The leaves are veined and stippled, which gives it an elegant appearance. I do grow them but know they will struggle and die back a lot over winter. Only a handful are currently available on the UK market with many more sold in America, across Europe and Asia. Grow Rex begonia in a medium to bright spot as a houseplant. Among the various types of begonias, the Begonia rex are some of the most beautiful and stunning plants. A closeup photograph of Rex Begonia, showcasing leaves of the potted plant. Repotting rex begonias each spring will ensure that they have plenty of soil to grow in, but they like to be a little bit pot bound. Rex begonias are considered the "kings" among the wide variety of begonias because of their strikingly colorful foliage. However, most of them have crispy brown leaf edges. Big pot wins again. From the streets: Bonnington Square, Vauxhall in Autumn. The more humid the atmosphere for the begonia, the less likelihood of crispy leaf edges and new shoot dieback. Growing the plant outside in shade over summer had the biggest positive impact (see the Begonia rex ‘Black Knight’ above). Jul 21, 2016 - Explore Vichitra Ovadhana's board "Begonia leaves" on Pinterest. Rex begonias prefer light, rich soil. Begonias are plants that originate from warm, humid parts of the world like north India. They will stop growing when temperatures dip below 58°F (14.4°C). It is in a small pot (the one it was in when I bought it a few weeks ago) but as it is winter I’ll probably wait to re-pot until spring. The leaves may have bold shapes or striking, often silver markings. It is in a small pot (the one it was in when I bought it a few weeks ago) but as it is winter I’ll probably wait to re-pot until spring. If you’ve decided to propagate your Begonia using leaves, which is possible with most of the ones that are grown as houseplants, your easiest option is to use a plastic seedling tray. Too much food will make for a scraggly plant, so pay attention and adjust the feeding to suit your variety. My begonia rex has crisping leaves. The clumping growth habit of Rex Begonias, coupled with their tightly packed leaves, makes for a dense plant. In addition to bacterial and fungal attacks on begonias, a plethora of insects and pests can also cause problems. It’s been over four years since that first order and I’ve since learnt the hard way (RIP begonias) that they can be pernickety customers when it comes to growing them as houseplants. What should I do? It’s far easier to manage water requirements in a greater volume of compost. What courageous, forgiving members of my household and garden. If you live in an area that's prone to flooding, growing your begonias in a pot will give you the option of bringing them under shelter in rain. How to make a micro wildlife pond in a pot. The leaf edges and undersides are covered with short red hairs. Different Rex Begonia Plant Varieties. Marked by dramatic colors - often a mix of green, pink or burgundy. 3 years ago. You can feed Rex Begonias every two weeks or so using a diluted regular balanced houseplant fertilizer during the growing season (Spring through Fall). Above: Begonia rex ‘Red Tango’ mixes well with other shade- and humidity-loving plants such as asparagus ferns and geraniums. With lots of new leaves appearing regularly you can simply cut off any old stragglers immediately reviving the look of your plant. Rex Begonias | Logee's features 25+ types of Rex Begonias for sale online. Mine are all positioned on the edges of large, bright windows. Using the leaf cutting method, I took the cuttings in summer and left them for a month or so until the shoots started forming. It’s easy to see why the American Begonia Society calls Rex begonias (Begonia rex cultorum) "the showboats of the begonia world." If it is droopy or gangly, adjust the light and water. Possibly because it is a rhizomatous begonia, forming a dense mat of rhizomatous roots. See more ideas about begonia, plants, planting flowers. Humid atmospheres prevent excess transpiration, which suits the slow circulation of the begonia, particularly the very large leaved types (I’m looking at you Begonia rex). Sometimes you end up overwatering exacerbating the problem by causing root rot leading to less water uptake. A peat-based potting mix is ideal for containers. Eventually, you'll figure out the right balance. Online there is differing information about the correct size of pot to grow begonias, often referencing those on the small size at 9cm diameter. How to propagate Begonia from leaf Whole leaf. I've recently become interested in rex begonias and I've acquired a few different plants over several months. If you notice a spot of sooty black mold in conjunction with stunted growth, aphids and mealy bugs may be to blame.Mites cause new leaves to cup downward and pucker.Snails, slugs and thrips feed on leaves, resulting in irregular holes, scarred and calloused foliage. The ones in the greenhouse are about 5 feet tall. Let’s cut to the chase, begonias can be difficult plants to grow as houseplants, too often