Tuberous begoniais one of the most beautiful flowering plants that can be successfully grown both in soil and in containers. The popularity of this decorative plant is due to the variety of colors and forms, long-term flowering and easy cultivation. Get to know the most interestingvarieties of tuberous begoniaand learn the secrets of growing, wintering and reproducing this interesting plant. Here is all about tuberous begonias!
Begonia bulbous - Begonia x tuberhybrida
Fig. depositphotos.com
What does tuberous begonia look like?
Tuberous begonia(Begonia x tuberhybrida) belongs to the begoniaceae family. This species is not found in nature. It was created as a result of many years of breeding work involving the crossing of many species of begonias originating mainly in Peru, Bolivia and Brazil.
The underground part of tuberous begoniais a thick, tuberous rhizome from which it grows stems covered with heart-shaped leaves. In our climatic conditions, begonia is not able to survive the winter period in the ground, so with the onset of frosts, we dig the tubers out and store them indoors. It will be possible to plant them again the following year. This distinguishes tuberous begonia from another popular begonia, known as continuous flowering begonia, which is an annual plant grown from sowing seeds.
Tuberous begonias are distinguished by a compact, dense and regular habit. Depending on the variety, the stem sometimes reaches a length of up to 80 cm. The advantage of tuberous begonia is profuse and long flowering , which can last from May until the first frost. The flower form is varied and may resemble peony, narcissus, carnation or camellia flowers.
bulbous begonia - application
Begonias are perfect for flower beds, creating dense, colorful borders. On flower beds, they contrast nicely with species with similar requirements, such as: shiny sage, geraniums, heliotrope and marigolds. Pots and boxes with blooming begonias will surely decorate every balcony and terrace.
Bulbous begonia surrounded by ivy
Fig. pixabay.com
bulbous begonia - varieties
Cultivars of tuberous begonia , taking into account the way they grow, are divided into two types:
- vertical begonias
- dangling begonias, referred to as drooping begonias or cascading begonias
Within each of these types there arevarieties of begonias that differin growth force, habit, size and degree of flower filling.
The most popular and often bought arevarieties of begonias with flowers :
- double -Begonia double- large and very large, full flowers resemble camellia flowers,
- jagged -Begonia fimbriata- are characterized by quite large and full flowers, the petals of which have strongly jagged edges,
- full and large -Begonia superba- flowers reach up to several cm in diameter. Abundant, full flowers are most often distinguished by varieties with an upright habit, although more and more often they can also be found within the cascade varieties.
Begonias with vertical growth and dense compact habitlook great in flowerbeds, containers and pots.Popular varieties from this group include: begonia 'Bertini' (red flowers), 'Santa Barbara' (white flowers), 'Santa Cruz' (orange flowers), 'San Francisco' (peach flowers).
Variegated varieties of tuberous begonia - Begonia x tuberhybrida
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Theseries of begonias Non stopis noteworthy, which includes short varieties (height 20 - 25 cm) with a compact habit. They bloom profusely all summer and are characterized by full flowers of intense colors: white, yellow, orange and red.
Theline of Mocca begoniasis similar, with plants of short stature and full flowers in strong colors. They are perfect for rebates and for planting in containers.
The series of Picoteebegonias include some of the most beautiful two-color varieties with large flowers, ideal for container cultivation: 'Picotee White' (with white-pink flowers), 'Picotee Sunburst' (yellow-orange flowers) , 'Picotee Blush' (red and white flowers).Plants are highly bushy and grow up to 35 cm in height.
Cascade begonias with overhanging shoots(Begonia pendula) look great in hanging pots or balcony boxes.
The varieties of drooping begoniasmost often have small flowers, but there have also been varieties with large, full and fragrant flowers. The following varieties are beautiful: 'Splendide Apricot' (peach-colored flowers), 'Splendide Flamenca' (pastel pink flowers), Begonia odorata 'Red Glory' (dark red flowers), Begonia odorata 'Angelique' (with white flowers) or Begonia odorata 'Sunny Dream' (with yellow flowers).
Tuberous pendulous (cascading) begonia
Fig. depositphotos.com
Thevalued varieties of cascading begoniasinclude the Illumination begonias, characterized by long shoots and large and full flowers of very intense color and long flowering.The following flowers are available for sale: peach (begonia 'Apricot'), light yellow ('Yellow', 'Lemon'), red ('Scarlet'), pink ('Rose'), salmon ('Salomon Pink') ).
Also recommended arevarieties of begonias with full flowersforming multi-colored cascades: tuberous begonia 'Sangria' and tuberous begonia 'Golden Balcony' (flowers in warm shades of yellow, orange and peach ) or tuberous begonia 'Pink Balcony' (flowers in shades of pink).
The flowers of tuberous begonia can be single or multi-colored. Especiallytwo-colored begoniaslook original, e.g. 'Rosebund', 'Camellia', 'Bouton de Rose'.
Tuberous begonia with bicolor flowers
Fig. pixabay.com
Begonia varieties with unusual flower appearance :
- crimped edges of the petals (Crispa Marginata), these are the varieties: 'Flamenco White', 'Flamenco Yellow',
- about wet color (Begonia marmorata)
bulbous begonia - cultivation
Tuberous begonia prefers warm and bright spots , although it also tolerates partial shade. It is important to know that large-flowered begonias grow best in partial shade, while small-flowered varieties require more sun. These thermophilic plants thrive best at temperatures around 20 ° C. Secluded, sheltered places are best for begonias, as fragile and delicate stems of these plants can be damaged by stronger gusts of wind.
The soil for begonias must be fertile , humus, slightly acidic and, above all, permeable. When preparing the soil mixture for begonias ourselves, we must not forget to add perlite, expanded clay and sand, thanks to which the substrate will pass water well, which will protect the plants from rotting.Ready-made mixtures of the substrate dedicated to begonias are also available for sale.
Tuberous begonia with bicolor flowers
Fig. pixabay.com
bulbous begonia - planting
Plant begonias for container cultivation in February and MarchThen store them in bright rooms at a temperature of about 18-20 ° C. When the risk of frost is over, that is in the second half of May, the pots can be placed outside after hardening the plants. These begonias will bloom in May or June.
If you wantto plant begonia tubers in the pot , first put a thick layer of drainage, e.g. expanded clay, on the bottom. We cannot forget about the holes in the bottom of the pot to drain excess water.Begonia tubers should be planted with the concave side up , so deep that they are about 1 cm below the ground.
Begonia tubers can also be planteddirectly into the ground or in containers outside from the second half of May. However, one should take into account the fact that begonias planted so late will bloom later than those planted in containers in February or March.
Begonias ready to be planted
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bulbous begonia - watering
Please note thatbegonias do not tolerate dryness and may shed leavesif they have too little water. Begonias tolerate heat and dry soil very badly, so it is important that the substrate is always slightly moist. This applies to both plants grown in the garden and in pots.
Begonias planted in flower bedsit is worth mulching, which will prevent the soil from drying out and limit the development of weeds. A good solution, especially in container growing, is to add a hydrogel to the substrate or plant plants in large containers.
Do not water the plants until the top layer of the substrate is slightly dry.Watering tuberous begoniashould be regular and not too abundant. Too much water leads to rotting of tubers or inhibition of plant growth.
Tuberous begonia - fertilization
Begonias have high nutritional requirements and respond very well to fertilization. The best multi-component fertilizer or a specialized fertilizer for flowering plants will be the best for them. Fertilize the plants every 2-3 weeks throughout the growing season.
bulbous begonia - wintering
Begonia will not survive the winter in our climatic conditions. In order to overwinter the plants, with the onset of frosts, dig up the tubers of the begonias, dry them for about 2 weeks and lightly clean them. We put them in boxes filled with sand or peat and store them in dark and cool (7-10 ° C) rooms until the next year. In February or March, we plant the tubers into pots and start watering.
Begonia bulbous crispa marginata 'White'
Fig. pixabay.com
bulbous begonia - reproduction
In amateur cultivation, tuberous begonias are most often reproduced by dividing the tubers or by preparing cuttings.
Begonias reproduce by dividing the tubers- this is the best way to reproduce begonias at the turn of February and March. Place the tubers in a container with soil, which should be placed in a bright room with a temperature of 8-10 ° C. As soon as the tubers sprout, they should be cut into sections with at least 2 buds on each. We secure the cut with charcoal. Place new seedlings in a container with a moist substrate, place them in a warm, sunny place and water them regularly. After about 3 weeks, transplant them into individual pots.
Begonia propagation by cuttings- in the second half of December or January, plant tubers in shallow containers and place them in a bright place. When the first shoots appear, cut them into cuttings and place them in pots filled with a substrate for seedling.Cover the pots with foil and glass to reach a temperature of around 20 ° C. We plant young plants permanently in May.
MSc Eng. Anna Błaszczak
