Blooming Begonias in My Greenhouse
As many of you know, I have a large collection of begonias, and it's expanding more every year - these plants just thrive in my Bedford, New York greenhouse.
The genus begonia contains about 1500 different plant species and hundreds of hybrids. They are native to tropical and subtropical climates, so many specimens are kept indoors as ornamental houseplants. I often bring specimens in to decorate my home when I entertain. Rhizomatous begonias come in an array of sizes, colors and textures, and can be small or large, smooth or veiny, with bold accents of red, copper and silver or subtle shades of green - I’m certain there’s at least one begonia that would inspire and captivate any gardener.
As you will notice in these photos, so many of my begonias are blooming right now, with their small, delicate flowers rising above the foliage. Enjoy.
-
- I keep these beautiful plants on a long, sliding table in my main greenhouse, where they can be watched closely and maintained in a temperature and humidity controlled space. Look at all the beautiful blooms!
-
- Although most rhizomatous begonias are grown for their interesting leaves, they also display clusters of small lovely blooms that grow like clouds above the foliage.
-
- Rhizomatous begonia flowers bloom in late winter to early spring.
-
- The flowers can range from blush to white to shades of pink in color. So many of them are blooming right now.
-
- Rhizomatous begonias range from small, delicate plants with one-inch wide leaves to large, robust specimens with 12-inch wide leaves or more. Their leaves can be smooth and soft to heavily textured and rough to touch.
-
- These plants store water and nutrients in the rhizomes, which are their thick, fuzzy stems, so it is important not to overwater them. Only water these plants when the top one-inch of soil feels dry. These plants can tolerate a bit of irregular watering.
-
- Here is one of my newer specimens with beautiful dark burgundy centers and bold pink edges. It is a Rex begonia, a type of rhizomatous begonia. With hundreds of cultivars bred for foliage, flowers are secondary compared to these bold leaves.
-
- I love this whimsical looking Begonia ‘Wightii’ with its silver spotted leaves. It’s nickname is “polka dot” and is a vigorous grower best suited for upright pots.
-
- Rhizomatous begonias should be fed a general purpose fertilizer every other week during spring and summer.
-
- To successfully grow rhizomatous begonias, use clay pots and only repot one size up when the roots have filled their current vessel.
-
- These plants are considered cool temperature plants and will do best in temperatures ranging from 58 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit.
-
- Begonia paulensis has large, shiny, green leaves with an extremely textured surface. Keep this houseplant in a shady area during summer months to prevent leaf burn.
-
- Begonia ‘My Special Angel’, is another fun specimen with spotted leaves and green foliage.
-
- Begonia soli-mutata is a compact medium-sized species from Brazil. The heart-shaped leaf colors vary depending on its exposure to bright light, which is why its common name is “Sun Tan Begonia”.
-
- Take a close look at the leaves of this begonia – bright green leaves with with dark burgundy and edged with some tiny, tiny hairs.
-
- Begonias are remarkably resistant to pests primarily because their leaves are rich in oxalic acid – a natural insect repellent.
-
- This specimen is called ‘Madame Queen’. It boasts large, ruffled leaves distinctly marked with green on top and a rich, red colored underside.
-
- The crinkled, hairy edges add great texture.
-
- Here is another spotted begonia, accented with pink tones and colorful undersides.
-
- Begonias are propagated from seed or cuttings. You can root rhizome pieces in a mixture of half peat moss, half perlite.
-
- Some begonia leaves will actually feel very crispy when touched, so handle the foliage gently to prevent cracking.
-
- Begonia ‘Raspberry Torte’ is a showy plant with glossy spiraled leaves and bands of silver and dark raspberry.
-
- Begonia ‘Royal Lustre’ has small silvery green leaves with tones of pink and green. Upon close inspection, you can see the small hairs that line the leaf margins.
-
- Begonia ‘Lotusland’ is a large thick stemmed rhizomatous variety. It can grow up to to three-feet tall. It is hard to miss when entering my greenhouse.
-
- ‘Lotusland’ stands out with its large shield-shaped dark green leaves.
-
- Begonia gehrtii is a shrub type begonia with large green leaves and a bubble like texture. It has a small compact growth habit with white flowers and is perfect for any begonia collector.
-
- This is Begonia acetosa, also known as ‘Ruby Begonia’. It has velvet cupped leaves with tomato red undersides. It tolerates much lower humidity than most.
-
- And of course, here is Begonia ‘Martha Stewart’. I got it last year from Logee’s Plants for Home and Garden in Danielson, Connecticut – it was so exciting that they named a fancy leaf begonia after me! It continues to thrive in my greenhouse. https://www.logees.com/
Martha Pins
Martha Tweets
