A begonia bred by MPG management committee member John Fielding is one of seven finalist in the annual FleuroStar contest in the Netherlands and Germany which ends this week. Begonia rex SpaceStar Maia is a versatile compact indoor and outdoor plant suitable for containers, hanging baskets and bedding with appeal to retailers because of its relatively long shelf life. An attraction for growers is that it can be grown in energy-saving cooler temperatures. It is now being bred and marketed by Beekenhamp Plants, Maasdijk, Westland, Netherlands.