The homeland of begonia is the tropics. But its various species feel great both on window sills and flower beds in the open air, for which many flower growers love them. Most plants are unpretentious in care, have useful properties. As a garden culture are used by summer residents and landscape designers to create beautiful compositions. There are thousands of species and hybrids. The article describes the most popular among flower growers.
Gender Description
The genus Begonia (Vegonia) belongs to the Begonia family. It includes about a thousand natural species, and thanks to breeders, twice as many hybrids have been bred. The region of origin of the plant is considered West Africa. From there it came to the southeast of Asia, to Indochina, South America. Scientists note several distribution centers of the Begoniev family: Central Africa, the Amazon and the Southeast Asia. The name of the genus came from the name of the ruler of Haiti M. Begon, who in the XVII century. organized an expedition to study the flora of the Antilles. During this expedition, the first six representatives of the genus known to man were discovered. Currently, the catalog of varieties and species of begonia has several thousand copies.
Flower in landscaping
Begonia can be annual or perennial. It grows like shrubs, shrubs, grass. Shrubs usually have erect stems. Shrubs come with creeping rhizome or with tubers.
Important! Tuberous varieties can be grown in open ground. The remaining species are suitable only for indoor breeding. Tuber begonias have one drawback - they are fragile stems.
Tuberous root system
In landscape design, hybrids are common. Their advantages:
- unpretentiousness;
- the ability to grow in both sunny and shaded areas;
- variety of colors of flowers and leaves;
- ample opportunities for creating compositions on flower beds, alpine slides;
- the possibility of growing in street containers, vases.
Florists appreciated the genus Begonia, whose species are grown as houseplants. Advantages of the flower:
- lack of smell, which makes the plant not allergenic;
- year-round flowering of certain species;
- unpretentiousness to conditions and leaving.
Note! The only drawback of begonia is its fragility. The life span of plants is 1-2 years. Annual begonias are often found. Therefore, flower growers regularly update them, resorting to various methods of reproduction.
Types of begonias
All species are classified into several groups according to the presence and type of stem:
- decorative foliage. There is no stem, leaves grow from creeping rhizomes. In leafy begonia varieties, the flowers are small, inconspicuous. Grown at home;
- bush. Have a cranked branching stem;
- tuberous. There is a tuberous rhizome, stems grow from it. They are grown in open ground all year round in a warm climate or moved to a room for the winter.
Varieties of begonias in the table:
| Decorative foliage | Bush | Tuberous |
| Royal (Rex) | Everlasting | Ampelic |
| Mason's | Red | Elatior |
| Bauer | Fuchsiform | Bolivian begonia |
| Begonia Cleopatra | Coral | White |
| Laminate | Pink | |
| Cuff | Fimbriata | |
| Red-leaved begonia | ||
| Spotted |
Below are the popular types of flower.
Mason Begonia comes from New Guinea. Named after M. Mason, who imported it from Singapore. This is a rhizome perennial plant. Its height is up to 50 cm. The leaves are large warty, asymmetrical green in size up to 15 cm. Their distinguishing feature is a dark brown pattern in the center, resembling an iron German cross.
For your information! The flower purifies the air in the room from harmful impurities.
Mason Begonia
Begonia Bauer - a hybrid bred in the 1970s in Germany by R. Bauer. Its small size up to 30 cm allows you to stir the plant even on a small windowsill. Leaves no larger than 8 cm in long petioles pubescent with brown spots along the edges, hanging along the edges of the pot. This makes begonia look like ampelous. Flowers are not as attractive as foliage. With improper lighting, the color of the leaves becomes faded or dark, they lose their decorative effect.
Red begonia in the wild grows mainly in Asia and South America, India. Its characteristic feature is abundant, prolonged flowering. Its buds and petals are bright and large up to 15 cm in diameter. The edges of the petals are often corrugated. The duration of flowering of one peduncle reaches four weeks. The leaves are dark green, patterned. The height of the bush is an average of 30 cm.
