Better Homes and Gardens Australia — December 2017

1

Tall growing, up to 1–2m,

these varieties bloom

from mid-summer to

mid-autumn with fleshy

flowers like little chandeliers,

in shades of pink, red,

orange and white. One of the

most popular is B. coccinea,

which has pendulous heart-

shaped leaves with red

undersides and margins.

They’re stately plants, great

for filling areas of the garden

that need a vertical element.

Or try them as specimen

plants in large pots, on a

verandah or in a courtyard.

Cane stemmed

Shrub

begonias

begonias

2

These are robust

plants; they come in

many sizes, colours

and leaf shapes, and bear

flowers for many months.

They can handle being

a little on the dry side and

prefer semi-shade. A few

standouts in the group

are Begonia venosa, with

rounded silver-grey velvety

leaves, B. metallica, with

purple-veined leaves, and

the majestic B. luxurians,

with leaves that look almost

like a palm frond – green

on the topside and red

underneath. Unlike the

cane-stemmed varieties,

shrub begonias will branch,

so prune in late winter to

promote new growth.

3

Renowned for amazing

glasshouse displays,

Begonia tuberhybrida, or

tuberous begonias, have gorgeous

double flowers that appear in

late spring and summer. They

make delightful pot or window

box displays. Best in filtered

shade, they like a little morning

sun in cooler climates. Allow the

potting mix to dry out between

waterings and store the pots

somewhere dry over winter.

begonias

Tuberous

Rex begonia ‘Princess of Hanover’

begonia types

PLANT PROFILE

Begonia coccinea

Begonia venosa

Begonia x hiemalis

64 BHG DECEMBER 2017