Terribly slow

Here's how it looked when it first arrived home with two huge leaves (one outside pix view; only stalk visible).
Found out it is from the Beleaf series bred and propagated in Netherlands by Koppe and this one is called "African Jungle"

Smaller and new leaves emerge. Thank goodness!

Transferred to smaller pot cuz the plant(s) just seem to shrink. It was worrying, considering how far it travelled and how many people the journey had involved.

A sturdy grower. Time for a larger repot soon. Exciting cuz growth could really take off rapidly in new pot and medium; anxious cuz every change comes with risk. In addition to African Jungle , others in same Beleaf collection include: Morning Dew, Inca Fire, Evening Glow, Maori Haze...

Single leaf kindly donated by plant vendor. It does look like a different cultivar from the one that came in the pot, doesn't it?

6 weeks in water for root sprouting (mainly cuz I was distracted going to Perth) before potting in peat pot. 

First pinkies emerging after ...(need to check my notes)

Gardener's Day Out at Hort Park, Dec 2014

Didn't take any good shots and poor composition of images.

Lots of orchids and tillandsias...and bromeliads this round.

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A stallholder by his display. We can be so astoundingly casual in our dress, but then it is a bazaar and he probably simply moved his store from a heartland market to Hort Park for the day.

Sarnkorn Resort's collection of begonias

Begonia Ghetto

Finally, a presentable showcase worthy of the front garden. I feel so proud; looking forward to version II How were they selected? I'm not sure, it was just a feeling that they might thrive in front or at least wouldn't be worse off. The nice thing is the sun's movements have changed with the season so this spot no longer bears the brunt of hot afternoon sun rays.

Ghetto at the back garden. Notice that B, Shamus which has since relocated to the front garden used to look alot more full with lots more leaves.  

Another view of the back ghetto. B Acetosa looks positively regal then - 5 layers of leaves. Hopefully a dose of crushed goat manure will get its juices running again. It's down to 3 layers in the front garden at this moment.

Not sure if the plastic bags helped. B Silver Jewel (on upper top shelves) is a pale shadow now of what it used to be. Likewise B Manaus (3rd shelf down on left).

B Rex (bottom right) with pink flowers is reduced now to 2 faded out leaves. Another one of those vacillators that can decide whether to go or stay. After two pot changes and numerous location shifts, I'm not sure what else to do.

UnID. Love the romantic pink centres.

Larger leafed are supposed to be more hardy and easier to maintain...??

UnID. Cheery seasonal colours.

Serendipitious

A joy to behold. Constantly flowering. 

An unexpected find at Tiong Bahru market. Sitting outside a shop that had already closed for the day with a very affordable price tag drapped over the pot. Persuaded a neighbouring shopowner to transact on behalf cos' I just had to get it.

I believe this is a B. Acetosa.

Simply splendid.

Part of the deal. Buying this sorry looking Begonia Escargot to sweeten the transaction and make it worth his while. I'm happy.

It's a cane, not a rex!

It's taken me quite a while to figure out that this is a cane-like begonia that would not propagate by leaf cuttings. Even after staking the plant it still didn't occurred to me.

First I went through several rounds of leaf propagation. All turned out in vain. In fact, at least two attempts are currently in perlite under plastic out on the balcony. I haven't had to heart to dismantle the contraption. Who knows, it might be the exceptional cane-like begonia that would respond to leaf cuttings.

Then, I had also been looking out online at plant images on a random basis to try identify this species, such as blogs, Facebook.

Finally I had posed the plant and taken a few shots in anticipation of posting it at Facebook Planet Begonia and possibly getting assistance from certain online experts.

And then I waited, stalled, hesitated... is it really important to know its identity?

Finally two nights ago, I came across an online reference that pointed to it being a hybrid begonia - B "Ice Castle", a cane-like begonia.

Here's the item at Stevesleaves that pointed to it being B Ice Castles. Cane begonias by their nature propagate by stem cuttings mainly. Leaf cuttings don't work as a rule and as corroborated by my own experience 

B Corallina de Lucerne at Jln Soga

It's come to this where I stop and take pictures of plants in others' gardens. Technically this wasn't within a garden but along a busy road but clearly cultivated by a resident on Jln Soga in Batu Pahat. The B.Corallina de Lucerna caught my eye, easily. Because I've been struggling with mine, for at least two years. Here's one that's growing tall and well, seemingly not requiring special attention and care.

One thing I did, after examining the size of the pots, was to report my own in a larger pot, several sizes up. So far so good. 

Grown in the shade of a large tree.

A collection of poles to stake the upright growing shoots.

Here's my own B Corallina de Lucerna (bottom left corner). No flowers, several mishaps and at least 2 years later, this is all I have to show for. Reminder: upsize to largest pot at next opportunity.
This cane begonia has tendency to rot at the root and progressively creep up the stem. The larger pot space seems to minimise this occurence. Best to replicate the species as soon as there's a shoot to spare.