A native of Tanzania and southern Africa where it grows in trees or in rocky soil along streams in humid forests, this begonia is a tuberous tender perennial that makes a good container plant in areas with cool to cold winters. Slender fleshy pink stems up to thirty inches long carry light to dark green leaves with red veins on red tinted petioles. The abundant flowers are up to one inch across, have light orange to orange-red petals with bright yellow anthers, and grow in pendulous panicles all through the summer. The orange flowers are particularly pleasing with blue flowers.
Type: Tender perennial
Bloom: Pendulous panicles of orange flowers one inch across with yellow anthers allsummer
Size: 12-18” H x 12-1”8 W
Light: Dappled shade
Soil: Organic rich, moist, well-drained
Hardiness: Zones 8-10; usually grown as tender perennial or container plant
Care: Fertilize with balance fertilizer every two weeks until flowering and then with high potash fertilizer.
Pests and Diseases: Susceptible to caterpillars mealybugs, vine weevil, aphids, mites, thrips; to stem and tuber rot, and mildew in moist conditions.
Propagation: Collect and store bulbils formed in the leaf axils and plant in spring; stem or leaf cuttings in summer.
Companion plants: Ferns, Plectranthus ‘Longwood Silver’, windmill palm.
Karen Meyers