Should you might take a leisurely stroll throughout the entire nations close to the equator, in all of the tropical and subtropical areas, you may be fortunate sufficient to witness the two,000 or so begonia species in existence rising of their native habitats within the wild.
From misty oceansides to high-elevation forests, they arrive from a various vary of climates.
It might be an thrilling journey to examine all of them out. The one downside is that you simply in all probability wouldn’t be capable of inform what kind you had been taking a look at from one to the subsequent…
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Okay, so that you in all probability gained’t go on a world-round wander anytime quickly, however even should you’re simply purchasing at your native nursery, it could possibly nonetheless be subsequent to inconceivable to establish the assorted begonias on the market should you aren’t some kind of professional.
Heck, even the consultants wrestle.
Is that this a type of wax hybrids with massive blossoms? Or is that this the sort that doesn’t flower effectively however has beautiful foliage? Possibly it’s each?
We’re going that will help you work out the right way to establish begonias based mostly on a couple of key traits.
After inspecting the foliage and stems, you’ll be capable of confidently slender down what you’re taking a look at, no professional data required.
Right here’s what we’ll talk about to assist make that occur:
Whereas the traits of the flowers and leaves are the obvious issues we are able to take a look at on a plant, the stems and roots may give us an excellent higher thought of the species of begonia.
We are able to use all 4 parts to make an informed guess in regards to the identification of a selected plant.
Although they differ wildly in look, all begonias have alternate leaves with stipules, that are tiny constructions that develop on the base of a leafstalk.
All of them have separate feminine and male flowers, plus another qualities that solely botanists will actually care about, like inferior ovaries and centripetal stamen initiation.
Mostly cultivated varieties have asymmetrical leaves, fleshy stems, and pretty outstanding flowers. However there are exceptions. B. bogneri seems extra like grass, for instance, and also you may not even discover the flowers.
Don’t fear, you don’t need to memorize all this! The vital factor is to have the opportunity to check out the leaves, stems, and flowers, plus the roots, should you can.
Begonias are literally labeled by the American Begonia Society by the sort of roots they’ve: fibrous, tuberous, or rhizomatous. In fact, all sorts have some fibrous roots, however this class refers to those who solely have fibrous roots.
Let’s speak about that group first. Then, we’ll discuss in regards to the completely different leaves you would possibly come throughout and the right way to categorize them.
Fibrous Rooted
Fibrous-rooted begonias have purely fibrous roots with none tuberous or rhizomatous roots.
However you don’t must dig up the plant and study the roots to find out if that’s what you’re taking a look at. There are different clues.
Take a look at the stems and leaves for a touch.
In case your plant has stems that look sort of like bamboo, that means they’re straight, have lengthy internodes, and have little bumps the place the leaves emerge from, you’ve a cane-like kind.
Cane-Like
Cane-like begonias have develop into far more standard in recent times. I believe that needs to be as a result of they’re easygoing, and plenty of have eye-catching foliage.
Clearly, this group stands aside due to its cane-like stems that give it some resemblance to bamboo. Past the cane-like stems, you possibly can look to the leaves to assist outline this group.
Many of the cane-like varieties on the business market have some quantity of silver recognizing on the highest floor and purple on the underside, with most having some purple on the higher facet of the leaves as effectively.
The leaves emerge from a swollen node on the stem, one other attribute that lends to the bamboo-like resemblance.
For instance, angel-wing begonias just like the wildly standard B. maculata, with its lengthy leaves speckled in shiny silver dots, are on this group.
Should you see the attribute angel-wing leaf form, it’s in all probability within the cane-like group, although many rex varieties have this as effectively.
Inside this group, there are three varieties: ‘Lenore Olivier,’ mallet, and Superba. There are round 80 species and 1000’s of cultivars within the cane-like group.
Most of them are grown for the foliage, however some have giant cascading clusters of pink, pink, white, or orange blossoms.
All Superba varieties have lobed or cleft leaves, silver markings, and purple coloration. These of the mallet kind are maroon or darkish pinkish-red, and people of ‘Lenore Olivier’ are smooth-edged and stable inexperienced.
Should you’re out there for one in every of these, you possibly can convey residence a ravishing B. maculata plant with its polka-dot foliage in silver, inexperienced, and pink from Costa Farms.
B. maculata
It’s out there through Amazon as a 14-inch-tall plant in an ornamental pot.
Semperflorens
Traditionally, this has been the preferred group. Also called wax begonias, these might be recognized by their thick, succulent, waxy leaves.