the leaves start crisping and no matter what you do, you can’t stop it until the plant dies. You can cut back on water during their dormant period in the winter, watering only when the pot dries out. Root rot can be a problem in wet areas. They really have to be in more humidity to look good year round. Botanical Name: Begonia rex ‘Fairy’ If you’re a fan of foliage plants, then its silver leaves textured with shades of pink and cream along with dark green veins is surely going to tempt you into growing it! Plants will vary and the only way to know what your plant wants is to watch it, once it has adjusted to its new surrounding. How to prune salvias – three pruning groups, RHS’ The Gardener’s Book of Patterns: a directory of design, style and inspiration, Wild about Weeds: Garden Design with Rebel Plants. I can’t wait to start propagating my begonias, having read this. In most cases, a spray form of pesticide will take care of the issue. Sitting the plant outside over summer in a shady spot. landscape and garden design in Clapham, London. 21. Thanks for this great article. Begonia is a genus of perennial flowering plants in the family Begoniaceae.The genus contains more than 1,800 different plant species. In 2018 I switched all of my plants up to 20cm pots and sure enough, they’ve grown so much better, developing happily into substantial plants over one summer. This means you can keep watch and when the surface of the compost is dry, water a little and then repeat a week later. They should never dry out otherwise their leaves are likely to crisp up and the plant die quickly. This plant is sturdy and robust. Help! However they don't like to be touched or handled as the leaves are fragile and crispy. With some trial and error, I’m gradually cracking the code however and I wanted to share some of my findings so far with you all. They are in 8incb pots with peatless conpost. Watering. When I’ve seen Begonias in their prime at Lanhydrock National Trust and various RHS shows they’ve been in large 15 – 20cm diameter pots. Your email address will not be published. Rex begonias (Begonia rex) are tropical plants, prized for their colorfully patterned and intriguingly shaped leaves. No doubt the garden centres push the Rex owing to its striking leaves, but don’t tell us how difficult it is to keep it alive! To really play up the unique qualities of begonia rex, pair them with solid green plants with different textures or forms. Rex begonias are striking known as painted-leaf begonias or fancy-leaf begonias because of their stunning leaf coloration. No doubt the garden centres push the Rex owing to its striking leaves, but don’t tell us … Knowing when to water your Rex begonia is easy, although you will probably have to water weekly, especially during the growing season. Bought at a local garden centre as about 3 inch wide bulbs. Image by Quinn Dombrowsk These are also foliage begonias that are very nearly a hot house variety. Rex begonia (Begonia rex-cultorum) is a notoriously high maintenance frost tender perennial commonly grown indoors as a houseplant. They all have their merits. 17 reasons to avoid fake lawns – how bad is artificial grass for the environment? I’ve found that generally with humidity-loving plants, keeping them grouped together really helps retain the humid atmosphere. One of the reasons for this is more root space for their weak roots to spread into as well as more nutrients but I believe there is even more credit to the size of pot discussed below. I have a very healthy Begonia Luxurians unfortunately it has never produce flowers. More >>, The Gardener’s Book of Patterns, published for the RHS (out now) is a source book of ideas for any gardener interested in pushing the look of their garden by using…, Gardening Book of the Year 2019 – The Times10 Best Gardening Books of Spring 2020 – The IndependentBest Gardening Books of the Year – Gardens IllustratedBest Gardening Reads of 2019…, 8 tips to demystify growing Begonias as houseplants, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window). If you are interested in me transforming your garden please get in touch. Sometimes called painted-leaf begonias or fancy-leaf begonias, these plants are known for their showy, sometimes jaw-dropping leaf coloration. I thought I had fixed the issue but just noticed on this new leaf that it looks like the issue may be returning. I find that this one is robust and able to handle stress well compared to many other Rex. You guessed it, a bigger pot, which increases the surface area of compost beneath the plant increasing humidity beneath its leaves. Learn how to care for the Rex Begonia! The compost I use is regular peat free multipurpose compost which I love for its brilliant structure and water retentiveness. Marie Iannotti is an author, photographer, and speaker with 27 years of experience as a Cornell Cooperative Extension Horticulture Educator and Master Gardener, 10 Top Outdoor Garden Plants That Thrive Indoors, 10 Varieties of Begonias for Gardens and Containers. Posted by 13 hours ago. In pots, be sure to provide drainage holes. Suddenly it’s much easier to prevent a pot drying out without the risk of overwatering. When rex begonia leaves lose turgidity they almost immediately desiccate and become crispy, which is usually caused by lack of humidity. As you can see from the photo above, you will have lots of new begonia babies to care for. Luckily the one easy thing about begonias is propagating them. Its leaves can vary in form - from hearts, to seashell swirls, to ivy-like forms, and more. One of the toughest aspects for begonias to live let alone thrive is watering. Be sure your garden beds or containers meet the requirements of the rex begonia. 