Date posted: 19 June 2014
This week’s plant of the week is the Begonia goegoensis which was discovered in Goego, Sumatra. It was first introduced in 1881 and first described by N. E. Brown in 1882. This species of Begonia is rare due to its distinctive attributes, it has large, heavily veined, green-bronze leaves which have a deep reddish underside. Through summer and autumn Begonia goegoensis has beautiful small pink flowers on its long stems.
For many years this species of Begonia has been growing in the Bicentennial Conservatory at Adelaide Botanic Garden, however, over time it was struggling to compete with the other plants in the collection.
Staff in the Mount Lofty Botanic Garden Nursery made it their mission to get this species back to full health. The plant was dug up and taken to the Nursery where it was carefully looked after and leaf cuttings were taken.
The plant is now thriving in the Nursery glasshouse and has been flowering for many months. Propagation of the Begonia goegoensis has been very successful. What an excellent story of survival and propagation!
18 July 2023
Have you ever driven past the beautiful heritage-listed Goodman Building when passing the Garden on Hackney Road? Did you know this building was formerly the base for the Municipal Tramways Trust but now serves as the Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium administration building.
07 June 2023
World Ocean Day is an annual celebration held on 8 June which unites and rallies the world to protect and restore our blue planet. In our latest blog, State Herbarium's Jem Barratt takes a deep dive into how its scientific work focusing on seagrasses and seaweed helps with the restoration and preservation of our ocean ecosystems.