The foliage is often inexperienced or bronze, however some cultivars are variegated and even have white younger leaves.
Gardeners love these as a result of they bloom nonstop in shiny pink, white, and pink. Plus, they’re comparatively drought-tolerant, and seed propagates readily.
Most that you simply’ll come throughout at shops are hybrids, and B. cucullata is often one of many father or mother species.
The deep bronze leaves of ‘Viking XL’ are sufficient to suggest it, however the vibrant, inch-wide, pink flowers steal the present.
‘Viking XL’
It’s a spread that’s additionally disease-resistant, and maintains its compact form with out changing into leggy.
Nab a four-plant bundle at Burpee.
Shrub
A number of stems rising out of the bottom level to the shrub group.
It’s a bit of onerous to outline this group simply by the foliage. The leaves might be {smooth} and glossy, or bushy and velvety. So, take a look at the stems first.
There must be a lot of them, slightly than a single or small variety of stems. These stems also needs to have a lot of branches.
As a result of the foliage is so various, this group is subdivided by leaf kind. These teams are:
- Naked
- Distinctive
- Furry
- Miniature
Naked varieties are hairless (glabrous). Furry, after all, have advantageous hairs on both or each side. Miniatures have tiny leaves on correspondingly small vegetation.
Distinctive is sort of a catch-all group for the vegetation which have uncommon or uniquely fascinating leaves, like closely lobed, palmate shapes.
The shrub group is primarily grown for the foliar show, however some have fairly, long-lasting flowers, often in white however generally pink or pink.
Study the expansion of B. metallica, as pictured above, to get a good suggestion of what they seem like.
Thick-Stemmed
This group is recognized by, after all, the thick stems, but in addition the leaf progress.
Because the stems age, all of the decrease leaves drop off, leaving simply these on the tip of the stems. The foliage can seem like that of these in another group.
Leaves might be waxy, bushy, velvety, or {smooth}, and smooth-edged, toothed, or lobed. They are often inexperienced, bronze, pink, or purple, and might need silvery markings.
Frequent hybrid cultivars and species embrace B. ‘Bangles,’ B. egregia, B. ludwigii, B. rigida, B. ‘Rudy,’ B. venosa and B. vitifolia.
These are a few of the most troublesome varieties to develop as a result of they’re choosy about their situations, so that you don’t see a variety of them.
When you can pinch them to encourage branching, they sometimes solely produce one or two stems with no branches, which makes them much less visually interesting to some growers. That’s another excuse why they aren’t frequent.
Trailing-Scandent
As you might have gathered, this group is outlined by its trailing, arching progress behavior.
Some might be educated as climbers and a few will path over a wall or pot. Many have lovely flowers, although others are grown for his or her foliage alone.
The leaves are sometimes spherical, heart-shaped, or oval, with {smooth} or toothed margins.
The floor might be {smooth} or bushy, and it might need raised areas. Most have comparatively small leaves. The flowers are often pink or pink.
B. convolvulacea, B. glabra, B. molleri, B. radicans, B. solananthera, B. thelmae, and their hybrids are the most typical varieties.
Rhizomatous
Should you had been to dig down just under the soil floor and do some exploring, you’d discover succulent, horizontal roots for the entire begonias on this group.
These rhizomes are literally an extension of the stems of the plant rising underground.
Rex-Cultorum
That is, by far, the most typical kind of rhizomatous begonia. These might be recognized by wanting on the foliage.
It’s colourful with inexperienced, purple, pink, silver, or any mixture of those. They’ll even have reflective silver markings.
This sort might be confused with cane-like begonias, and the one method to make sure is to take a look at the roots.
Most of those are cultivars of B. rex, of which there are over 4,000, however there are many hybrids, too. These are grown for his or her foliage and never a lot for the blooms, that are small and lack coloration in comparison with many others.
Find out about rising rex begonias in our information.
Upright Jointed
The vegetation on this subgroup may be mistaken for cane-like varieties at first look. Past the completely different roots, these vegetation are inclined to department out greater than the cane-like varieties.
Take a look at B. diadema for instance.
Tuberous
Tuberous begonias kind giant tubers as a storage mechanism to get them via the dry season. These are sometimes grown for the big flowers.
Now, don’t confuse ”tuberous begonias” (B. x tuberhybrida) with those who have tuberous roots.
Tuberous begonia is the frequent title for tuberous hybrids, however there are a lot of species which have tuberous roots as effectively.