2. The edges of leaves turning black and crispy. Then I rescued a polka dot begonia in late spring, it received the same treatment, it is also stunning, last month I recued a couple more and they are recovering nicely. I found a number of solutions: One thing I’ve learnt about humidity loving houseplants that develop crispy leaves is that one easy solution is to ensure a constant succession of new leaves through regular feeding. Rex Begonias are admired for their fabulous foliage. Many hybrid varieties are beautiful, but they are unlabeled or mislabeled, so be sure to ask questions so you know exactly what you're buying. See all of our most popular Begonia Rex varieties, including Escargot It’s not super obvious but this Rex Begonia had been struggling for a bit. Botanical Name: Begonia rex ‘Duarten’ ‘Duarten’ displays pointed foliage in shades of bronze and silver. Begonias have been bred extensively since the Victorian period, so many different cultivars now exist. Rex Begonias are not difficult to divide and propagate, which comes in handy as individual plants usually don’t have a very long lifespan. I have a couple of Begonia rexes that live in a cluster with ferns. I do mist the ferns, but not the Begonias, and this seems to do the trick. However, just like any other plant, begonia might develop problems such as dropping leaves. These plants are grown almost exclusively … Never direct light since the foliage can burn. I wanted to grow them all so I placed an order immediately. Large or gangly plants can be pruned into shape. They do best in a temperature of 70-75 F. (21-24 C.). The edges of leaves turning black and crispy. Plants bound to indoor only life I’m more relaxed about using chemical based fertilisers because they will never make contact with wildlife or be part of my wildlife garden. Some of the leaves … 6. Rex begonias are relatively easy to grow except for one requirement. They frequently have large leaves (up to 6 inches long) that are brightly colored in various shades of green, red, silver, and even purple. Mealybugs, aphids, and caterpillars can also become a problem. As much as I love the rex leaves, these are the hardest begonias to grow in a normal home. I had no idea it was so simple!.. When I first started going to garden events like RHS Chelsea Flower Show, the first thing I was drawn to was the begonia display on Dibley’s stand. Consider housing your Rex Begonia inside of a glass cloche or a Wardian case to maintain high levels of humidity. sabwolfe. They look great outdoors in shady tropical gardens, but the most popular way to display rex begonias is to collect and group them together, each in its own pot. Bacterial leaf spot, mildew, and botrytis can occur if the leaves stay wet. To avoid these issues, be sure your begonias are in well-drained soil and water them sparingly. Small pots dry out really quickly while a larger pot that’s dry on top could still have quite a lot of moisture left further down. Watering begonias is a bitch. Introducing "One Thing": A New Video Series, The Spruce Gardening & Plant Care Review Board, The Spruce Renovations and Repair Review Board, Annuals that can be grown as a houseplant, South and Central America, Africa, southern Asia. Begonia Rex is a popular and well-known tropical Begonia plant variety. Rex-cultorum Begonia Leaves. Alternatively, if your area is too cold, consider growing yours as a houseplant or in an outdoor container that can be brought indoors in cooler weather. My begonias are massive. This trick is working well for my Calathea which are equally tough to grow indoors, especially in winter. They fill my 4 foot square Windows with leaves and flowers. Begonia Rex-cultorum group, (bah-GO-nyah). Many people collect and display several varieties. When planting directly in the ground, a moist, well-drained location is optimal and mulch will keep the roots shaded. Easy to do, you simply take a new, vigorous leaf and either cut into strips or squares, place on top of compost in a covered seed tray and wait. From my experience so far, rhizomatous and cane begonias, like the large palm like look Begonia luxurians, are easier to grow in UK houses. Rex begonias remain an excellent choice for offices, as well, and grow well under regular office lighting. How to make an Aeonium arboreum branch (part one), Beware plastic netting in lawn and wildflower turf. We have roughly 50 