# Begonia 'Lita Ecuador'



## harrywitmore (Feb 9, 2004)

I had a nice bit of this growing but it is now gone. Melted away in a matter of a week. Not sure what happened. I have a bit in my 125 vert but it's not doing as well. I hope to get it going again. But, the reason for this thread is to ask has anyone seen it flower at all. Mine never did. And if it hasn't flowered how sure can we be that it is a Begonia. One very similar to this has been given a U560 designation but it has not flowered either.


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## reggorf (Oct 24, 2006)

I have a big clump of it in my red galact tank. It has never flowered. It is right in the front of the tank directly under the misting nozzle. It does stay pretty wet. It gets a medium amount of light. I have wondered if it would flower. Is there anything I can do to try to get it to flower(more/less light or water)?


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## candm519 (Oct 15, 2006)

Mine has never bloomed either. 

I recently started fertilizing one clump (and not another in the same tank, for comparison) but it hasn't make any visible difference so far. I think I'll keep doing it to see. 
I don't have much ability to play with temps currently -- but maybe a temporary chillier drier spell would give it a nudge?

For me it melts routinely with any uneven humidity, even when I've tried to reduce it gradually to say happy-mini-sinningia levels. It stays fine and keeps growing when I remember to keep the lid on. 

I've got more than I can use, Harry, if you want more.


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## NathanB (Jan 21, 2008)

Mine never has as well. I hope chuck chimes in on this thread.


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## JoshH (Feb 13, 2008)

I have lots of issues with that plant, it always does well and then melts for no reason! I've never had it for more than a month or so....


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## Corpus Callosum (Apr 7, 2007)

Killed mine for the 7th time last month. I'm in need of a cutting again for an 8th attempt


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## EricM (Feb 15, 2004)

I have never seen a bloom from this plant in over 5 years but I don't have problems with it anymore. Getting it established was horrible and I spent a good amount of money buying bits. Now I have it doing well and becoming invasive in a number of tanks, all with small frogs, pumilios or retics.

Harry, I will send you some in a week or so.

Thanks
Eric


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## Manuran (Aug 28, 2007)

It definitely can be a temperamental one. My guess is that many people are keeping them on the very humid side. This makes them a bit soft-leaved and very sensitive to change. They will grow very fast, but they can also disappear very fast. This begonia is in the section Gobenia and many of them like sp. Lita are from slightly higher up in elevation. Lita does well in the vivarium, but if you grow it soft and then it gets hot, it can crash. It's also probably why it doesn't flower well in the terrarium. When it does flower, it throws a globular orange flower. I was told that they were going to give this plant of mine a U-number, maybe this is the plant Harry is talking about. 

I have several others from this section, but it turns out that sp. Lita is the tough one in the group! Some of them are pretty great, I hope with time I will be able to offer some of the others.


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## harrywitmore (Feb 9, 2004)

Chuck, do you happen to have a picture of the flower?



Manuran said:


> It definitely can be a temperamental one. My guess is that many people are keeping them on the very humid side. This makes them a bit soft-leaved and very sensitive to change. They will grow very fast, but they can also disappear very fast. This begonia is in the section Gobenia and many of them like sp. Lita are from slightly higher up in elevation. Lita does well in the vivarium, but if you grow it soft and then it gets hot, it can crash. It's also probably why it doesn't flower well in the terrarium. When it does flower, it throws a globular orange flower. I was told that they were going to give this plant of mine a U-number, maybe this is the plant Harry is talking about.
> 
> I have several others from this section, but it turns out that sp. Lita is the tough one in the group! Some of them are pretty great, I hope with time I will be able to offer some of the others.


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## Manuran (Aug 28, 2007)

Hi Harry,
Unfortunately, I have never photographed the Lita's flower (I've only flowered it twice and only recently). Here's another Ecuadorian species from the same section. You can see the similarities to Lita.
This isn't my photo, but my friend said it was okay to use it. It shows the typical globular flowers of this section. I've seen other species with much brighter orange flowers.


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## harrywitmore (Feb 9, 2004)

Nice, I'll pass that info along to a friend who had donated some to their Botanical Garden. She was wondering if was even a Begonia at all since she had never seen it flower.



