Begonia - types, care

In nature there is a plant of begonia, the species of which has both beautiful flowers and elegant leaves. It found many admirers and admirers. They do not realize that very different plants are included in the same genus of begonia, species, varieties and hybrids of which are divided into two large groups: ornamental-flowering and ornamental-deciduous.

Decorative and flowering group

According to the name of the group, all the plants of the decorative-flowering direction blossom abundantly. Flowers they are both terry, and simple. On one pedicel, there may be both male flowers and female flowers . Female form a fruit, trihedral box, the size of which depends on the size of the flower itself. Inside the group of decorative-flowering begonia species are divided into:

1. Plants of Lorrain, blooming in winter with white or pink flowers.

2. All-the-year-round blossoming varieties Elatior. They have large flowers of all shades of red, as well as white and even yellow.

3. Plants of Semferflorens, which tolerate direct sunlight and are used on flowerbeds. For the winter they are dug and brought into the house.

Care

Among them is the most luxurious, roses-like form and coloring flowers begonia tuber. There are a large number of varieties and hybrids of this plant, the ancestors of which are several wild species from Bolivia. It turned out beautifully flowering, but very whimsical begonia tuber, caring for which is quite complicated in our room conditions. We need to start by choosing a place, because this beauty is very sensitive to direct sunlight, but without it it will not bloom. That is, you need to pick up a corner where the sunlight will be scattered. It can be planted in the open ground, when the threat of frost passes.

With constant watering, but without overmoistening, until the first frost in September it will feel good outdoors. The soil for it is suitable for sand, fertilized with humus and peat. It is good for introducing manure, nitrofoss and superphosphate into the soil. 2.5 months before planting, the tubers are germinated in boxes with earth. The first frosts damage only the aboveground part of the plant, leaving the tubers whole and unharmed. Dig them out when the leaves completely turn yellow and die. The tubers are washed and dried.

The remains of shoots after two weeks are removed, and the tubers themselves are put in boxes and covered with dry sand. They should be stored at a temperature of 10-12 ° C and a low humidity. If the tuber begonia was in the summer at home, then from October its watering is reduced, at the end of flowering shoots are cut off, the tubers are left in dry ground. After a while they are removed from the pot and put into dry sand. Watering should be completely stopped. Begonia is stored in containers with sand until March, at a temperature of 5-10 ° C.

In March-April they are transplanted into the prepared soil and regularly watered. In this case, many sprouts are formed, of which two of the strongest leave, the rest are removed. The plants multiply by seeds, cuttings and division of the tuber. But there are other plants of the genus Begonia, whose species number 400 names, as well as many different varieties and hybrids, which abundantly bloom, but are easier to care for.