Growing Wax Begonias

Article: Growing Wax Begonia

EllenB
Gold Post Medal for All Time! 858 Posts

May 9, 2006

Botanical Name:

Begonina x semperflorens-cultorum

Life Cycle:

annuals, tender perennials

Planting Time:

spring and summer

Height:

12" to 18"

Exposure:

sun (if kept moist), partial shade to shade

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Soil:

average, well-drained soil

Hardiness:

zones 8-11 depending on cultivar

Bloom Time:

late spring to fall

Flower:

white, pink, red, salmon, orange and yellow; singe or double flowers

 

Foliage:

shiny bronze or green, wing-shaped, rounded leaves

Propagation:

seeds or cuttings

Suggested Use:

beds, mass plantings, borders, containers and hanging baskets

Growing Hints:

Starting annual begonias from seed can be difficult. You're better off buying them unless you need several dozen. If starting indoors, sow the tiny, dust-like seeds 4 to 6 months before you want to transplant them. Do not cover seeds, just broadcast them thinly over the surface and press them gently into the soil. Seeds need to be covered with glass or plastic and kept at temperatures between 60º and 70º F. Remove cover after germination and continue to keep soil moist. Seedling should be planted 12 inches apart. Leaf spot is an indicator that plants are too crowded.

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Interesting Facts:

The tiny, dust-like seed of wax begonias is available in a pellet form for easier handling.

Question: Wax Begonia Died Suddenly?

Robyn Fed
Silver Post Medal for All Time! 398 Posts

March 3, 2012

Have any of you ever had a potted plant that died of jealousy when you brought other potted plants in, within a day? I have this little wax begonia plant that I have in the house. It was thriving and I talked to it all the time and told it how beautiful it was.

The other day, I saw these little pots of African violets on the discount table so I rescued them. They were small and yet healthy, no bugs, etc. I put something under the inner plant holder to make them stand up taller and receive more light. I set them next to the begonia plant next to the kitchen window. The violets are thriving, but now the begonia dropped its leaves and shriveled up and died within one day. I did nothing different to the begonia plant than ever before.

I remember once my grandmother had an African violet plant that would not bloom. She jokingly told it that she would throw it out (which she would not have done) if it didn't bloom. In the next couple of days it had blooms.)

Have anyone of you ever had plants that acted this way?

By Robyn Fed from Tri-Cities, TN

Growing Wax/Fibrous Begonias In Winter

likekinds
Gold Post Medal for All Time! 523 Posts

January 16, 2015

The picture shows a wax or fibrous begonia. While there is nothing spectacular about this particular plant, I wanted to share a couple things I learned about it, this year.

My Faithful Begonias

likekinds
Gold Post Medal for All Time! 523 Posts

January 17, 2017

I grow a lot of begonias. To save money, each fall I bring some in to root cuttings. I'm behind this year. You can see in the picture what an unseasonable 3 degrees did to my plants.

Growing Begonias from Cuttings

Many plants can be propagated from leaf and stem cuttings. This is a page about growing begonias from cuttings.