Could YOU Grow the WEIRDEST Begonia? 🤔 (Melanobullata)

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

👁️👁️👁️WATCH NEXT ➡️➡️➡️ 18 BEGONIA Varieties to Grow as HOUSEPLANTS | Plus CARE Tips: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nXfUoICPZZWsetE

[@patrickbowen5398]

So I watched this video, took your advice, and ordered a Begonia melanobullata from Steve's Leaves. However, in researching the cultural requirements for this begonia, I have found tons and tons of conflicting information all over the place, so now to be honest, I have no clue as to what this begonia needs to grow and flourish. Some sites say Full sun, others say Bright light, others say Partial shade/Shade. The only piece of info that everyone agrees on is the Humidity requirement. DUH! This is just Nuts!

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

🤣 To be honest Patrick I’ve found it to be fairly easy going. It’s been from 9 degrees to 37 degrees C so far in my care without issues. I believe it’ll go lower. I keep all Begonias out of direct sun - unless they’re semperflorens or tuberous. They’re usually understory plants in the wild so can take less light, but more light will give stronger growth. It’s always high humidity over here so that’s one factor I don’t have to worry about! Does that cover everything?

[@patrickbowen5398]

Yes. Well mine will be grown in a terrarium in an East facing windowsill (not under grow lights like the rest of my begonias).@@Grow_Up_Man55

[@patrickbowen5398]

Hi again Geoff, but do you know when this begonia blooms? @@Grow_Up_Man55

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

Sorry Patrick just found this reply! Mine has bloomed - they throw them sporadically when temperatures are 18°C and above - no real season for it although I expect mine won't bloom during winter.

[@michaelmccarthy4077]

well if you're looking for a stand-out one-off, get yourself an Angiopteris evecta. You will just need a much, much, much larger grow space. In most plant with bullate leaves, they serve two functions. The plants are typically found in shaded, wet places. The bullate serves to increase photosynthetic area and together create channels to aid in water runoff from the leaves. However, these are rather distinct from other bullate leaves. Given where the plant originates from, I think there are periods of the day when they are exposed to bright sun, and the bullate serve to shade the rest of the leaf from burning.

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

Well yeah that would certainly add impact! Maybe when I hit 100K subs - a guy can dream. Fascinating re the bullate leaves. I think you're right about the latter reason - and the bristles would also lend weight to the shading rather than increased surface area. I'm sure they also put off potential leaf munchers. It's a win all round (until people came along and dug them up because of their unusual leaves - oh the irony).

[@northernplantucky]

I'd love an update on this plant and what your experience was growing it. I was just gifted two leaf cuttings about a month ago🤞

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

Will do! It's come through winter unscathed and still looking good. Seems pretty tolerant to be honest. I'll show it in my next video.

[@grannyplants1764]

Hi Geoff, that’s on my wishlist, but the wish I could grow it list! I really love the shapes and colors of begonias, but don’t have the growing conditions for them, so I’ll enjoy watching yours grow. Steve’s Leaves asked (in one of their Instagram posts a while back) for suggestions for begonia crosses. I suggested Begonia melanobulatta x Begonia ‘Escargot’... that would be really weird!! 🌱😱🌿

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

Haha yeah it surely would be. Curly-wurly spikes!

[@Tommyr]

Geoff watch this video about "Steve's leaves", they talk about this plant at around the 6:06 mark. I just found this video.

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

That's just taken me back to my own video Tommy!🤣 KZbin is awkward with links. Try emailing me the link tropicals at 53 @ gmail.com (no spaces)

[@Tommyr]

LOVE Fudge! What a cutie pie! That's a strange looking plant Geoff. Melano sounds like it refers to melanoma which is a type of cancer. Not sure if that's why it's named that way though. Maybe because it might look like cancer?

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

He has qualifications in getting under my feet!🤣🐶 Yeah it could be - it certainly looks like it has some sort of affliction. It can rest assured the sun won't get at it in my garden. Chance would be a fine thing!

[@nuthanuelsfavs4305]

Thank you so much for this video! This is one of my wishlist plants.

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

It’s a cracker that’s for sure. 😁

[@Joey-vw1id]

Hello remember awhile ago I asked you a few questions about the begonia I purchased, It's the yellow flora something I forgot. The question I have is should I keep it out of direct sunlight and move it to the shade? Like hang it under a tree on one of the branches? I think it's getting too much sun because some of the leaves are starting to get crispy on the edges! What are your thoughts? Thanks for another great video my fellow Gardner 💚🌱

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

Hi Joey - thanks for the kind words - much appreciated. I can't recall the exact Begonia we chatted about - but ID matters as Begonias come in several groups - some love the sun - many don't. The ones that I grow don't. But from what you're saying about the leaves, it sounds like it's telling you to offer it some shade. (As a general rule, tuberous Begonias or Beg. semperflorens varieties are sun lovers.)

