Everblooming Begonia: Planting and Care at Home

Three species of the same name from the genus Begonia and the Begoniaceae family—Begonia schmidtiana, Begonia lanciana, and Begonia elegans—were the progenitors of a complex hybrid, Begonia semperflorens, whose planting and care are quite complex and require considerable experience when grown indoors. This very vibrant houseplant is native to tropical climates.

Therefore, its name reflects reality, as it can truly bloom year-round, with only brief breaks. Today, hybridization of this species continues, with over 600 varieties already developed. Among them, some are grown for flowerbeds, that is, used as annuals. However, there are also plenty of indoor varieties. Most of the hybrids were developed by breeders from France and Denmark.

Characteristics of the ever-flowering begonia and species diversity

The ever-blooming begonia bush grows to a height of no more than 40 cm and is classified as a herbaceous subshrub. The stem is glabrous and branched. The leaves are smooth, pubescent, with a central vein, and are simple in shape. The flowers are single or double, small, and borne in clusters arising from the leaf axils. They are red, white, or pink. Interestingly, begonias have both male and female flowers: the former have five petals, the latter four.

Everblooming begonias can be divided into groups. Low-growing begonias are 15-20 cm tall, medium-growing begonias are 20-30 cm tall, and tall begonias are up to 50 cm tall. Let's look at a few varieties as examples. The most popular types of everblooming begonias are:

1. Bicola is a low-growing shrub, no taller than 13 cm. The leaves are bright green and smooth. The flowers are white with a pink edge, gathered in clusters of four. They are often used in group plantings.

   

2. Albert Martin is a 15-centimeter bush with green leaves edged in red. The crimson flowers, gathered in clusters of nine, bloom profusely. Up to 55 flowers can appear on a single plant at any one time. It is highly prized by landscape designers and is used to decorate terraces and balconies.

   

3. Bella boasts 140 red or deep pink flowers blooming simultaneously. Stems reach up to 20 cm in height. Leaves have a wavy edge and are a rich green.

   

4. Carmen is a medium-tall bush (up to 25 cm) with smooth, brown-burgundy leaves. The flowers are pink, 3 cm in diameter, and clustered in groups of six.

   

5. Othello is a profusely flowering plant up to 25 cm tall. It has green, rounded leaves and single, scarlet flowers.

   

6. Alba is a spreading shrub up to 40 cm tall with large green leaves. The flowers are white, collected in inflorescences of 12.

   

7. In addition, there are entire series of hybrids, including such popular ones as Cocktail, Eureka, Olimpia, Queen, Ambassador, Party, Victory, Vision.

Secrets and features of home care

Although most bred varieties are adapted to our climate, achieving high-quality flowering is impossible without giving the plant the proper attention and care. To do this, you need to understand its requirements.

Lighting

A flowering plant needs plenty of light. However, since direct rays can cause sunburn, south-facing windows are not suitable, unless a screen or curtain is used. North-facing windows are also not ideal; in this case, supplemental lighting is needed to achieve 16 hours of daylight.

Temperature and watering

Begonia semperflorens hybrids don't require tropical heat like their ancestors, and thrive in temperatures between 20 and 25 degrees Celsius. Moreover, these conditions should be maintained year-round: the plant thrives on stability to ensure consistent blooming.

But since our summers can be hotter than necessary, and in winter even a heated room can have cold windowsills, the plant becomes stressed. This is where it becomes a matter of preserving its life.

If it's impossible to ensure a stable winter climate, begonias should undergo a dormant period by placing them in a cool place—about 12-15 degrees Celsius. However, to prevent them from dying, no colder temperatures are recommended.

The most important thing when watering is to maintain a balance so as not to dry out the roots or allow overwatering or stagnant water. The soil should be allowed to dry out to a depth of 1-2 cm, and the plant should be watered twice a week at optimal temperatures, or every other day during hot weather. In winter, especially during the dormant period, reduce the frequency to once a week.

Emphasis on water quality: purified, ideally melted or rainwater, and warm.

Top dressing

Flowering plants especially need fertilizer. After winter, when begonias begin to grow, they need nitrogen supplementation. When buds appear, the nitrogen should be removed, replacing it with phosphorus and potassium.

Apply once every 7-10 days. Always add a portion of water to prevent the high concentration of fertilizer from burning the roots. If the plant is dormant, stop fertilizing during this time.

