Tuesday, August 3, 2010

A Begonia has risen from the dead

Thirty six years ago when Mema and I were newlyweds and living in an apartment, a very good friend moved to Germany and asked that I take on her Begonia plant. She entrusted it to myself because, and I quote, " you just know everything about plants", silly her! It lasted about a month and then just collapsed into a state of rot. I of course felt horrible and hoped its subject would never come up. All these many years later I happened into my favorite Nursery and there to my blinking wondering eyes I spotted the very same Begonia come back from the dead. I quickly picked it up and looked at the tag. YES!!! I screeched out loud scaring everyone around me, "Stitch Leafed Begonia", the very same plant that I sent to heaven thirty six years ago. I have been in that Nursery hundreds of times and asked if they could find one for me, but that never happened. I almost ran out of the place without paying for it in my excitement. It has doubled its size since coming home and I will make some back-up cuttings in the greenhouse just in case this one decides to leave this earth. I have had plenty of Begonia experience since that ill fated day, so hope my little Stitch Leafed Begonia will thrive and I will hopefully be able to give a plant back to my friend who still to this day knows nothing of the Begonias fate :o/




4 comments:

  1. I've never heard of that variety Doc, but I hope it does better for you this time round, isn't it always the way with plants that you really don't want to kill though, and the ones you don't really care for live on forever!

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  2. Kathy,
    Yes I have a few too many of those hanger-on-ers, usually the Christmas Poinsettia that some well intentioned body leaves as a gift. I have had to grit my teeth and look the other way as I drop it in the compost and quickly cover it with straw so I don't have to look at it.
    Doc :o)

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  3. Very pretty leaves. Congratulations on the find! :)

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  4. Thanks Linda,
    Yes and it only took 35 years :o/

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