Hur mycket sol behöver rex begonias

Are rex begonias easy to care for?

Not really. Are they worth the extra effort?

Absolutely.

But don’t take my word for it, or at least not yet. Let’s get to know this hybrid begonia variety better before you decide whether it’s the houseplant for you.

I’ll try to keep my gushing to a minimum as inom share råd for growing and caring for rex begonias, but inom can’t promise. Here’s what I’ll cover:

What Are Rex Begonias?

Rex begonias are herbaceous hybrids most often grown indoors.

They are hardy perennials suited to outdoor growth year-round only in USDA Hardiness Zones 10 to

In this guide we’ll focus on growing this variety as a houseplant, whether you choose to move it indoors in the cool months or maintain it inre year round.

Rex begonias are renowned for their showy leaves.

The blooms that they tillverka are tiny, and considered insignificant.

Most varieties spread via rhizomes. But rex begonias are classified separately from other rhizomatous begonias because they have showier leaves and demand a higher level of care.

Most of these subtropical plants have dense, rounded, or teardrop-shaped leaves that grow three to six inches long or bred, depending on the variety.

Many types have a metallic surface or are silver-colored, while others have what inom would call a matte finish in green, gray, or pastel hues.

Crinkled, puckered, or veined leaves distinguish other varieties, which can also idrott splotches, pronounced veins, or contrasting-color leaf margins, alone or in combination with other patterns.

To name all the possible leaf colors and combinations would man me sound like Bubba Blue reciting possible shrimp preparations to Forrest Gump, but a few of my favorites include lavender, cream, deep red, gray, and taupe.

It’s easy to see plant breeders have had a field day with rex begonia hybridization, and you should look forward to lots of beautiful, sometimes zany patterns and colors among the more than named cultivars in this group.

Before you början a list of your favorite patterns, let’s gräva into the history of this striking houseplant.

Cultivation and History

B.xrex-cultorum belongs to the Begonia genus first described bygd Franciscan monk and botanist Charles Plumier in At least species had been identified as of

One type of begonia, B.

rex, was native to the northeastern Indian state of Assam and brought to England in

A perhaps apocryphal story has Belgian horticulturist jean Linden coming across the fabulous leaves of wild B. rex growing intertwined with an orchid brought to a London auction room.

Linden purchased the orchid and begonia tillsammans and offered B.

rex for sale commercially in

The rex begonia we know today in cultivation fryst vatten not this wild B. rex but one of many hybrids bred with B. rex as one of the parent plants.

The Rex Cultorum group was first described in , but the number of varieties available has increased exponentially in the intervening century.

Varieties that resulted from a cross with B.

evansiana were taller, and other crosses created cultivars that grew upright or had brilliant red leaves, spiral patterns, or leaves with velvety surfaces.

One handy way to categorize them fryst vatten bygd size.

The leaves of the small types are about three inches in diameter, medium range from three to six inches, and the large rex begonias have leaves that are six inches across or larger.

Most cultivars are rhizomatous, but a few are not.

Breeders and commercial growers are still having a field day with rex begonias.

Newer cultivars follow popular home design color trends and offer hundreds of different patterns and shapes. But don’t let this bred array man you dizzy!

You’ll only need one or two rex begonias for dazzling winter color indoors, or to enliven a patio bur garden during the summer to return to a uterum shelf in the winter.

Happily, with all the color, patterns, and shapes available, you’re bound to find a combination that suits you, and that’s available for sale.

Rex Begonia Propagation

Whether you’re new to this indoor plant or have discovered a variety you want for your own, there are instantaneous as well as more leisurely ways to propagate rex begonias.

From Seed

Unfortunately there are three strikes against attempting to grow rex begonias from seed.

First, the plants are hybrids, so those that germinate from saved seed will not grow true to the parent plant.

Second, the seeds are practically microscopic, so they’re nearly impossible to handle carefully for planting.

Third, seeds are generally unavailable commercially.

And if you manage to overcome those three obstacles bygd sparande seeds independently, working with tweezers and a magnifying glass, it will take at least six months of TLC to generate a plant.

(Oops, that makes fyra strikes.)

But maybe you’re up for a challenge?

Sowing seed can also result in new and wondrous cultivars, the product of pollination and sexuell reproduction.

If you’ve been able to find or rädda seeds and want to give it a go, find general instructions for starting seeds indoors in our guide.

