The history of the American Begonia Society is studded with creative hybridizers, who took the time to create something new and bring it forth in to the world of Begonia cultivars. The linked article is a summary of many of these gifted folks, written for The Begonian...
Virginia Kettler was perhaps a bit more of a recreational hybridizer than others. She was simply curious to see what happened when two plants were crossed. She was more engaged in trialing the works of other breeders in the Houston, TX area. So she tested hybrids for...
Ross Bolwell hails from Annandale, NSW in Australia where he began hybridizing in the 1980’s and is still going strong in 2021. Ross’s hybridizing spans many different types of Begonias, and he has 477 named cultivars on record with more coming. Ross & Christine...
Leslie was raised by a farming family in the depression era of American history. He was unable to go to school because he needed to work so his younger siblings could go instead. But Leslie loved working with plants, and from his mother inherited a gift for growing...
Brad Thompson was one of the American Begonia Society’s most productive members. He was an incredible hybridizer. Brad was also an artist; he acted as President, Editor, and many other roles within the administration of the society. Brad also developed a comprehensive...
Belva Nelson Kusler, hailed from Siren, Wisconsin and first mentioned in The Begonian in 1950 for her excellent collection of Begonias, but it was not long at all before she was introducing new cultivars! Her first release was the cane type B. ‘Anna Christine’ which...
