Leslie was raised by a farming family in the depression era of American history. He was unable to go to school because he needed to work so his younger siblings could go instead. But Leslie loved working with plants, and from his mother inherited a gift for growing...
Brad Thompson was one of the American Begonia Society’s most productive members. He was an incredible hybridizer. Brad was also an artist; he acted as President, Editor, and many other roles within the administration of the society. Brad also developed a comprehensive...
Belva Nelson Kusler, hailed from Siren, Wisconsin and first mentioned in The Begonian in 1950 for her excellent collection of Begonias, but it was not long at all before she was introducing new cultivars! Her first release was the cane type B. ‘Anna Christine’ which...
This plant was discovered by J.F Drège in the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa in 1836, the same year it was described. While the plant is classed as semi-tuberous, it forms a caudex at its base, not a tuber. Because the plant has been in cultivation for so long, much...
Begonia grandis ssp. evansiana is commonly called the hardy begonia because it can survive winters to USDA Zone 6. It is also incorrectly known as B. discolor and B. evansiana. It is a species that comes from China and was published in 1939. The Thompsons, in their...
