Wax Begonia

Wax Begonia is a plant you would appreciate a lot on a shade garden, and this is for a good reason. All through the season it keeps blooming, displaying its white, red and pink beautiful flowers.

Sometimes you can even find some species with all three colors combined. These plants should be grown in a shade, but they can also tolerate indirect sunlight, in fact they will benefit from being exposed to the mild morning sunlight.

Hot afternoon sun should be avoided, it's out of questions. In areas with cooler summers some heat-resistant hybrids of Wax Begonia are quite tolerant to the sun, even if it is a full afternoon sun.

Wax Begonias are perennial plants, which are generally grown as annual ones. They can reach approximately fifteen inches in height. These plants are not difficult to grow, in fact they do not require too much of maintenance at all.

This plant will look gorgeous in flower boxes, baskets and containers, and they will work really well in rock gardens. You will be able to enjoy their charming simplicity and elegance from the last frost in spring till the first frost in late autumn or even in the beginning of winter.

Propagation

It can be effortlessly propagated by cuttings. It is better to take the softwood cuttings from the plants indoors, if you brought them inside your house for blooming in winter. Root these cuttings to get transplants for spring.

Wax Begonia Planting Information

Select a place where this plant would be protected from the hottest dun in the noon time. At the same time the plants will perform better if exposed to the morning or evening direct sunlight.

They can also grow in full sun, provided the soil is kept moist all the time. Cover the ground with two inches of organic matter and mix it carefully with the soil.

Plant into the planting holes which are big enough to place a plant into without breaking the roots.

After filling the holes with soil do not forget to water the plant slightly, in order to be able to make the soil around the roots more compact.

Growing From Seed

If you choose to grow from seeds, it should be done indoors around five weeks before the last frost in spring. You can always find wax begonia seed suppliers to get these tender powder-like seeds.

Put the seeds into soil, but remember not to cover them as need light in process of germination. For better effect it is recommended to cover the seeds with glass – it will increase the humidity. Germination process will take around two or three weeks.

How to take care of these plants

The plants will benefit in growth if you put a layer of shredded leaves around them (around two inches thick). It will help to preserve water for longer periods of time.

But be careful not to tolerate any standing water in your garden as it can cause all sorts of diseases and even induce rotting of the roots.

If you keep your Wax Begonias indoors during the winter frosts, put them into a windowsills of a south-facing window. It will increase the chances of an excellent blooming.

Summary

what is a wax begonia
It is another stellar performer in the shade garden. It keeps on giving and giving throughout the entire season. White, pink and red lovely flowers.

They can take some sun as well, preferably in the morning. You should always avoid the late burning afternoon sun.

A rich humus soil kept moist will provide you with an abundance of shade tolerant flowers.

Propagate from seed or take cuttings. It's an inexpensive flower to buy and you certainly get your moneys worth.

They work really well in containers, flower boxes and rock gardens. Always keep in mind good composted soil and keep them moist.

Enjoy these flowers for shade gardening from after the last frost to the first frost.

Wax Leaf Begonia Photos

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