bush begonias; characteristics, care and types

The begonias that we are used to seeing are almost always herbaceous that do not grow much, but Did you know that there are shrubby species? These are not grown as much and therefore are more difficult to find in nurseries unless they specialize in exotic plants.

But if you are curious to know their names and how they are cared for, at Jardinería On We are going to tell you everything so that you can enjoy them to the fullest.. aim.

What are bush begonias like?

The begonias that are known as bush are those that have cane stems and a fibrous root system; In addition, they can measure from 1 to 2 meters, unlike other begonias that are herbaceous and rarely exceed 30 centimeters in height.

Its leaves are large, approximately 20 centimeters long, and green or with some whitish dots or spots. And the flowers are grouped in inflorescences that sprout at the top of some stems, during spring and summer.

What are the care they need?

Shrub begonias are plants that require a series of care to be well. For this reason, we advise you to take into account what we are going to tell you next:

Location

They need light (natural), although they should not be given direct sunlight during the central hours of the day since they are not plants that tolerate it well. For this reason, it is best to put them in semi-shade if they are kept outdoors, or in a room where there is a lot of light if they are kept indoors.

Also, if you are going to be at home, it is very important that they stay away from draftssince otherwise the leaves would dry up, starting at the tips.

Soil or substrate

These plants they need a quality soil, light and that facilitates the drainage of water. Therefore, if they are going to be in the ground, avoid planting them in land that easily becomes waterlogged, otherwise the roots would rot.

If they are going to be in pots, they must be planted in ones that have holes in their base, with quality substrates such as universal Flower or the BioBizz.

Irrigation and fertilizer

As they do not resist excess water but neither do they resist drought, we recommend watering them two or three times a week while the good weather lasts and temperatures remain above 20ºC. But in autumn and winter we will water less, since they require less water.

As for the subscriber, must be paid in spring and summerusing a liquid flowering plant fertilizer like the one you can buy here!. If you want to pay them with natural products, we recommend using the guanoalso liquid. Of course, regardless of what you are going to use, you have to follow the instructions for use.

Transplant

bush begonias they have to be planted in larger pots every 3 or 4 yearsthroughout the spring. Also in that season they should be planted in the ground as long as the weather is warm throughout the year and there are no frosts at any time. And it is that these plants are very, very sensitive to cold.

Rusticity

The lowest temperature they can withstand is 10ºC. Some other non-shrub begonias, such as B. semperflorens, endure a little longer, up to 5ºC, but even so, it is not good to have them outdoors if it is cold.

Types of Shrub Begonias

The genus of begonias comprises some 1500 species, in addition to some ten thousand varieties and hybrids. The vast majority of them are herbaceous plants of low height, but there are some that grow a little more, such as the following:

Begonia aconitifolia

The Begonia aconitifolia It is a fast growing perennial plant reaches a height of between 1 and 1,5 meters. It has green leaves with white dots, and produces flowers grouped in pink clusters. It is a rare species that adapts well to living in pots.

big begonia

Image – Flickr / James St. John

The big begonia it is an herb reaches an approximate height of 60 centimeters, although it can reach a meter if the climate is warm throughout the year and it lacks neither water nor nutrients. The leaves are green, and although they are perennial, they can fall if winter temperatures drop below 15ºC. Its flowers are pink or white, and they bloom in spring.

spotted begonia

Image – Wikimedia / GCornelis

The spotted begonia It is a plant that goes by various names, such as tamaya begonia, angel wing begonia or polka dot begonia. It can reach a height of approximately 1 meter, and has bright green succulent leaves with white spots.. The flowers are grouped in pink or reddish-pink clusters which are hanging.

What do you think of bush begonias? I hope that now you know how to take care of them in the best possible way.