Photo coming soon
Aaron Pecson
President
Why Begonias, and why a local branch?
Begonias are remarkably diverse, highly collectible, and often easy to propagate. The Hudson Valley Branch gives that curiosity a local home through education, plant exchange, preservation, and community.
Begonias are an exceptionally diverse group of plants.
Begonia is one of the largest genera of flowering plants, with a broad range of species and hybrids that includes cane-like, rhizomatous, rex, shrub-like, tuberous, trailing, and terrarium forms. Their foliage and flowers vary widely in color, texture, scale, and habit.
That diversity makes Begonias rewarding plants to study and grow. Their relative ease of propagation also makes them unusually accessible plants for observation, experimentation, and long-term cultivation.
Our Mission
Education
Meetings and demonstrations focus on practical cultivation, propagation, identification, and care.
Plant sharing
Because many Begonias propagate readily, cuttings and divisions help collections grow through exchange.
Growing excellence
We are interested in growing plants well and helping others build the knowledge and confidence to do the same.
Community
The branch creates a local place for growers, collectors, and curious plant people to stay connected.
How the branch began
Founded in May 2026 by Aaron Pecson, the Hudson Valley Branch grew from a simple realization: Begonias are too varied and rewarding to explore alone.
What may begin as one plant quickly opens into a wider world of species, hybrids, forms, propagation methods, and growing practices. The branch was formed to give that growing interest a shared structure in the region.
Leadership
Photo coming soon
Sherryl Angeline
Vice President
Photo coming soon
Tom Carroll
Treasurer
Photo coming soon
Billy Berces
Secretary
Photo coming soon
Richard Pham
Branch Director
Visit an upcoming gathering.
Events are the best way to meet the branch, see what is being grown locally, and learn what is coming next.