Who doesn’t know these flowers?! Begonias are almost in every house,in every apartment where plants are grown. Moreover, seeing a completely different flowers, an ignorant person will not even guess that these are all plants with the same name.
They can be small, compact bushes with a variety of very beautiful variegated leaves. There are large high specimens (up to a meter or more), which hang clusters of small pink flowers. There are luxuriously flowering plants with red, yellow, pink large double flowers.
The variety of begonias
And all this — begonias, residents of tropical countries, lovers of warm and humid climate. In the world there is a huge variety of species of the genus begonia-about 1600. Its generic name they received on behalf of the Governor of the island of Haiti Michel Begon, who lived and ruled there in the late XVII — early XVIII century.
But today we are only interested in Begonia semperflorens, so named because of its long flowering. Perhaps it is not forever, but long enough, almost all year round.
In Europe (namely in Germany) it was imported from Brazil almost 300 years ago. In nature, its species are found not only in South America but also in tropical areas of Asia and Africa. They prefer to settle in the shade of trees, in rock crevices, where it is warm and humid.
Botanical description
Begonia semperflorens is a small plant. The leaves are bright green, brown-reddish or with a bronze hue.
Flowers are medium-sized, there are both simple and double, from white and pink to red and even two-color petals which have a bright border of red shades. They are collected in small loose brushes hanging from the shoots.
The flowers of begonia are heterosexual, that is, on one plant there are male (they have 4 petals) and female with five petals. Flowering of this species of begonias is very abundant and long — during the summer until November, but for the rest of the time, too, there are flowers.
Varieties of Begonia semperflorens
The existing varieties of Begonia semperflorens is a complex hybrid of several different types. They all vary in color and size of the leaves, the variety of colors and different flowering time. There are now over 600 different varieties of begonias, most of them are breeders of France and Denmark.
All of them are divided into 2 classes:
- Typical semperflorens. They are distinguished by the presence of large green or brown leaves with glitter, sitting on strong shoots.
- Gracilis. Have fragile thin twigs and small slightly pubescent leaves,but the flowers are larger.
Also, all varieties vary in height.
- The group is a tall (to 40 cm).
Alba. The Bush is quite spreading, with green leaves and large white flowers collected in inflorescences.
Kate Teisher. Very beautiful leaves-green, bordered with red. Thirteen flowers up to 5 cm in diameter form a lush inflorescence.
- Group of medium-sized (25 cm).
Carmen. The foliage is a beautiful brown color. The flowers are pink, 3 cm in diameter, collected in inflorescences of 6 pieces.
Othello. Inflorescence sits on a compact Bush. Small flowers, painted in scarlet, continuously open one after another.
- Group of undersized (up to 20 cm).
Albert Martin. Tiny Bush only 15 cm Green leaves decorated with red border. Inflorescences are formed by 9 small flowers of very beautiful Carmine-purple color, they cover the whole plant: it can be up to 55 flowers at the same time.
Bella. The height of the Bush about 19 cm Leaves also with a reddish rim on the edge. Seven medium-sized flowers of dark pink color forms an inflorescence. Flowering is very abundant.
Bicola. Bush is 13 cm tall. A tiny delicate plant with green leaves is decorated with white flowers with a pink border, collected in inflorescences of 4.
Also now popular series of hybrids F1, forming small compact bushes from 20 to 30 cm, which grow well and bloom in dry air and high temperature. Here are some of them:
- F1 Super Olympia
Very small plants with green leaves, bloom early and abundantly. The group includes 7 hybrids with colors of different shades – from pink and coral to dark red.
- F1 Olympia Sprint
Compact plants with flowers of different colors, well tolerate heat and drought.
- F1 Party
The group includes plants up to 30 cm tall with different colors of leaves and flowers. The leaves are green, brown-red, bronze, flowers are also diverse.
- F1 Cocktail
Bronze-plated begonias, resistant to heat. Dark leaves and bright red flowers.
- F1 Vision
Plants with dark-colored leaves and large flowers of various colors. Plant height 20-25 cm.
Very interesting series of F1 Queen. Bush 20×30 cm with double flowers of white and pink color long and abundant flowering. Plants are resistant to adverse conditions.
Growing Begonia semperflorens
Begonia semperflorens is grown both as a houseplant and as an annual open-ground plant. Here we will pay attention to the cultivation of begonia in the garden.
Place for this flower, you can choose slightly half-shaded, because in nature it grows in the woods under the canopy of trees. But in the open Sunny area in the garden begonia will feel good.
The soil it prefers light, loose and fertile, slightly acidic (with a reaction pH 6,2). Such soil can be obtained by adding organic fertilizers to ordinary garden soil: leaf humus, compost, peat. If the soil is heavy, they should also intervene and sand. Alkaline soil it is necessary to acidify, otherwise begonias can get sick.
Landing
Plant begonia on beds in the open ground usually in the last decade of may or early June. The main thing is that it is not damaged by spring return frosts, to which it is very sensitive.
The soil is well dug, loosened and leveled. Planting holes are made at a distance of 20 or 10-15 cm-depending on the variety and size of the plant prepared. Bushes are planted without sinking, and so that the rhizome was spacious in the hole. Plants are planted either in pre-spilled pits, or watered immediately after planting, and then again slightly sprinkled with earth.
Maintenance
Begonias growing in the open ground are small plants, so you need to make sure that weeds do not drown them out, weeding is carried out regularly, as well as watering. This moisture-loving plants, but to fill them it is impossible.
Feeding is carried out once every 10-14 days, using complex fertilizers or organic infusions. After fertilizing the soil slightly loosened.
Reproduction
There is nothing easier than to multiply Begonia semperflorens stem cuttings. If you have a shrub of this plant growing at home and you want to propagate it to plant these flowers in your garden, cut the cuttings around April and put them on rooting in water or light peat soil. The roots will appear very soon, and the cuttings can be planted in separate cups, where they will be before planting in the ground.
Begonia can be propagated and seeds, the stores are now offering their large selection. Sowing is carried out in February in containers filled with sand and peat mixture. After emergence, they are placed on a light window, moderately watered, and when they grow up a little, transplanted into boxes or pots. Upon reaching 10-15 cm plants are planted in the open ground or planted in pots in a permanent place.
Begonia semperflorens in the garden
Begonias look very nice in large arrays or complex parterre flower beds, which combine varieties with different colors of leaves and flowers, as well as other colors. But this is a question of urban flower beds.
And how to place these flowers in the Amateur garden and in the suburban area, where there is no place for large flower beds? Here begonias very organically fit into the foreground of a small flower bed or create a beautiful border, especially their undersized varieties. Will look great begonia in hanging pots or a large container with other, higher colors.
And you can try and create a pattern on a bed of different types of begonia, adding to them a white Lobularia, silver Cineraria and some other annuals. The main thing is to believe in yourself and not be afraid to experiment.
And what begonias grow in your garden? Share in the comments your experience as you combine them with other plants.