I don't believe this plant has ever found a spot in my garden it didn't like - it would self-sow everywhere if I let it. But since it has an overall elegant appearance, blooms in dark, unwatered places at the end of summer, and was a favorite of Hiroshige and Kunisada woodblock prints during the Japanese Edo period (1603-1858), who could relegate it to the compost pile? And then there's always the "Free to Good Home" sign for the street...
The little cutting I got from Nancy in a trade in Feb. 2018 has rooted and is now (mid June) a 6-inch plant with a couple of new leaves. She called it Wightii and it does look like Polka Dots. The slender leaves are quite different from the large leaves on my Cane Angel Wing Begonia. It should make white flowers whereas Angel Wing blooms are medium pink.
Begonia 'Gryphon' is a fast growing hybrid Begonia that can attain heights of 36". It has tropical appearing, large deeply lobed leaves with silver veining. This is an easy to grow, drought tolerant plant that requires bright shade.
This is one of my favorite begonias. I can't get a picture of how metallic silver the leaves are, they just look white or grey in photos. Very vigorous, small pink flowers in spring, just a wonderful accent plant.
I grow Dragon Wing Begonias in a shade garden rather than in a pot. Although they don't grow as large as reputed to grow in pots, they add a wonderful splash of color to a dark spot. However, I have not found them to be perennial as your information shows. The Arkansas Green Industry Association, and the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service list them as an Arkansas Diamond, that is an annual proven tough enough to survive growing conditions in Arkansas.
Great looking jagged leaves on this cultivar are brighter green with silver spots and splotches in bright shade, and very deep green with the spots and splotches having a pink tinge indoors or in winter here in Florida. Gets leggy and tends to flop and break at ground level for me unless I move it to more light in the winter, so I grow it in large pots sunk in the ground under my large oak trees.
I started my 2 hanging baskets from seeds I got in the Jan. 2017 seed swap here on garden.org. They were hand-labeled "Bolivian Begonias." I noticed early on that the leaves of some plants were medium solid green, top and back, but some had a speckled bronze back. Flowers and growth habits are identical. They seem to be different varieties. I separated them into 2 baskets, hoping someone can ID variety names by this description.
Bought a blooming one quart plant this spring, it has never stopped blooming yet and looks happy in partial shade. Interesting arching-cascading shape and rich orange-red flowers.
Begonia luxurians (Palm Leaf Begonia) is an upright, cane-like growing begonia with large glabrous leaves that are palmately dissected into narrow leaflets. The new growth emerges from the center of the next oldest leaf. Requires bright filtered to part sun - avoid mid-day sun. Delicate fragrant cream flowers are produced from late winter into summer. Listed in Begonias: The Complete Reference Guide (Thompson & Thompson) as a rare large-leafed shrub-type for the advanced grower. Discovered in 1848 in the mountains north of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