different Begonia Rex available. Wild about Weeds Photograph Competition 2020 – winners! Unfortunately the problem with the water rooting method is that the next step of potting up is difficult as the shoots are at the foot of the stem. I wonder – and this is anecdotal observation – if the fact it is largely a green leaved cultivar makes a difference. Rex begonia hybrids have been developed to have unusual markings, leaf shapes, and colors. Hey Jack, Thank you so much for your article on demystifying begonias… all my life my success rate with begonias was too low to mention… at my last attempt I kept a begonia rex in my room, for about 1 year and periodically it wilted to the point where the leaves rested on the window ledge, it came in a 1lt pot I think. Begonias such as Begonia Rex and Begonia metallica are popular houseplants grown for their attractive foliage or flowers. Don’t feed at all during the winter. If the leaves begin to brown or appear burned, (keep in mind that this might happen if your plant is not well-watered) then this is a tell-tell sign of sun damage. To read more about crispy brown leaves in houseplants in general, be sure to read my blog post on why plant leaves turn brown and crispy. In Southern regions, it may benefit from a protection from direct sun during the heat of the day, but in Northern regions, some sun on the leaves presents no problem. They never receive direct sunlight but they have enough natural light. How To Water A Rex Begonia Indoors. The leaves are heart-shaped and are the most striking foliage producers. So far though I see no difference in growth between the two fertilisers. Conditions: Considered perennials in tropical and semitropical climates, Rex begonias are frost tender and typically grown as annuals or houseplants in North America. If it's flourishing, continue with what you were doing. Full sun to partial shade. Begonia rex should be watered when the soil or pot feels dry, but don’t wait until the plant starts to wilt. Learn tips for creating your most beautiful (and bountiful) garden ever. Begonia 'Princess of Hanover' leaves crispy. Depending on the cultivar, the Rex begonia plant can reach from 12 to 24 inches in height and spread. Sitting the begonia pot above a small reservoir or water by filling a saucer or secondary outer pot with pebbles or clay pebbles and topping up with water occasionally. Over time I’ve figured this is far too small. They require bright, non-direct sunlight to grow and soil that drains quickly. An easy way to know if your Rex begonia needs more / less light is to look at the foliage and growth habit. There are several practices that you’ve to carry out to ensure that your begonia … Rex begonia leaves vary in texture, size and shape, streaked and veined with several colors. It’s easy to see that, like a succulent, it is storing a lot of liquid in those rhizomes that obviously work to supply the leaves with adequate liquid to never go crispy. I have had the most success with Begonia ‘Pollux’, it’s tough and my original plant has not only lived but truly thrived in our front room. Rotating potted rex begonias will keep the plants full and stocky. Choose a light potting soil for your Rex begonia. On the other hand, you must NOT keep any begonia too wet. Rex begonia (Begonia rex-cultorum) is a notoriously high maintenance frost tender perennial commonly grown indoors as a houseplant. Begonia rex is sensitive to temperature changes and to temperatures below about 60 degrees Fahrenheit (16 Celsius). Last year I moved it to the conservatory with all the other hundreds of house plants, it did ok and was still the same size as when I bought it, I threatened it with the recycling bin, instead I gave it a 2lt pot in multipurpose compost with added John Innes and it took off, each leaf is bigger than the previous… it looks stunning. The most common cause of brown leaf edges is that your Begonia is incredibly dry. Apr 6, 2018 - Causes of Crisping Leaves in Rex Begonias. It can be alarming to see the leaves of your Begonia plant start to brown, but don't fret! Fernatic: 50 fern species, 1 living wall! Handle slugs and snails by placing slug bait near your plants. How to Propagate a Rex Begonia Leaf. Likewise they can never be too wet otherwise those thick roots and stems rot incredibly easily. Their giant leaves in all manner of swirls and markings of Day-Glo technicolour. While bedding begonias … They need some light to keep their coloring, but bright, indirect light is best. 13 tips to help allotment newbies… by an allotment newbie! Why are the leaves on my Begonia brown around the edges? I’ll wait until early spring before potting on. Rex begonias can be temperamental and you just have to find the right conditions and balance for your plant. The Begonias are native to moist subtropical and tropical climates. I just call them all fancy-leaf begonias, but they divide into several structural groups: Fibrous-rooted ones have cane-like stems and often wing-like leaves. There are hundreds of cultivars of B. rex to choose among, usually