Shortly after the plant's introduction to England, John Seden, the foreman at James Veitch & Sons of Chelsea, London, successfully crossed B. boliviensis and another Andean species, believed to be B. veitchii.
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Begonia boliviensis is of special historical interest to gardeners, being one of the species used by John Seden in the production of the first hybrid tuberous begonia raised in England, B. × sedenii.