four colors, offers a more begonia breeding program in 2010 complete package. and introduced the hybrid RiseUp and boliviensis Shine Bright series in 2017 5. ‘FUNKY LIGHT PINK’ at California Spring Trials. They have Benary been in summer trials every year since The Benary name is synonymous with their introduction and are now in many begonias. The extensive portfolio includes production programs throughout the the boliviensis Sun Cities Collection; the country. We have many boliviensis semperflorens Cocktail, Sprint Plus, Sprint series from seed and vegetative cuttings 2 6 and Super Olympia; the tuberhybridas available from multiple breeders, and they Illumination, New Star, Nonstop, Nonstop are comparable in summer performance. Mocca; and the benariensis series Big, Big Some of the differences include color, Deluxe and Whopper. The Funky begonias flower form, sun tolerance and habit. are the latest in a series of hybrid The Shine Bright series is comprised of interspecifics from Benary. This series four colors: Amore Red, Pink, Red and combines the large colorful flowers of a White. The elongated single flowers tuberosa with the heat tolerance of the are positioned above the foliage with boliviensis. This seed series is comprised conspicuous and eye-catching yellow style, of five colors: Light Pink, Orange, Pink, stigmas and anthers. This is a versatile Scarlet and White. The flowers have cascading series for sun or shade. Shine transitional colors and single, semi-double Bright White has been a top performer and double flowers on the same plant. The in regional trials since its introduction. series has excellent application in mixed Westhoff will augment the begonia containers and hanging baskets, and assortment with the dark-leaf Mahogany can tolerate partial sun and full shade. series in 2021 and will expand the color Pink was outstanding in the trials with a range of the Shine Bright collection. multicolored flower of bright pink with 3 7 hot pink venation and a yellow center. 8. ‘FRAGRANT FALLS PEACH’ The Proven Select program from Proven Beekenkamp Winners incorporates many Benary This hanging basket series is comprised begonias including the Funky, Illumination of two tuberhybrida varieties: Peach and and Nonstop series, and the standalone Lemon. The inflorescence with pendulous varieties, Joy and Santa Cruz. single flowers maturing to double forms was one of most vivacious in last 6. ‘I’CONIA PORTOFINA SUNRISE’ year’s summer trials. The flowers are Dümmen Orange multicolored, large and aromatic, which is Dümmen Orange’s begonia portfolio distinguishable and sets it apart from other is extensive, with begonias for multiple series. Both varieties have a long flower production programs and consumer period and bloomed prolifically in the applications in mono and mixed northern trials in shade locations. This is containers and hanging baskets. I focused a series for hanging basket and container on the outstanding performance of production, and will exhibit a colorful and specific begonia varieties in the Southern prodigious flower canopy for retail display. trials in my September 2018 article. One 4 8 of the series that manifested an excellent 9. ‘BOSSA NOVA ROSE’ habit, dark foliage and a colorful canopy Syngenta Flowers was the I’Conia Portofina series, and This boliviensis seed series was bred in particular Sunrise and Citrix. These and introduced in 2014 by Floranova, 5 9 varieties were in multiple trials under which recently was acquired by shade conditions and flowered prolifically Syngenta. There are seven colors in through late summer. The eye-catching the series including the latest addition, Sunrise has golden yellow, double the dark-leaf Night Fire Papaya. The blossoms with a rose blush, which are series has been in regional trials the positioned well above the foliage. The past five years and has demonstrated features of this series include uniformity, a well-branched cascading habit, short excellent branching, and bicolor and internodes, uniformity, and adaptability multicolored double flowers. This variety in sun or shade. The bell-shaped single was one of the top performers in the Penn flowers are prolific and continuous State trials last summer. throughout the summer season. VAUGHN’S VIEW

