The smallest one I can think of is B. prismatocarpa and its form 'Variagation'. (I think that name is a little silly, but it's official.) It's the one that got me back to collecting begonias when we were moving a lot and I just ran out of space for large plants. You can get it from Kartuz, where I got mine, and I think Lauray of Salisbury and Rob's Violets carry either one or both. It never gets very big at all, tiny little leaves maybe a half-inch or so, and yellow flowers with red lines in the throat. There are a number of other slightly larger ones like Patrick Worley's 'Small Change' and 'Five and Dime.' That's a mere start tho'! I think gessies and begonias go well together--at least in my house and yard!

Thanks, Greenelbows. I just placed an order at Rob's this weekend and guessed that B. priatocarpa 'Varigation' might be one of the smallest ones but couldn't tell much from the website. I ordered it, 'Small Change', 'Pink Surprise' and 'Fairyland,' and put 'Five and Dime' and 'Lime Swirl' on my sub list. Since I wasn't sure about sizes, I asked Rob to substitute anything smaller he happens to have available, but it sounds like I guessed well on at least two. Are 'Fairyland' and 'pink Surprise' close in size or significantly larger? If my shipment holds any pleasant surprises, I'll let you folks know. And yes! gesneriads and begonias are perfect shelf mates and for some, perfect yard mates. Thanks for your help.

Betty

I'll be very interested to hear what you get! I had 'Frosty Fairyland' but not just 'Fairyland'--I think it may be a sport. It was more like medium-sized--liked it very much but I guess it's one of many that didn't survive the year I lived overseas. (Without the plants, to my sorrow!) Had 'Pink Surprise' very briefly, and it was small but not like some of those others, and mostly just didn't thrive. Think it might have needed a terrarium. Seems to me I saw it at a convention and it was beautiful and not really large, but not tiny either.

Greenelbows, I have 'Frosty Fairyland' from GHW and it is not a small begonia (similar to a beefsteak but has the "eyelashes"). Not sure if it is truly 'Frosty Fairlyland' due to the mistakes that GHW makes.

Rob's Violets typically has some very good deals and ships fairly fast too. Some of the begonias they offer are not miniatures though so be forewarned. Case in point is 'Shamus' - it can get quite large (not nelumbiifolia large) but mine is covering a 20 inch round table after 2 to 3 years and the leaf size is over 4 inches across.

Accents for Home and Garden is another place to get some small begonias at great prices (much larger pot size than Rob's).

Some small ones to consider are bowerae hybrids. The leaf size is usually 1/2 inch or smaller but it can spread to fill a good size pot. I have had problems with lots of begonias from Rob's but typically it has been my fault. If I had provided a good humid environment they seem to thrive but dry basement air does them in usually.

The other thing you can do is "bonsai" your plants. Bonsai isn't just for woody plants. For instance I have one very teeny tiny 'Black Coffee' in a Jiffy 7 cube for the last 3 to 4 years. That cube is inside a Solo rinse cup (the ones you see at the dentist's office). I don't know how it is still hanging on inside such a small space but it is. I gave my mother a cutting of 'Black Coffee' and she grew a very large one inside a 8 inch pot. One leaf of it dwarfs the small one I just mentioned.

Here are some of my small begonias:
'Red Planet'
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'Mazae Dark'
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'Little Cleo'
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'Last Laugh' I suspect this is going to be much bigger when it grows up
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'Baby Dress' I have tried this at least twice in the past. This time it is still in its original pot and still alive after nearly a year.
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'Chantilly Lace' I thought I was going to lose my last one so I bought this as a back up. The other one has grown like a weed since I put it in an enclosed environment (acrylic ice bucket with a salad bowl lid).
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B. hydrocotifolia This is a slow growing, small species.
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A bowerae hybrid (maybe 'Kit Kat') this is in a small pot so it is contained. The next one I will show you is the same plant in a 6 inch bowl.
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bowerae hybrid in a bigger pot with a bonus 'Little Brother Montgomery' in the same pot. LBM is pushing the lid off the pot so I may have to move it out soon.
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I don't know what this is but I like it.
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'Othello' or as some eBay seller has it listed -Orthello
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'Mazae Dark' in hand
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'Little Cleo' in hand
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'Butterfly' with 16 oz cup for humidity control
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'Black Coffee' in different size pots
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The blue ribbon winner is my mother's 'Black Coffee' at this year's Southeastern Flower Show. Second place was my 'Cachuma' on the floor.
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