B. ‘Axel Lange’

Shortly before the beginning of the last war the firm: of Van Houtte in Ghent, Belgium, displayed at flower shows at Ghent' three new, valuable bush begonias:' 'Axel Lange', 'L. H.. Russel' and 'Frau Hoffman'.. Although two-'L. R. Russel' and 'Frau Hoffmann' remind one strongly of the rex-begonias produced by crossing B. rex with B. diadema, this is not the case. In the production of these new sorts not. two but a number of parents were' utilized besides. the already mentioned rex; B. Griffithi and 'President Carnot' played a role.

Of these three introductions, 'Axel Lange' shows the blood of Begonia 'President Carnot' the most. The leaf. is a medium bronze-color fading to light green near the margin. The 'leaves are silver-grey spotted. This B. x 'Axel Lange' should not be confused with B. Langeana which is-also named for Axel Lange, Director of the Botanical Gardens in Copenhagen, Denmark.

'Axel Lange'~"The underside of the leaf is brilliant brown-red. The natural growth is high and spire-like."

B. X AXEL LANGE seems only to have been distributed in England since the end of the War. I have grown a 4ft. high plant, but, like many others, they are usually at
their best in a younger stage. One can readily believe that a cane stem Begonia such as 'President Carnot' is in the parentage, along with a Rex hybrid, to add the pleasing leaf colour blendings of tawny green and brown, with silver spots and a wine red underside.

• Classification: Cultivar
• Plant Type: Rex Cultorum
• Origin: Europe, Belgium
• Originator: Van Houtte
• Date of Origin: 1943