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This is an extremely versatile series used in season production programs. Very few series fulfills this objective. The standards matured at small containers, combinations and baskets. can rival the floriferousness, extended flowering 18 to 24 inches in trial beds and the XLs at 28 Various colors have been in the Raker-Roberta’s period, shelf life and strong color retention to 34 inches. Both classes were tightly branched trial for many years in a full sun exposure, and throughout the summer season. Evi Bright Pink, with XLs displaying slightly more vigor, and they have flowered profusely through late August as well as the entire series, has a richness and larger flowers and leaves. They were comparable and maintained a dense, cascading habit. Rose color saturation that is exceptional. Production in floriferousness. Three different leaf colors was particularly vibrant and floriferous in the late applications include quarts, 6-inch pots, mixed are available, and there are eight varieties in summer trials. containers and baskets. the standards and four in the XLs. ‘Viking XL Red on Chocolate’ was recognized as as All- 10. ‘WATERFALLS ENCANTO ORANGE 12. ‘TOPHAT ROSE BICOLOR’ America Selections Winner for its unique deep IMPROVED’ Syngenta Flowers chocolate foliage which differentiates it from Beekenkamp The interspecific Tophat series debuted in all other Begonias in this class. The standards Beekenkamp offers two boliviensis series: the 2018, was entered in summer trials in 2018 and are recommended for 4- and 6-inch pots and Beauvilia, which I mentioned previously, and 2019, and was included in spring production combinations, and the XLs for larger containers the Waterfalls, with two subseries. The Angel programs in 2019. There are four colors in the including 6-inch, gallons, 8-inch, combinations, series is more upright and single, with softer series, including Rose Bicolor for 2020, which and baskets. subtle pastel colors, and the Encanto series is was entered and trialed in many regional sites free-branching and vivid. Encanto is comprised last summer. This series has many attributes, 14. ‘NONSTOP JOY YELLOW’ of four sizzling colors: Orange Improved, Pink, including vigor, earliness, excellent branching, Benary Red and White. All four colors were uniform and fast finish, large flowers, and sun and heat When this standalone tuberous begonia was floriferous throughout the summer. Encanto tolerance. The flower size rivals or exceeds introduced in 2015, it appeared to have the Orange Improved was especially eye catching in other interspecific series and the flower position same features and benefits of the outstanding the Raker-Roberta’s trial. The attributes include on the foliage canopy creates a colorful plant Nonstop series. The question was, why promote lustrous green foliage, elongated flowers and for large packs and container production with it as a separate variety? Its uniqueness and continuous flowering throughout the summer. excellent retail appeal. Based on performance in multiple attributes have been demonstrated in The varieties bloom prolifically in full sun or trial beds, this series has excellent application trials and production programs. It is one of the partial shade in the Northern regions and in landscape sites. Rose Bicolor was a standout most versatile begonias on the market. It can be perform better with shade conditions in the throughout the summer in the Southern and grown and displayed in full sun or partial sun in south. This is a very durable and distinctive Northern trials, with distinctive large non fading the Northern regions, and full shade in the South. series with high impact at retail. single bicolor flowers. It has a mounded but slightly trailing habit, earliness, durability, large yellow double frilly 11. ‘BK EVI BRIGHT PINK’ 13. ‘VIKING XL RED ON CHOCOLATE’ flowers, minimal deadheading and a prodigious Beekenkamp Sakata flower canopy. It is currently in the Proven This elatior hybrid series is comprised of Sakata introduced the Viking series, comprised Winners begonia liner program and is ubiquitous eight double colors, including the new Esme of the standard and the more vigorous XL in spring programs throughout the country. Peach for 2020. It is characterized by a uniform, varieties, at the 2019 California Spring Trials Application includes quarts, combinations, and mounded habit with midsized double flowers. and entered many colors in the regional summer mixed and monocultural baskets. Breeding of This series has been a top performer in regional trials. The series is promoted as an all-weather new colors is continuing with a few experimental trial sites and is a component in many multiple begonia, and based on summer performance it colors for 2021-22.

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