What does the word "standard" mean in gardening? Used in : "You can use a bad begonia cutting to grow a "standard".

I think it means "one" stem, tree like, because when I grow my Aimee Gardenias, I call the single stem with the branches at the top only "standards". The others are regulars. I am not sure but that is how I was told by the people who grow gardenia trees. I can not remember their name, if I find it I will let you know. Did you google it?

Yes, I Googled and it did reference making a plant into a tree. But I have never seen a Begonia tree so I wondered how that applied to begonias?? Might try it if I end up with a "bad" cutting, as they say.

Do you suppose the mean the Cane like Begonia's....it would be easy to make standards out of them. I have never seen a begonia tree either, I am sorry if I misunderstood your question.

Actually, I have some cane starts that would be fun to grow into a tree. We work so hard to keep them bushy, why not try to see if it can be a tree? I think the canes if any begonia can do it.

Maybe mine will grow like this one? Do you think this would be a cane begonia "standard"? Mine surely look more like a bush.

Please do not quote me on this, but I am under the impression a "standard" had only ONE trunk or stem. I could be so wrong but when I grew the Aimee standards, I had to choose the one stem or trunk starters to be the standards in order to get them to grow with the "tree" look.

I hear what you're saying JB. Yes, every definition I have found has to do with tree-forming by cuttings. How in the world it is applied to begonia has baffled me. But I have a lot of cane begonia that I can play with. It might be fun to see if I can strip the leaves and make it umbrella into a tree form, making it branch out at the top and letting the one branch get big and fat forming a begonia tree. I thought maybe someone had some experience with this? Fun.

I have a couple cane like Angel Wings starter plants.....just for fun I will see if I can do that too. I wonder if I could sell them as standards. Get more money???? Except, I think they only have one stem anyhow.