[@alyssaweyland8562]

Mine has just bloomed in the winter, while putting off a new leaf?? Terrarium conditions right off a small west facing window.

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

Congrats! I doubt mine will bloom at a low of 12°C through the winter in the greenhouse.

[@mollys1584]

I love begonias but wow you'd never know that was one! Very cool!

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

New ones are being discovered all the time. Can't wait for the next weird Begonia to surface.

[@kathymacomber5115]

I love that dark Begonia in the red/ orange pot..

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

All my pots are red/orange!🤣 Most of them anyway. I think it might be the Begonia mazae f nigricans you're referring to?

[@kathymacomber5115]

@@Grow_Up_Man55 yes I googled that and yes..it’s lovely

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

@@kathymacomber5115 Another 'easy' one in my conditions.

[@hannahmcmichael7774]

I have one of these pretty plants! It's been 5 months, and it's growing so much. Do you know how to propergate this plant by chance

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

Hi Hannah. The easiest and most successful method is this one: kzbin.info/www/bejne/laWyaZuAi7Cef9k

[@alyssaweyland8562]

I got roots to grow in water just with a petiole and leaf that fell off! Just like a peperomia.

[@kathymacomber5115]

That plant sells for $49.99 here plus shipping

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

OK so not super expensive but not cheap either.

[@karanmyers5879]

Good morning 🌞 Hi Fudge. This looks like a fun begonia. Isn’t it amazing. I am sorry but the dots look like to little Hershey Kisses to me 😊 I can’t grow the higher humidity needing plants, wish I could. My “unusual” plant is a Dombeya wallichii. It grows in South Africa as a tree. Mine is five feet tall with leaves 13 inches across. Needless to say anyone that sees it has a reaction of some kind. It is in the house. Our weather is really cool for June and rainy off and on. I hope yo get it out in a protected area soon. I see the Kohleria in full bloom. 🌞. Mine is too! I hope you have a good weekend. Karan

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

Thanks Karan! Good morning to you too - (early evening here). It'll grow in a terrarium I believe. Your small tree sounds amazing - have you had blooms on it yet?

[@karanmyers5879]

It is going on 6 feet now. No blooms They hang on long stems like a cluster of hydrangea flowers. Pink with a honey fragrance. It is still young. My Son said I have a shade tree growing in my house 😊

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

Sounds awesome!

[@wisconsinaquatics]

The little bumps are for absorption of sunlight the raised parts are more opportunities for light to make contact with photosynthetic cells in the last structure.... or atleast that's my closest SWAG at it (ScientificWildAssGuess) lmao😅

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

😂

[@BBQNBLUES]

Love It ! Like a Medieval Viking Shield. Wish I had the humidity to grow it. Make up a story about it developing these "thorns" to prevent Dinosaur's from eating it. ha

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

That's exactly what I thought - about the shield! It has to be some sort of protection I guess. They certainly look like they repel the jaws of a T-rex!

[@tomosevans9918]

I wonder if they're a mimic for insect eggs laid on a leaf? Or to mimic something similar to Eriophyes tiliae galls to put off predators?

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

That's a great suggestion - never though of that. I think it likely something to do with putting off potential leaf munchers! Wouldn't it be great to go to Vietnam to study it and find out? If anyone wants to sponsor me...🤷‍♂️🤣

[@BeardedWorm]

It might be imitating the galls of some insect or an egg sac. I'm not certain that is the case but I know of other plants that do that so it is a possibility

[@bryumargenteum4530]

Thanks for the video of a rare species. Begonias are exciting plants, with new species being discovered from countries where exploration has been delayed for reasons such as international conditions. Several begonias have spiky leaves, which vary in size from species to species. I don't know why it evolved this leaf structure, but it seems to help retain humidity. Or…… Do they keep pests away by mimicking the skin of frogs?

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

My pleasure. The more I get into Begonias the more exciting I find them. I never thought of the 'frog skin' mimicry. That's a terrific suggestion. It sure does look like toad skin and it would put me off eating it.

[@Joey-vw1id]

Maybe they formed those spikes for the collection of dew/mist

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

Yeah the bristles would definitely help in that - great suggestion!

[@mollys1584]

Landing pads for UFOs! Small UFOs though.

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

😂 yeah there's nothing to say invaders from Mars would be the same size as we are!

[@kathymacomber5115]

Defense mechanism maybe?

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

Yeah I read that 'no-one knows' but it was suggested that it could be to stop animals eating it. I could see how that would do it!

[@kathymacomber5115]

No way would I eat that🥴

[@Grow_Up_Man55]

@@kathymacomber5115 I'll cook you some up for dinner. 😋

[@kathymacomber5115]

Haha..now a chef!