In the past five years, we have published 20 papers in national and international peer-reviewed journals, bred and registered seven new Begonia cultivars. Several new phenomenons were noticed and new mechanisms underlying interactions between plants and their environments have been unraveled. Utilization problems in some plant species have been solved or partially solved. These include but are not limited to: 1) extensive and successful ex-situ conservation of Begonia species; 2) first evidence of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi directly regulating initiation and development of parasitic organs in root hemiparasitic Pedicularis; 3) discovery and physiological evidence of another heterotrophic strategy (mycotrophy) in root hemiparasitic plants; 4) host range, host dependency and selectivity of some Chinese Pedicularis species have been determined; 5) a better knowledge of seed biology and germination requirements of Begonia species; 6) a phenomenon that wet and dry cycles under different temperature regimes mimicking climate variations during different periods of the year can drive the seed dormancy has been noticed and systematically studied in several Begonia species; 7) diversity of leaf variegation in Chinese begonias have been surveyed and its relevance to geographic distribution was determined.