The × tuberhybrida members of this group have the biggest blossoms of all begonias, in addition to the most important vary of flower colours and patterns.
They’re a few of the hottest varieties, and you may learn all about them in our information to rising tuberous begonias.
The foliage is often giant and spherical. The leaves are darkish to medium inexperienced on the higher floor and lighter inexperienced on the underside, with or with out pink veins.
In fact, there are variations, with some with toothed or lobed margins, however that’s the most typical.
Augustia
There are 12 species from tropical East Africa on this group, all with tuberous roots.
B. dregei and B. sutherlandii are the most typical in cultivation.
B. dregei has inexperienced foliage with some quantity of pink or purple, and vegetation might need white or silver spots. B. sutherlandii options pale inexperienced foliage with pink or red-tinged veins or edges.
Bolivian
B. boliviensis, often called Bolivian begonia, has leaves with a darkish inexperienced floor and paler inexperienced undersides, each with advantageous hairs.
They are often lanceolate to ovate and are at all times asymmetrical. Some have a toothed margin.
These vegetation have a pendulous progress behavior and vibrant pink flowers.
Elatior
Also called Cheimantha, Hiemalis, or Reiger, this subgroup is made up of tuberous hybrids, and it’s sort of a catch-all for those who don’t slot in different teams.
Many have B. dregei, B. grandis, B. x semperflorens, or B. socotrana of their lineage.
Many are winter flowering and have plenty of pink, salmon, or pink blossoms. You’ll usually discover them offered as vacation, Christmas, or xmas begonias.
Figuring out Begonias by Their Leaves
You completely can’t establish a begonia by the leaves alone. There are simply too many species with similar-looking leaves. However they’re place to begin your investigation.
Observe essentially the most defining attribute of the foliage and go from there.
Waxy Texture
Crops with thick, waxy leaves are often wax varieties. It’s proper there within the title, in any case.
Much less generally, they may also be rhizomatous species or cultivars, or thick-stemmed fibrous varieties. Assume it’s a wax begonia until there may be another indication that hints in any other case.
Silvery Spots, Stripes, or Marks
These with silvery markings are often both fibrous cane-like or thick-stemmed varieties, or rhizomatous rex.
Tuberous augustia varieties may also have these markings.
Angel Wing Form
Some have leaves that seem like the angel wings depicted in basic work by Michelangelo Caravaggio, Raphael, Vernet, and Thayer.
The leaves sometimes seem singly, so you must think about that the poor angel misplaced one wing someplace alongside the way in which.
If yours has this leaf form and it’s connected to a cane-like stem, you might be positive you’ve a rhizomatous, cane-like kind.
Many are hybrids or cultivars of B. aconitifolia, B. coccinea, B. listadaand, or B. maculata, to call a couple of.
Fern-Like Leaves
There are a couple of varieties on the market that look a bit like ferns. Fern begonia (B. bipinnatifida) is, by far, the most typical.
Given its adoration for warm, humid environments, it has gained a stellar repute as a terrarium plant.
This rhizomatous kind has fleshy inexperienced and maroon leaves.
Strappy Leaves
Not all begonias have broad leaves. Some are slender and strappy, resembling these of lilies and even grass.
B. herbacea and B. lanceolata are rhizomatous, and sometimes confused with each other, whereas B. komoensis and B. bogneri have tubers.
Peltate Leaves
Some begonias have leaves that seem like little umbrellas, with the petiole connected to the underside of the leaf someplace close to the center.
These embrace the rhizomatous B. leprosae, with its hairless, asymmetrical inexperienced leaves and small flowers, in addition to B. sudjanae with its gentle inexperienced, bushy asymmetrical foliage.
Palmate Leaves
If the leaves of the plant seem like the palm of a hand with an odd variety of finger-like leaflets, it’s in all probability fibrous B. aconitifolia, tuberous B. dregei, fibrous B. luxurians, rhizomatous B. palmata, or one of many many rex hybrids.
So Many Begonias, So Little Time
Alright, so even essentially the most skilled begonia grower struggles every now and then to determine what they’re taking a look at, however hopefully, you are feeling a bit higher geared up to get on the market and establish away.
So long as you possibly can take a look at the roots, stems, and leaves, you’re armed with the instruments you could do some sleuthing.
What do the leaves and stems of your plant seem like? Are you having hassle narrowing it down? Tell us within the feedback and share some footage with us, and perhaps we will help!
Then, proceed in your begonia journey by testing a couple of of our different guides subsequent: