Beguiling Begonias
Winter doesn’t have to be bleak. Add vibrant color to your home with the versatile begonia.
Add a touch of the tropics to your winter windowsill by growing some begonias this year. There are many types to choose from, ranging from those known for their exotic foliage to those with stunning flowers and some that offer a bit of both. Good garden centers and greenhouses have these beauties in stock now for the holidays.
They make great gifts for the plant lover in your life.
A bevy of begonias
The
begonia family is vast and varied with almost two thousand different
species and just as many hybrids. Some are great for summer, needing a
rest in winter; others start to shine as cold weather approaches; and
some present beautiful foliage year-round. One thing all begonias have
in common is their need for lightly moist, welldrained soil. “Sitting in
soggy soil is certain death for a
begonia,” says Stuart Hammer, Life Member of the American Begonia
Society. “My first begonia was an Iron Cross rex begonia I found in a
small greenhouse in Connecticut in 1976. On New Year’s Day, 1977, I went
to Logee’s Greenhouse in Danielson, Connecticut, and was amazed to find
over a hundred different varieties, especially rexes, rhizomatous types
and canes. I’ve been hooked ever since.”
Hammer
now has an eighteen-foot-bytwenty-seven-foot greenhouse filled with
about six hundred begonias and gesneriads, his other passion.
Working with begonias
Many
have grown wax begonias outside in your shady flower beds and
containers where they happily blossom all summer long. This trait has
earned them the Latin name Begonia semper florens, which means “ever blooming.”
With
thousands of varieties of begonias, make sure you choose one that does
well when grown indoors. Quality garden centers and greenhouses have
them in stock for the holidays.
The
flowers are usually red, white or pink, and the waxy foliage can be a
glossy green or bronze. Although these begonias can spend the winter on a
bright windowsill, indoor life is stressful for them, and they are best
grown as annuals.
Tuberous begonias grow from a bulb-like tuber. They have showy, fully double, camellia-like flowers that can be up to five inches
across, and bloom in a range of colors from red, pink and white to
yellow, apricot and orange. Some have an upright habit—growing between
two to three feet tall—great for container growing. Others cascade one
to two feet, making them perfect for hanging baskets.
There’s
a begonia for everyone. The begonia family is huge, with almost two
thousand different species and the same amount of hybrids. For winter,
consider Rieger begonias (bottom middle). They flower off and on all
year, but blossom especially well in winter. They come in many colors,
including white, yellow, pink, red, salmon and purple.
Blossoming
from early summer into fall, tuberous begonias are sure to brighten up a
shady spot. Since they require a period of winter dormancy, they are
not good candidates for indoor growing. In fall, their foliage yellows
and dies back, signaling it is time to rest. The tubers can be dug up
before a frost, dried in a sunny spot and saved over the winter, ready
to replant next spring. Hammer says, “To winter over the tubers, clean
them and put them in a paper bag with some dry peat moss, and store in a
cool place.”
Fibrous
or cane begonias have thick segmented stalks, growing either tall and
upright or trailing. Their foliage is stunning, and they offer a
multitude of flower colors. This variety can grow from six to twelve
inches tall up to five feet tall, flower all year round, and never go
dormant. Fibrous begonias can get leggy as they age but respond well to
pruning any time of year. This class of begonias, which includes the
popular angel wing types, is one of Hammer’s favorites. Two varieties he
recommends are pink-flowering Sophie Cecile and Cracklin’ Rosie, which
has dark curly leaves with pink spots.
Although
she is surrounded by outstanding plants every day, Quenby Jaus, retail
manager at Wentworth Greenhouses & Garden Center in Rollinsford, recommends silvery leaved
Gryphon, a hybrid cane-type. “I brought one indoors last winter,” she
says, “it was amazing and super easy to grow.”
Want
to grow begonias but aren’t sure where to start? Wentworth Greenhouses
& Garden Center in Rollinsford has varieties available all year
long, and can provide expert advice for beginners.
Rhizomatous
begonias are the largest group. They have thick stems called rhizomes
that grow horizontally near the surface of the soil. The roots and
leaves sprout from these stems. They are known for their dramatically
patterned, highly textured leaves. In winter, they send out stalks with clusters of small flowers.
