Begonias

Family Begoniaceae. There are many species of begonias and all of them are beautiful in their own way. Among begonias there are both ornamental-leaved and ornamental-flowering species. Begonias are beautiful houseplants with succulent leaves that have a somewhat oblique shape. The flower stalks bear both male and female flowers. In the female flowers a three-sided seed capsule forms above the petals. Most begonias flower all summer; however, when provided with good conditions they can bloom in autumn and even in winter.

All begonias are divided into two main groups: ornamental-leaved begonias and ornamental-flowering begonias.

Ornamental-flowering begonias

They are valued for the beauty and abundance of their flowers. Among ornamental-flowering begonias there are evergreen plants that can be kept indoors year-round, for example, the ever-flowering begonia. One of the most spectacular flowering begonias are the tuberous begonias; these are pot plants such as hybrids of Begonia Lorrain and hybrids of Begonia Elatior. These plants finish their growing season after flowering and are usually discarded. Tuberous begonias bloom in summer and autumn (with good care from spring until December); in winter they lose their leaves. In autumn, when tuberous begonias begin to enter dormancy, watering is reduced, and after leaf drop watering is stopped completely. The tubers are freed from soil and stored in boxes in sand in a cool place. If tubers are overwintered in pots indoors, they are watered from time to time but without allowing them to become wet.

Coral begonia Begonia corallina - a large shrub-like plant with erect stems. Leaves are oblong-ovate, pointed at the tip, with a toothed margin, up to 15 cm long. Leaf surface is green with white speckles or spots. Flowers are bright pink, gathered in many-flowered panicles.

Bright-red begonia Begonia coccinea - a large, sparsely branched shrub-like plant with erect stems. Leaves are oblong-ovate with a wavy margin up to 12 cm long. Leaf surface is smooth and glossy, light green. Bright red flowers are gathered in panicle inflorescences.

Glaucous-leaved begonia Begonia glaucophylla - a shrub-like, well-branched plant with drooping shoots. Leaves are ovate, pointed at the tip with a slightly wavy margin, up to 12 cm long. Leaf surface is smooth, bright green; the underside is reddish. Red flowers about 1.5 cm in diameter are gathered in racemes.

Ever-flowering begonia Begonia semperflorens - a small shrub-like plant. Leaves are rounded, slightly pubescent along the edge, up to 6 cm long. Leaf surface is light green, but can be dark green or have a reddish tint. Flowers are arranged in a loose panicle on a short peduncle. Flowers may be single or double up to 2.5 cm in diameter, white, pink, or red.

Begonia Lorrain hybrids - a group of hybrids. Plants form small bushes up to 50 cm tall with thin stems. Leaves are rounded, wavy at the edges, up to 10 cm in diameter. Leaf surface green or dark green. Flowers about 2.5 cm in diameter on short stalks in loose panicles, single or double, white, pink, red, etc.

Begonia Elatior hybrids - a group of hybrids. Plants form small bushes up to 35 cm tall. Leaves are rounded, toothed at the edge, up to 10 cm in diameter on reddish thin stems. Leaf surface green. Flowers about 5 cm in diameter on short stalks in loose panicles, white, pink, red, etc.

Tuberous begonia Begonia tuberhybrida - a group of hybrids. Leaves are cordate, pointed at the tip, toothed at the edge, from 10 to 15 cm long. Leaf surface green. Flowers about 8-9 cm in diameter, single or double, white, pink, red and other colors and shades.

There are also trailing begonias of the type B. tuberhybrida pendula with single or semi-double flowers in white, yellow, red, pink or orange.



Temperature: Moderate; temperatures above 20°C are undesirable for these begonias. Winter temperature about 17-18°C, but not below 15°C.

Lighting: Bright light with mandatory protection from direct sunlight during the hottest part of the day. During flowering begonias should be placed on windowsills not crowded so that one flower does not shade another. To maintain proper growth they are periodically turned on the windowsill.

Watering: Abundant in spring and summer, but do not overwater, as begonias dislike stagnant water, as well as the soil ball drying out. Water should be soft and settled. Tuberous potted begonias are not watered in winter and are stored in dry peat substrate.

Humidity: Begonias prefer high air humidity. Regular spraying is necessary; pots can also be placed on a tray or in a box with wet peat or moss.

Repotting: In early spring tubers are planted in fresh soil. Rhizomatous begonias are repotted as needed when the pot becomes too small. Soil should be nutritious - a mixture of humus, leaf and turf soil with a small amount of coniferous soil and river sand. Fill the pot not to the very top so that later, when additional roots form, more soil can be added. Place the plants on a sunny window, and they quickly produce new leaves, and buds appear in about 40-50 days.

Fertilization: Ornamental-flowering begonias should be fertilized from the time flower buds form with a liquid complete fertilizer for flowering houseplants once every two weeks. Do not use nitrogen-rich fertilizers for ornamental-leaved plants, as this will lead to leaf growth and suppression of flowering.

Propagation: Propagate by stem cuttings and seeds. Tuberous begonias can also be propagated by dividing sprouted tubers. The tuber is cut in half so that each part has shoots and roots; cuts on the tuber are dusted with charcoal or sulfur. Plant tuber pieces so that their crown slightly protrudes above the soil surface.