White begonia, also called camellia, belongs to the tuberous varieties. It is a large-flowered terry. The plant is powerful, about 30 cm high. The stems are thick. Flowering continues throughout the summer and fall. And in the winter goes into a state of rest.
For your information! In the fall it is cut, tubers are placed in a cool place, planted in spring.
The yellow begonia has ramified branched stems. This is a grassy shrub up to 50 cm high. The leaves are large in shape oval with serrations along the edge. Their top is smooth and dark green, the bottom is pink fleecy. Flowers up to 4 cm in size, collected in inflorescences, with bright yellow petals. They are terry, semi-double and ordinary. A characteristic feature is heterosexual flowers: female and male.
Yellow inflorescences
Terry pink begonia belongs to tuberous. Its height is about 30 cm. The flowers are small saturated pink colors. The leaves are small dark green.
For your information! Often used to decorate flower beds, garden flowerpots, alpine slides and borders. Flowering occurs in May and continues until the cold. Small female flowers pluck.
The name fimbriat begonia in Latin means "fringed." Its striking feature is lush flowers resembling large carnations. All varieties belonging to this species are united by the terry form of inflorescences. The size, shape, color of the petals vary. It can be red (for example, in the Scarlett variety), white, pink, purple, orange. It is common in home floriculture and is used in outdoor planting for the summer.
Spotted begonia is a decorative and deciduous species. It is a sprawling flowering shrub. The leaves are shiny, smooth, uneven in shape: round, oblong, heart-shaped. Located on tall petioles. The upper part of the leaves is dark green with silver or whitish spots, the lower part is reddish. The flowers are small, in small inflorescences are formed on a hanging peduncle.
Castor-leaved begonia is one of the hybrid species that was obtained from hogweed. The height of the plant can reach 1.5 m. Leaves with a diameter of about 30 cm are covered with brown hairs in asymmetrical shape. The color of the leaf plates is green with a copper or bronze tint on top and reddish below. Flowers are collected in umbrellas of white or pink colors.
Castor-leaved begonia
Begonia is ever-flowering, or bush - a small grassy perennial. The largest varieties do not exceed 50 cm in height, and the smallest ones form 10 cm bushes. All varieties are distinguished by decorative flowering. Terry flowers or simple pink, white, red, coral shades. They are male (with four petals) or female (of five petals). The leaves are whole, glossy green, bronze colors. Evergreen begonia has several subspecies: graceful begonia (Gracilis), Lanchiana, Schmidt.
Note! Among begonias, the most popular is begonia semperflorence and its cultivars Rose, Red, White. They are very resistant to any weather conditions.
Special mention deserves the unique flower of Palomar Prince. From other varieties it is distinguished by the structure and color of the leaves. They are spiral copper-green. Light pink flowers bloom in the winter. For the cultivation of Palomar Prince on the windowsill does not require special knowledge, it is unpretentious.
Anyone who has become acquainted with the variety Black Velvet (Black Prince) will not mix up what this begonia looks like. Recognizable make it dark, close to black sheet plates. They are carbon in shape, similar in texture to velvet. The appearance of the leaves is very original.
Black velvet
Elator is a hybrid bred in England in the 19th century. It is used for landscaping. This is an annual, abundantly flowering shrub. Its stalk is dense, the leaves are heart-shaped asymmetric saturated green above and lighter below. Flowers up to 8 cm in size can bloom throughout the year. Popular varieties: Annabelle, Borias, Lorren, Carnival.
One of the varieties of ampelous plants - Illumination - has a tuberous root system, thin long shoots, medium-sized leaves. During flowering, many buds are formed, and then double flowers, which cascade down thin stems. It is grown both indoors and in areas.
The variety of species may surprise not only a beginner, but also an experienced florist. The biggest difficulty in their cultivation is often the choice of a particular variety. Unpretentious plants almost do not create other problems.