Manuran said:


> Hi Harry,
> Unfortunately, I have never photographed the Lita's flower (I've only flowered it twice and only recently). Here's another Ecuadorian species from the same section. You can see the similarities to Lita.
> This isn't my photo, but my friend said it was okay to use it. It shows the typical globular flowers of this section. I've seen other species with much brighter orange flowers.


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## earthfrog (May 18, 2008)

I wanted to revive this and get updated care info/longevity reports all around. I have two booming specimens, but only for about four months now. I am taking cuttings as a precaution in case they crash on me. I do be sure they are not in vivs that get too hot---I would think in a greenhouse they'd have a harder time with the temp swings. I have mine in vivs that have good airflow--I think a lot of melting issues may also be due to overwatering. 

Does anyone know if they have a dormancy period b/c of their native higher elevation?


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## candm519 (Oct 15, 2006)

Besides hating any period of low humidity, mine tried to crash when the 'thatch' or layer of underlying dead self-stems had gotten about an inch thick. Little roots couldn't reach actual substrate. Maybe it is the root tips that have to stay continuously moist. 

My emergency tip cuttings are currently doing well in (or rather on) the thatch-cleared and refreshed sphagnum in its previous growtank, as well as on sphagnum in a small closed terrarium box. 

This plant seems to really want to crawl and spread out, and grows up my tank sides towards light (or space?). Given enough length or maybe time, side shoots do grow off the main long strands.
I haven't been able to give it enough room to see how long strands would get, and if they would stay connected to mother. 

I've never seen a bud or blossom.


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## earthfrog (May 18, 2008)

candm519 said:


> Besides hating any period of low humidity, mine tried to crash when the 'thatch' or layer of underlying dead self-stems had gotten about an inch thick. Little roots couldn't reach actual substrate. Maybe it is the root tips that have to stay continuously moist.
> 
> My emergency tip cuttings are currently doing well in (or rather on) the thatch-cleared and refreshed sphagnum in its previous growtank, as well as on sphagnum in a small closed terrarium box.
> 
> ...


Thanks for that, I think I will keep on trimming and sharing it then to prevent thatch build-up, and certainly take frequent cuttings. I suspect that in the 'wilds' this fast growth and thatching helps prevent it from becoming buried by organic material. 
I plan to let it go haywire in my tank and work itself around the liverworts and other taller begonias as a sort of groundcover. I like the rambling look. 
I've noticed that in brighter light the leaves seem more green, and in dimmer light they are more purple.


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## pamnsam94 (Jun 24, 2008)

Susan,

What you said about it being more purple in dimmer light and more green in brighter light makes sense. Other plants seem to react to brighter light in a similar manner.


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## Dartfrogfreak (Jun 22, 2005)

Just like to state that this Begonia SP Lita collected by Chuck is Begonia U560.

Im trying this plant again. It always does well for a month or 2 then crashes.
This time I do have it in high humidity however Im hoping the humidity will naturally decrease gradually enough as to keep the plant from crashing yet at the same time allowing it to grow stronger leaves.


Todd


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## MtnOrchids (Sep 21, 2014)

I know this is an old thread but i'd thought id share pics of this species, flowers. The blooms are not really orange, but more like a straw colored. They do not open widely.


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## Dendrobait (May 29, 2005)

Interesting stuff this Begonia.

I recently obtained Begonia sp. 'Lita' I believe as well as a Begonia referred to as Begonia sp. 'Pacto 1.' The latter is a much smaller and somewhat hairier Gobenia than 'Lita'. Both promptedly dropped leaves upon being added to the viv and then got going again. I am not 100% certain if I still have 'Lita' however.


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## earthfrog (May 18, 2008)

MtnOrchids said:


> I know this is an old thread but i'd thought id share pics of this species, flowers. The blooms are not really orange, but more like a straw colored. They do not open widely.


Cool, Darren! It's a small world---I think you got them from me. Funny I should login now after more than a year...

Susan


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## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

I think someone found the species name for the plant. Can someone post it here if you know it? I believe the code is U560.


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