Begonia

Family Begoniaceae. There are many species of begonias and all are beautiful in their own way. Among begonias there are both ornamental-leaved and ornamental-flowering species. Begonias are attractive houseplants with succulent leaves that are somewhat obliquely shaped. Both male and female flowers are present on the peduncles. In female flowers a three-sided seed capsule forms above the petals. Most begonias bloom all summer; however, when given good conditions they can also bloom in autumn and even in winter.

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

Ornamental-leaved begonias

Under favorable conditions they develop into large, tall bushes. The flowers of ornamental-leaved begonias are not as spectacular as those of tuberous begonias, but the flowering is very abundant; bush begonias can bloom even in winter. If tuberous begonias are remarkable for their flowers, ornamental-leaved begonias are no less beautiful due to the variety of leaf shapes and coloration. The most common species are B. rex, B. masoniana, B. maculata, B. metallica, B. boweri, B. erythrophylla, B. imperialis, and others.

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

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

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

Wax begonia Begonia semperflorens - a small bushy plant. Leaves rounded, slightly pubescent at the margin, up to 6 cm long. Leaf surface light green, but may be dark green or with a reddish tint. Flowers gathered in loose panicles on short peduncles. Flowers can be single or double up to 2.5 cm in diameter, white, pink or red.

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

Begonias of the Elatior group Begonia Elatior - a group of hybrids. Plants form small bushes up to 35 cm tall. Leaves 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 peduncles in loose panicles, white, pink, red, etc.

Tuberous begonia Begonia tuberhybrida - a group of hybrids. Leaves cordate, pointed at the tip, toothed at the edge, 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.

Begonia goegoensis Begonia goegoensis - with decumbent short stems. Leaves on long petioles, rounded about 10-15 cm in diameter, with a crinkled margin. Leaf surface velvety, olive-colored with lighter veins. Flowers pale pink gathered in inflorescences on a long peduncle. Plant size about 50 cm tall.

Begonia diadema Begonia diadema - with erect stems and large asymmetrical palmate leaves, deeply toothed at the margin up to 15 cm in diameter. Leaf surface olive-green with silvery-purple spots. Flowers pale pink. Plant size about 50-60 cm tall.

Imperial begonia Begonia imperialis - with decumbent stems and rounded leaves, cordate at the base, up to 10 cm in diameter. Leaf surface velvety, silvery in color, underside of the leaf red. Plant size about 40-50 cm.

Begonia griffithii Begonia griffithii - with decumbent short stems and leaves on long petioles covered with long reddish hairs. Leaves ovate, asymmetrical with an acute apex. Leaf surface dark olive at the center and edges, with a wide silvery stripe across the middle. Large flowers pale pink. Plant size about 40-50 cm.

Yellow begonia Begonia xanthina - with decumbent short hairy stems. Leaves large, about 15-17 cm long, oval with a cordate base and pointed tip. Leaf surface glabrous, glossy brownish-green with yellow-brown veins. Underside slightly pubescent and reddish. Flowers yellow-orange. Plant size about 40 cm.

Royal begonia Begonia rex - with decumbent, pubescent and fleshy stems. Leaves can be very large - up to 25-30 cm long, oval with a cordate base and an obliquely pointed apex, toothed or wavy at the edge. Leaf surface slightly pubescent or glabrous. Depending on the cultivar, Begonia rex may have very diverse leaf patterns. Plant size about 70 cm.

For example, with a dark olive surface and silvery spots or speckles (Begonia rex Anna Grace, Begonia rex Winter Ace); with a dark brown center, a broad red central stripe and a green field with pearly spots and a brown edge (Begonia rex Merry Christmas); with dark burgundy, almost black leaves and raspberry glossy spots (Begonia rex Vesuvius);

With greenish-silver leaves and purple markings along the veins (Begonia rex Peace); there are begonia cultivars whose leaves have a very beautiful shape — curled into a spiral resembling a snail shell, and many others.

Robust begonia Begonia robusta - a large bushy plant with erect stems. Stems and petioles covered with long fluffy reddish-purple hairs. Leaves ovate-oblique, slightly pointed at the tip and cordate at the base, about 15 cm long. Leaf surface olive-green with a dark purple center at the base of the leaf; veins and leaf margins purple. Leaf underside olive-colored. Flowers large, pale pink with a red pubescent ovary. Plant size about 80 cm.

Metallic begonia Begonia metallica - a large plant with pubescent, strongly branching stems. Leaves ovate-asymmetrical with a deeply toothed margin, about 15 cm long. Leaf surface pubescent, olive-green with pronounced red veins that have a metallic sheen. Leaf underside purple. Flowers fluffy, bright pink. Plant size about 1–1.5 m.

Begonia masoniana Begonia masoniana - with short, strongly pubescent decumbent stems. Leaves cordate, pointed at the tip, about 15 cm long. Leaf surface bumpy, green with broad patches — stripes along the veins forming a cross-shaped pattern. Flowers small, whitish on long peduncles gathered in loose inflorescences. Plant size about 50 cm.

Serrate-petaled begonia Begonia serratipetala - stems initially erect, then decumbent, well leafed. Leaves obliquely lanceolate with a decorative toothed margin. Leaf surface folded, brown-olive with shiny dark-brown or reddish-purple spots. Flowers small, bright pink on short peduncles gathered in loose inflorescences. Plant size about 50 cm.

Begonia beracleifolia Begonia beracleifolia - with decumbent thick stems. Leaves palmately divided, about 20 cm in diameter. Leaf surface dark green, lighter along the veins. Underside pubescent and reddish. Stems and peduncles sparsely pubescent. Large pink flowers gathered in lush inflorescences on long peduncles. Plant size about 1 m.

Tiger begonia Begonia tiger - with erect branching stems. Leaves cordate-oblique, pointed at the tip, finely toothed at the margin, about 7 cm long. Leaf surface brown-olive with small green spots closer to the leaf edge. Plant size about 30 cm.

Begonia Cleopatra Begonia Cleopatra - with erect branching stems. Leaves palmately divided, about 10 cm in diameter, shaped somewhat like American maple leaves. Leaf surface dark olive. Underside with white pubescence.

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



Temperature: Moderate, ideally 18-20°C, in winter not below 16°C. Hybrids of Begonia rex prefer a slightly higher temperature of 22-25°C.

Light: Bright light with protection from direct sun. It is desirable that lighting be even year-round. For this, in summer begonias are moved slightly away from the window (but the spot should remain very bright), and in winter they are moved as close to the window as possible.

Watering: Abundant in spring and summer, but avoid waterlogging, since begonias dislike standing water as well as complete drying of the root ball. In winter watering is moderate; on cloudy, dull days with very little light watering is stopped completely. Water begonias very carefully so that the stream does not hit the leaves, otherwise brown spots remain on them. Water should be soft and settled. From October to March begonias are watered more moderately. From March to October fertilize once a week using liquid complete fertilizers for ornamental-leaved plants.

Air humidity: Begonias require high air humidity. But bush begonias, most of which have pubescent leaves, do not tolerate water on the leaves, so you can place pots with begonias on a tray or in a box with wet peat or moss.

Repotting: Annually or every other year, in spring. In a cramped pot the leaves of begonias pale and lose their decorative appearance. Soil should be nutritious — a mixture of humus, leaf and turf soils with the addition of a small amount of coniferous soil and river sand. Begonias prefer slightly acidic soils with pH = 5.5–6.5. After repotting the plants are pruned.

Propagation: By stem cuttings, leaves, leaf sections, division and seeds. Stems are cut into pieces about 2 cm long and placed for rooting in trays, preferably with bottom heat.