classified by leaf size—small (three inches or less), medium (three to six inches), or large (more than six inches). Rex begonias can be very demanding of just the right amount of water, food, and humidity. So, the better method is the tried and tested leaf cuttings. The advice given here will help guide you to growing success. First I tried rooting a leaf of Begonia ‘Pollux’ in water, this worked really well and after a number of weeks roots and shoots formed below water. Some species are commonly grown indoors as ornamental houseplants in cooler climates. Most rex begonias sold today are named hybrids, although they are not always labeled as such. My begonia rex has crisping leaves. The cultivar offers a wide range of colors, textures, and shape. Please will you advise me as to what I can do to possibly get the Begonia to flower. My begonias are at their lowpoint foliage-wise around then but some are always flowering anyhow—’tis the season. I mist my begonias on a watering day but I also maintain consistently high humidity in their space. If you have a well lit bathroom Rex begonias may thrive there. Rex Begonia Plants. They need humid conditions to keep leaves from getting crispy edges and eventually falling off. Golden Sedum. Required fields are marked *, I am an RHS qualified garden designer, studying with the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. They come in a variety of forms including those that grow canes a little like branching bamboo, clump formers and others with rhizomatous creeping roots, those with the largest leaves are Begonia rex. Personally, for anything that ever goes outside I only use organic fertiliser in the form of liquid seaweed. Rex Begonia fertilizer. Duarten Rex Begonia. Most begonias don't like direct light, it depends on the species and variety. I now have around 15 different begonias and facing a move where I will not have a conservatory, but I will not give up my begonias, I’m totally addicted and prefer to have a smaller sofa… I feed all my plants with seaweed extract, it works well for me. In the winter many begonia rex plants will go dormant. These plants do require high humidity (more than 50 percent), which means it can be difficult to maintain rex begonias indoors over the winter. Your email address will not be published. Begonias come from warm, humid countries and as such houses with central heating are often too dry and arid for begonias to be happy. Shop online today. Because they are so fussy, I’d assumed it would be a tricky process. I’ll start with the thing that has transformed my begonia growing. So how do you solve this problem? Although they are at home in a shady garden, they are also popular as houseplants. It’s better to cluster your plants, so they can create their own humid environment, or use a pebble tray. Other common begonia issues include curling leaves, flowers turning brown, leaves turning brown, and leaves turning yellow. If you would fold the leaves, they would snap with water coming from the leaves - unlike other types of foliage this one is not flexible. Close. Rex begonias (Begonia rex) are tropical plants, prized for their colorfully patterned and intriguingly shaped leaves.Although they are at home in a shady garden, they are also popular as houseplants.Many people collect and display several varieties. Humidity is crucial to keeping your rex begonia happy, however, spraying the leaves can lead to spotting. Of course, these are fussy begonias so lighting is going to be tricky too. The leaves grow on short leaf stalks, from the underground rhizome. Jack Wallington Garden Design Ltd. – Clapham in London, Pot’s Growing On: addicted to crazy leaves, How to make an Aeonium arboreum branch (Part Two), Propagating Hippeastrum from offset bulbs, Allotment Month 36: sowing garlic, broad beans, peas and my new compost bins, Dividing a Zamioculcas zamiifolia (ZZ plant). This leads to a constant battle to get the watering just right which is where the larger pot has really helped. The leaves will germinate and grow just fine but as they approach their final size they get brown edges and die. The rex begonia is a very stunning plant that has colorful leaves that can grow to be six inches in length. Pink Charming Rex Begonia They want to be in the brightest possible light without being in direct sunlight. Why don’t we talk more about patterns in gardens? They may also do well over the kitchen sink. Never mist houseplants because it’s largely pointless as the droplets evaporate in minutes and because wet on leaves can encourage fungal disease like powdery mildew, which begonias a particularly susceptible to. Hi all, I recently bought a glorious Begonia Rex 'Princess of Hanover' - but after only a week in my house it is looking really unwell. Origin: The initial species, B. rex, originated in the forests of northern India.Today, there are countless cultivars derived from this species enjoyed around the world. If your rex begonia develops crispy brown leaves, its likely a sign that the plant's cultural conditions are less than ideal.