Plant of the year: Begonia luxurians
I am getting in early, deciding what plant delighted me most this year. I will post a few options over the weeks as I change my mind. And I know the year is not over but, with a miserable, wet summer behind us and a miserable, wet and windy autumn still in mind, I am looking forward to next year, ordering seeds and planning next year so I can keep chipper and try to forget 2023. Of course, although it was a wet year and snails have been ridiculously destructive, it was not all bad and many plants grew incredibly well, with constant moisture at the roots.
So, without any doubt in my mind, the plant that has given me the most pleasure this year is Begonia luxurians. I have mentioned it before so I won’t repeat myself, just to say that it is a cane begonia (of upright habit with fibrous, not tuberous, roots) and comes from SE Brazil. It is ‘almost’ hardy and although accounts vary, I find plants survive winter, if fairly dry, at 5c in the greenhouse. Warmer would be better. It produces clusters of many (100 or so) small (tiny) white flowers that are said to be fragrant but I can’t detect any scent. I remove them when in bud.
My original plant was treated with kid gloves but, as I have grown it and got used to it, I find it as amenable as a pelargonium. My plants are kept in the greenhouse over winter (with one in the house in case it is very cold) and planted out in May. It is a superb container plant for summer and, if I had a really sheltered border I would try some there. Last year it had to fight with cannas in a pot in full sun. This year it was planted in a pot with plectranthus and is in light shade from a hedge. The hedge also provided some essential protection from the late summer gales and the pot (which is badly cracked) is looking great. I will move it to the summer house as nights get cooler but I have some youngsters ready as replacements.
So it is a plant that is suitable as a house plant and can be grown outside in summer.
I have not really described it, and the photos can do the hard work. But this is a begonia unlike most others. The leaves are divided into a dozen or so leaflets and are rich, roughly textured, green. The leaf stalks and stems are translucent red. So although a foliage plant it has some contrasting colour. It is fairly stable but will flop.
Being a cane begonia it is easy to propagate and you can use stem tips and chop up the lower parts into sections. Just cut it into pieces with two joints. Trim below the lowest joint and remove the leaf and trim above the upper joint and insert into compost. It roots easily.
I am not sure what else this plant looks like. Castor oil plant maybe? Or cannabis? As a beautiful and distinctive foliage plant I can think of nothing more beautiful or easier to please.
The Biking Gardener 
It does look a bit like cannabis…
I won’t ask how you know!
And I won’t tell you!
It’s certainly a fine plant!
Very elegant I have to say. Is the reason that you cut the flowers off because they are small and insignificant and spoil the look?
It doesn’t bloom till very late if young plants are grown so it is no problem. That plant was 10cm high when put in. If kept warm over winter so it gets woodier it blooms earlier. BTW I think my cuttings of fuchsia ‘Lady Bacon’ have rooted so I should have them for you next year.
It will be an excuse to visit! Re all the rain, though it does flood here somewhat it never lasts for more than an hour or so – it’s so super well drained here. It does flow down the driveway and adjacent lane and floods at the bottom of the driveway. It needs constant filling with small stones – which I collect and have tons of! Expected storm to be much worse in terms of wind – none for once!
I wish it would drain that fast here but it hangs round for ages. But, like you, we did not have the expected wind.