Gardening : Bountiful Begonias Are Full of Surprises : Flowers: Beginners’ good news is that begonias respond to a heavy hand for fertilizer and water. A little practice, and success is made in the shade.
Of all garden plants, few are as diverse, as colorful and as easy to grow as the begonia. With over 3,500 species and cultivars, the genus always presents something new to catch the grower’s attention.
Begonias are grown the world over in every conceivable way: on the window sill, under lights, in the greenhouse, planted in the garden, in terrariums or “under lath” in the California patio. Yet they are all shade plants that require bright mottled light, evenly moist soil, a consistent diet of fertilizer and a devoted grower.
The American Begonia Society classifies begonias according to similarities of structure and cultural requirements that are valuable tools for the grower.
The angle wing begonia that your grandmother grew falls into the cane group. Canes have erect, smooth, bamboo-like stems with swollen nodes. Most do not branch freely but send up shoots from the base of the plant. Leaf color can vary from very dark to pale green, mahogany or even cherry red. They may have silver or white dots or splashes.
Canes are large plants--in pots they grow from 1 to 6 feet. Planted in the ground they can reach a height of 15 feet or more. Clusters of to 50 flowers appear in spring and summer in all shades of red, pink and white.
Canes benefit greatly from removal of the growing tip (called tip pruning--thumb and forefinger are used to pinch out the leaf that is just unfolding) and a heavy yearly pruning.
Shrub begonias are lush, full plants that produce shoots from the base and branch freely, especially when tip-pinched. Leaf size varies from less than one inch to more than 18 inches across.
Most shrub begonias are seasonal bloomers--for every season there are varieties in bloom. Flowers are most often pink, white or cream, although a few varieties have yellow, salmon or peach flowers.
Rhizomatous is the largest group of begonias--numbering almost 1,000--and the most varied. Noted primarily for their beautiful and interesting foliage, these plants have a thickened stem that most often grows along the ground with leaves growing out of it.
Leaf shape and the diversity of color patterns found in the leaves make rhizomatous begonias exciting to grow. Think of a leaf color, texture, or shape and there will be a rhizomatous begonia to match it.
They are midwinter to late spring bloomers. The flowers, in shades of pink and white, may be embedded in the foliage, slightly above it or on stalks that rise several feet into the air.
Semperflorens means always-blooming--an appropriate name for this group. They go by the common names of fibrous, wax or bedding begonia and are the most popular of all. Almost 300 million semperflorens begonias are sold in the U.S. annually.
Leaves are smooth and glossy in light to dark green, bronzy-red, dark mahogany, or variegated--some are even said to have chocolate colored leaves. Flowers may be single, semidouble or so double they are called pompons. Colors range from white to pink, though deep wine red and some are bi-colored.
“Semps” are so easy to grow that if you aren’t using them in your landscape and color bowls you are missing a rewarding garden experience.
In her catalogue of 1911, Theodosia Shepherd described the rex begonia as having, “. . . the radiance and brilliancy of precious jewels, the shining luster of metals, with the beautiful colors and textures of the most costly fabrics.
The leaves alone posses all these charms, while the dainty flowers add lightness and grace.” This is even more true now than it was in 1911. Hybridizers have created breathtakingly beautiful plants in recent years--to the point that it is hard to believe that they are really living plants.
If you live along California’s cool, moist coast, chances are you are growing a tuberous begonia. They have the largest, showiest flowers; indeed many plants are grown for their flowers alone. In 1988, a world record was set in Scotland with a flower that measured 13 1/8 inches in diameter.
Hybridizers in recent years have worked hard to produce tuberous begonias that can tolerate a warmer and dryer growing environment. The Non-Stop Series, introduced about eight years ago, is the best available to date. This series has smaller flowers but in larger quantities.
Tuberous begonias grow from a bulb-like tuber and have a definite period of winter dormancy. Flowers come in all shades of pink, red, orange, yellow and combinations of these.
The trailing-scandent is the smallest group, with only about 50 types grown primarily by collectors. The plants either trail from hanging baskets or climb poles, branch freely and send up many basal shoots making lush, full plants. Stems are long and flexuous and can reach heights of eight or more feet. Most are seasonal bloomers.
Thick-stemmed begonias have stout stems that are evident in the early stages of growth. Not as beautiful as other begonias, they are grown by collectors and hybridizers because they are interesting and unusual.
Where to find begonias? Plants from most of the groups are available at nurseries and garden centers. Many of the best plants are not grown commercially but are easily available at plant sales held by members of the American Begonia Society in conjunction with their annual shows.
Three shows and sales are scheduled in the Southland this summer:
--Today, Fox Hills Mall, Slauson Avenue and Sepulveda Boulevard, Culver City.
--July 28-29, Los Angeles Arboretum, 301 N. Baldwin Ave., Arcadia.
--August 18-19, Quail Botanical Gardens, Quail Gardens Drive, Encinitas (San Diego County).
For more information call (213) 693-1973.
More on the Care and Feeding of Begonias
When you understand their requirements, begonias are easy to grow. They evolved in the tropical undergrowth, protected from direct sunlight by the canopy of forest trees. Follow the rules for growing in the shade, otherwise the plants will become stressed, could easily die, and will not achieve their potential beauty.
If a begonia is grown cool--between 65 and 75 degrees--it can take almost full sunlight, but when grown warmer--between 80 and 90 degrees--sunlight should cut to 40% or 50%. The higher the growing temperature the more shade the plant will require. Many of the canes and shrubs bloom best with some direct morning or late afternoon sun.
To duplicate rich, porous tropical soil, a popular mix is two parts leaf mold, two parts good commercial potting mix, two parts walk-on bark, and one part No. 3 ( 1/8-inch diameter) sponge rock.
Water by duplicating a torrential shower, then allow the plant to become dry--not bone dry, but to a “dry on top” stage.
Because begonias naturally reach for faint light, they tend not to branch. To induce branching, and to shape the plant, tip pruning is used. A single tip-pruned branch will make two new shoots; tip-pruned again it will make four, etc., until you achieve the fullness desired. Stop pruning to allow the plant bloom.
In the spring when begonias begin to grow they are voracious feeders. Fertilize every time you water. Use a high bloom fertilizer at the rate of one-quarter teaspoon per gallon of water. Fertilize nine times with this, then on the 10th time use clean, fresh water to flush away residual salts.
MORE INFORMATION
Information on membership in the American Begonia Society and subscription to its publication, “The Begonian,” can be obtained from membership secretary John Ingles Jr., 157 Monument, Rio Dell, Calif. 95562-1617.
