Begonia davisii
Begonia davisii is a plant in the begonia family, Begoniaceae, which was used in the early days of breeding Begonia × tuberhybrida cultivars.
It was discovered by the Victorian plant collector Walter Davis near Arequipa in Peru and was first introduced to England in 1877.
Description
The plant has a dwarf, tufted habit with broadly ovate–cordate leaves, which are glossy bluish-green above and purplish beneath, with a slightly lobed serrated margin; the flowers are rich orange-scarlet in colour, arranged in threes on erect red-coloured scapes to high.Hybridization
The dwarf habit and erect flowers characteristic of this species were taken advantage of by John Seden, who rapidly evolved several garden forms, including a dwarf race of hybrids suitable for summer-bedding which became popular in Victorian England.The cultivar, B. davisii Orangeade, which has double bright copper–orange flowers, is available commercially today.