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westy1941

Anyone Know Anything About 'Phoes Chloe' ?

Carole Westgaard
9 years ago

I've had it for at least 8 years - it died back during a move from Illinois to Colorado last year and I almost lost it. Now have decent size leaves but the tubers are getting very long so am I supposed to cut them? How do I revive a begonia like this? Is it a Rex? I think I have the name right but it might be something similar - I can't remember. Any help or direction appreciated - I can't find it on Hortiplex.

Westy

Comments (12)

  • hc mcdole
    9 years ago

    It is a rhizomatous begonia. If it is happy it will grow like there is no tomorrow but if it doesn't like where it is or what it is growing in it will go downhill very fast. I had a big healthy one that went downhill very fast one year. I've since replaced it with a tiny one and it is slowly coming on.

    Those aren't tubers but instead rhizomes (much like an Iris rhizome) and they have half of the rhizome in the soil and half out. When they run out of soil they will sprawl on top of other rhizomes and spill over the sides of pots (not to worry when this happens though).

    You can cut them any time you wish and wiggle the rhizomes into some fresh potting mix with the "root" side half making good contact with the soil. The bigger they are the better the outcome but even very small ones can make a new plant if babied (a small pot or a terrarium) to get them going.

    Why use Hortiplex? Just do a web search and you should find many sites about it.

    PHOE stands for Palm Hammock Orchid Estate which is in Miami. Great place to visit.

    Here is a photo of my old one - see if it looks like yours.

  • Carole Westgaard
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Yes, looks exactly like yours. VERY helpful info - thank you so much - always wondered about that name because it's so unusual. My plant was HUGE and sprawling over the edges and blooming with pink tiny inflorescens. Bummed that it died back so far and I have no window for winter unless I set in front of a slider which I guess I need to do! I figured it was rhizomatous and yes, I've stuck small rhizomes I've cut back into the soil and they are growing. It's in constant shade - hope that's the right place for it until winter - then if I set near East facing slider, it should be fine. That's where I had it in its prime! Thanks again!

  • Carole Westgaard
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Yes, looks exactly like yours. VERY helpful info - thank you so much - always wondered about that name because it's so unusual. My plant was HUGE and sprawling over the edges and blooming with pink tiny inflorescens. Bummed that it died back so far and I have no window for winter unless I set in front of a slider which I guess I need to do! I figured it was rhizomatous and yes, I've stuck small rhizomes I've cut back into the soil and they are growing. It's in constant shade - hope that's the right place for it until winter - then if I set near East facing slider, it should be fine. That's where I had it in its prime! Thanks again!

  • hc mcdole
    9 years ago

    I think it would yellow up better in more light but it should do fine in shade as well. Mine used to defoliate in late winter and then bloom (kind of ugly in a way). I prefer the foliage. Here it is another year in denser shade so it had quite a bit of green in it.

  • Carole Westgaard
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I didn't care for the flowers either - cut them off! Like a hosta, I hate the scapes - I left a collection of over 400 hosta varieties in Illinois when moving last year - it was January and not only that it would have been a major dig! They're not a particularly good plant for high desert but I'm going to give it my best - have 28 mini hostas going at least - in pots now until son (landscaper!) gets the garden going. Phoes Chloe will stay in a pot in the garden but in dappled shade - hope that works. Thanks again for your help!

    Westy

  • hc mcdole
    9 years ago

    That was quite a few hostas you had at your last place! I have a few but probably less than 40. Begonias on the other hand - a few hundred.

    There are very similar looking begonias to PHOE's Cleo that may be easier to take care of. I am trying another one of PHOE's hybrids - Little Beaver. Give it a try if you can. Here is a photo of it.

    Just noticed the spelling you had in the title - that may be why you couldn't find it - it is Cleo instead of Chloe.

    This post was edited by hcmcdole on Thu, Sep 4, 14 at 8:35

  • Carole Westgaard
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Oh wow! Love that Little Beaver! Love the speckles. Where do you buy your begonias? All mail order? I can't tell where you live. Would love to buy it. Or mail order from PHOE? Thanks for the correction on spelling too - that's how I found it spelled when I bought it - at a nursery near Chicago. Hate when that happens! Or when people remove the tags from pots. Should be a fine for that! Anyway, love the last pic of the Little Beaver so now that's another obsession. Jeeze - couple hundred begonias must be gorgeous in your garden.

    Westy

  • hc mcdole
    9 years ago

    I'm in the suburbs of Atlanta. I go to Orlando every year to pick up plants for our begonia club (last 7 years I think) so I can pick some up there. These last two years I make a side trip to Miami to go to PHOE but while it is nice to visit, it is a long way down there and they are a bit high on their prices. Check e*ay for Little Beaver since they will be coming from the same nursery in Orlando (they got their start from PHOE).

    I think this is another Tim Anderson (owner of PHOE) hybrid - 'My Good Friend'.

  • petrushka (7b)
    9 years ago

    i am not sure but i think you can still do mail order from phoe. i've seen phoe's cleo in the 3" plant list. thier site is a bit tricky, not all links seem to work, but keep trying.
    here's a direct link to 3" plant page, where cleo is.

    Here is a link that might be useful: phoe's 3

  • hc mcdole
    9 years ago

    Try eBay, Logee's, Kartuz, Accents for Home and Garden as well. I hope mail order from PHOE has improved immensely from the former times I used to order from them.

    One on eBay now for $8.99

  • gnarlydude
    9 years ago

    hcmcdole: what is the heracleifoia hybrid to the right of your phoe's cleo in your first picture. so pretty.

  • hc mcdole
    9 years ago

    gnarlydude, I think that was 'Flying High' but I won't swear to it.

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