Gryphon Begonia

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Darn! I thought my seed purchase process was complete and then I saw this on the Harris Seed site.
Since I've never seen it before, I'll pass along what Harris said about it and provide the link
 - just in case your shopping isn't quite over yet, either.

Harris Seed - 50 seeds $9.80
A Fantastic Foliage® selection. The superb foliage of this begonia combines majestic beauty with strength and durability to make an outstanding presentation in single or combination containers.
The multiseed pellets germinate easily and will produce plants that are more tolerant to stressful conditions than Rex begonias, and size up more quickly than vegetative foliage type begonias.
Easy-care Gryphon has low water needs and produces showy displays, making it a great item for both outdoor and indoor gardens.
Height: 14-16"; 16-18" spread.


It is named ‘Gryphon’ because according to the breeding company that produces it, "The Gryphon is a mythical creature with the head and wings of an eagle, and the body of a lion. This superb foliage begonia combines the same majestic beauty with strength and durability."
They take a bit of time to germinate (10-12 days) and note that a saturated media and high relative humidity is critical for seed to germinate successfully.
 
For home gardeners who want to grow their own from seed, figure 8-9 weeks from sow to transplant into a 4-5 inch pot.
 
Grow it on for another 5-6 weeks, and then you’ll want to move it into your large container. (We used whiskey barrels here at the company.)
 
Once the plants are established you’ll find that Gryphon’s water needs are not too demanding and you’ll still get a very vigorous and showy plant. The breeder claims the plants can also be brought indoors, so I’ve already brought my planter at home inside to see how it fares over the winter months.


Here's a YouTube video - you'll get a sense of the size to expect Gryphon to become - smallish in a pot at the beginning of the video, then a full size one at the end.
Has anyone grown this from seed or succeeded with plants?

Comments

Anonymous said…
I bought a pot with two plants this spring and it has been outside, on a deck since. The leaves are just now (9/29) turning pale and It must be time to whatever comes next. The deck gets at least 8 hours of full sun, in Cincinnati, hot and humid most of our summer. Dail;y watering keeps it happy.
September 29, 2012 at 7:32 AM
Molly Day said…
Hi Anonymous
I wish I had one of those plants!
Hope you've brought it inside before freezing weather arrives.
October 29, 2012 at 10:06 AM
Anonymous said…
Mine even got a Texas freeze...not on purpose. Everything on top died back. I set the pot in the veggie garden to save the pot, thought it dead. Next spring surprise beautiful sprouts. That year it grew to almost over 2 X 3 feet or larger. Grows very FAST.
October 14, 2015 at 1:51 PM
Molly Day said…
Lucky you! Wish you would post a photo of your. Martha
October 14, 2015 at 3:31 PM
Timelesslady said…
I have grown my gryphon into large plant by growing outdoors in the summer. If you visit my blog you will find a link to another blog where I have just today posted on this plant and included a photograph. My gryphon seems to go through a period of dormancy too with all the leaves falling, leaving behind only the stems. In the spring I noticed small leaflets around the base of the plant were beginning to get larger, and sure enough, every year the plant comes back even larger. I love it. I keep it in the cool basement through its dormancy.
October 28, 2016 at 4:44 AM
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