Planting, replanting and propagating begonias at home

Once a purchased plant has acclimated to its new location, it should be repotted into new soil, as it's usually sold in transport soil without nutrients. You can buy a ready-made soil mix "for begonias," or make your own from leaf mold, peat, sand, agroperlite, and vermiculite.

The most important thing is that the soil is loose, breathable, and permeable to moisture. It's also important to place a sufficient amount of pebbles or expanded clay at the bottom of the pot for drainage. A sand cushion also works well as a water-repellent agent.

Remove the begonia from the old soil, gently disturb the soil ball, but be careful not to break the fragile roots. Then, place it in the new pot and add fresh soil around the sides. Begonias don't need repotting often; they prefer tightly packed roots, so you won't need to enlarge the pot much.

Begonias are one of the easiest flowers to propagate. When they become old and their blooms are sparse and short-lived, they can be rejuvenated by dividing the roots into fragments and replanting them in different pots.

Propagation by seeds

Propagating your favorite begonia variety is easy using seeds from professional breeders (there's no point in using other sources, as hybrids don't reproduce by seed if they have double flowers). Fill a tray with a loose substrate, half sand, and sprinkle the seeds on top, leaving the top uncovered. Cover the container with a transparent cloth and place in a warm, bright place for germination. Keep moist until the seedlings appear.

After hatching, remove the cover and wait for 3-4 leaves to appear, then transplant into separate pots and care for the flower as for an adult.

Under favorable conditions, the ever-flowering begonia can bloom in a few months.

Cuttings

Vegetative propagation allows you to obtain an identical specimen of the same variety. To do this, take a stem and divide it into 10-cm cuttings, each with 3-4 axils containing buds and leaves. Place these cuttings in water with a rooting solution.

This could be any ready-made preparation such as "Kornevin", or, for example, honey - it promotes the formation of roots well.

After the white roots emerge, the cuttings should be planted in loose soil and grown until leaves appear. Once the plant has grown, it should be repotted.

Instead of keeping the cuttings in water, you can dust them with activated charcoal and plant them immediately. Just make a cover over them using a transparent material, a plastic bag, or a glass jar. Periodically ventilate the greenhouse by opening it. Remove the cover after rooting, which will be indicated by the appearance of new small leaves.

If you're short on planting material, even a leaf can serve as a cutting. Scrape the veins from the underside of the leaf and place them on damp sand, securing them in place. Build a greenhouse on top. After a while, new leaves will appear, and the begonia is ready to be repotted.

Each propagation method requires a lighter substrate than for a full-grown plant to increase their survival rate.

Diseases and care problems

Any houseplant weakens when it's not properly cared for. It then becomes prey to pests, viruses, and fungi:

1. The most common insects that attack begonias are spider mites, fruit flies, whiteflies, and nematodes. Mites appear when the air in the room is too dry. They suck the plant's sap, stunting growth and flowering. Increase the humidity by placing the pot on a tray filled with wet pebbles or sphagnum moss, or by misting the surrounding air, avoiding the plant.

   

2. On the other hand, midges—fruit flies and whiteflies—live in overwatered soil and, when combined with fungi, can undermine the plant's health. In this case, it's best to replace the soil and treat it with a commercial or homemade herbal insecticide.
3. A dangerous worm is a nematode. It burrows into stems, leaves, and roots, and its activity is initially impossible to see. Gradually, as the infestation spreads, the flower changes shape, and the stems become warped and crooked. But by then, it's too late to treat the nematode; all that's left is to destroy it and monitor the others, as there's a risk of them becoming infected.

   

4. Gray mold, black mold, and powdery mildew are common side effects of overwatering. In addition to adjusting watering, treatment is necessary: ​​trim away all damaged parts of the bush and treat with an antifungal agent.
5. Some diseases are incurable, and in these cases, the begonia must be removed to prevent infection of neighboring plants. Disinfect the pot before further use.
6. Everblooming begonias sometimes drop their buds. This is usually due to stress, such as a change in location. They dislike this, as well as any sudden changes in temperature or humidity.

   

7. If leaves dry out, first at the edges and then fall off completely, it's due to a lack of humidity and heat. The same reason can happen when flower buds dry out and fall off.
8. The stems stretch out, the whole plant turns pale – it doesn’t have enough sunlight.
9. If your begonia is blooming poorly, there could be several reasons: too much sun, high humidity, or the plant is old. In the latter case, you can replace it by taking cuttings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Every gardener wants to enjoy a continuously blooming bouquet at home. Choosing an ever-blooming begonia is the right choice. But first, consider its growing conditions to ensure the plant thrives in its new home.