“Many
begonias blossom in the winter, and their blooms are pretty, but not
spectacular like a Rieger or tuberous begonia,” Hammer says. He has some
favorites in the rhizomatous class, including River Nile, which has
chartreuse leaves with ruffled red edges, and the beefsteak begonia
Erythrophylla, a reliable hybrid dating back to 1845, with shiny dark
green leaves and red undersides.
Rex begonias are a subgroup
of rhizomatous begonias. They are a popular houseplant or can be grown
outside in summer in a shady location. Sometimes called painted leaf
begonias, they have striking foliage with swirls of color and unusual
patterns. There are many hybrids, but you may be familiar with Iron
Cross, the plant that started Hammer’s obsession with begonias. It has
pebbly textured, light-green leaves marked with a dark Maltese cross
shape in the center. Another popular rex is Escargot, which has unique
spiral leaves like a snail’s shell. “Rexes need humidity to avoid leaf
edges turning brown,” Hammer says. To add humidity around the plants, he
recommends growing them on a pebble tray. “Don’t mist them,” he
cautions. “Begonias are susceptible to powdery mildew if the leaves are
kept wet.” Wentworth Greenhouses offers assorted rex begonias
year-round.
Rieger
begonias are a hybrid of tuberous and wax begonias. They flower off and
on all year round, but blossom especially well in winter. Their leaves
are dark glossy green; the bright blossoms in white, yellow, pink, red,
salmon or purple are spectacular and can be single or double flowered.
“We carry the Rieger begonias year-round,” Jaus says. “They are a
popular plant during the holiday season and winter for a pop of color.
They are fairly low maintenance and can bloom for a
couple of months.” Riegers are day-length and temperature-sensitive,
needing short days and cool temperatures to bloom their best. Remove
spent flowers as they fade, and trim the foliage to maintain the plant’s
shape and size. Feed Riegers monthly with a low-nitrogen fertilizer
when they bud or are in bloom. Keep the soil consistently moist; if the
flowers wilt, they may not recover.
The American Begonia Society
A
word of caution—it is easy to become hooked on begonias and want to
collect them all, an impossible but enjoyable quest! Consider joining
the American Begonia Society, a group of plant-lovers that has been
around since 1932. It publishes a bi-monthly journal with articles and
photos. The society does not have a branch in New Hampshire, but its
Buxton branch caters to begonia lovers in New Hampshire, Connecticut,
Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Because most members live in
Massachusetts, branch meetings are held monthly at the Christa McAuliffe
Library in Framingham. They offer programs about begonias, and members
bring in plants for sale and share expert advice.
Meetings
are temporarily on hold due to COVID-19 but will resume when conditions
allow. To make up for the lack of in-person meetings, the American
Begonia Society is offering virtual education programs via Zoom. If you
would like to establish a branch in New Hampshire, it only takes seven
like-minded begonia lovers to start. See begonias.org for more information. NHH
Tips for Growing Healthy Happy Begonias
• Begonias grow best in temperatures between 60–70°.
They don’t like dry heat, so add humidity around them by growing on a tray of moist pebbles.
• Begonias need bright, indirect light. They prefer an east- or west-facing window. Keep them out of direct sunlight.
• Fertilize your begonias with a balanced liquid fertilizer during the active growing season, spring through summer.
• Begonias should be grown in a well-draining potting mix. Soilless mixes or those formulated for African violets work well.
• Allow the top inch of the soil to dry out between waterings. Don’t overwater or let the pots sit in a wet saucer.
• Keep plants away from your dogs and cats. Unfortunately, the ASPCA lists all begonias as toxic to pets.
RESOURCES
American Begonia Society • begonias.org
Buxton Branch • buxtonbegonia.org
Logee’s Greenhouse • (860) 774-8038 • logees.com
Christa McAuliffe Branch Library • (508( 532-5636 framinghamlibrary.org/mcauliffe-branch
Wentworth Greenhouses • (603) 743-4919 wentworthgreenhouses.com