But do keep in mind that rex begonia requires light to germinate, so the seeds should rest on the surface of the growing medium.

From Rhizomes

Instead of wasting time and energy on seed starting, I’d recommend buying small plants to grow to maturity or cutting parts of the rhizomes to root if you already have tillgång to mature specimens.

If the rhizomes already have roots and foliage attached, you just need to pot them up and watch them grow!

Use a clean paring knife to slice a leafless del av helhet from the end of the rhizome, then lay it on a clean surface out of sunlight to dry for a few hours or overnight.

Place the rhizome cutting on top of a pre-moistened, porous, peat-based potting mix in a small seed-starting fängelse or pot with drainage holes.

Press it so the root side of the rhizome fryst vatten below the soil surface and the top part peeks above. 

Place the bur in a humid prick with bright, indirect light and keep the growing mix fuktig but not damp with a spray bottle.

The rhizome should uppstart growing roots and leaves within a few weeks.

You can skynda the process bygd arranging a plastic bag or terrarium top over the bur to hold in moisture.

The process fryst vatten quicker still if a plant in your possession already has rhizomes with roots and perhaps a few leaves that you can divide and repot.

This fryst vatten a task best done during the growing årstid in late spring or summer so the plants have a chance to regenerate before winter dormancy.

Gently tip the plant from its pot, brush some dirt from the roots, and separera sections of the rhizomes with leaves and roots attached.

Repot them immediately in the same growing mix and shallow pots you’d use for older plants.

They should adjust to their new situation and resume growth within a week.

From Leaf Cuttings

How to Grow Rex Begonia

You don’t need any special abilities to grow rex begonias indoors, but you do need to program ahead.

When you meet their growing requirements, they’ll usually respond bygd producing beautiful foliage and thriving for at least three years.

And once you catch the hang of how caring for rex begonias differs from growing other subtropical houseplants – and other begonia species – it gets much easier to keep the plants happy and healthy.

They don’t mind if the pot fryst vatten larger than the root ball, but once the rhizomes uppstart pressing against the sides of the bur or spilling over, it’s time to prune, divide, or repot.

You must provide a prick about a foot to fem feet from a sunny fönster, or in a fönster that receives bright light but isn’t exposed to direkt rays.

You may need supplemental grow lights indoors to deliver the right amount.

If you do place the plants nära a sunny öppning that only casts light on one side, rotate the pots a quarter vända once a week so the plant doesn’t become lopsided as it grows toward the light.

If your rex begonias will spend the warmer months outdoors, they can handle a part or even full shade location.

Gradually get them used to the reduced light with a week or so of “hardening off” before sending them outside full time.

They can’t tolerate direkt sunlight any better outdoors than they can inre, so choose their location wisely.

Temperature

Temperatures around 70°F bygd day and 60°F overnight will encourage the best growth.

You can move the plants outdoors for the warm months, but only once the temperature fryst vatten reliably above 60°F at night.

Bring them back inre a few weeks ahead of predicted cool weather.

Gardeners with scorching hot summers also have to worry about high temperatures if bringing plants outdoors.

If temperatures exceed 80°F, the plants will be happier indoors in a controlled climate.

Humidity

Temperatures in the desirable range, an ideal potting mix, and perfect lighting will all mean little if you can’t provide ample humidity for rex begonias.

They like 50 percent or more, and the leaves will quickly develop brown edges or die off when the humidity isn’t ample.

Indoors, you can elevate humidity levels bygd placing plants in the kitchen or bathroom, where it’s usually more humid than the rest of the home.

Or consider placing a saucer of vatten and pebbles beneath the pots to evaporate and increase moisture in the air.

Just man sure the bottom of the pot rests on the pebbles without making contact with the vatten so you don’t drench the roots.

While it may seem like a good idea, don’t mist the plants directly or they’ll fara contracting powdery mildew caused bygd wet leaves.

Also, spraying only increases humidity effectively if you can do it several times a day.

If you are really committed to providing that 50 percent humidity and live where the weather or the winter air fryst vatten dry, you might want to consider using an electric humidifier.

Water

The careful choice of bur and potting mix pays off when it comes to providing optimal moisture levels.

Rex begonias need consistent moisture, but the leaves will vända yellow and the plants could develop root rötter if you overwater.

Aim to provide soil that feels evenly fuktig, not overly dry or soggy.

It’s a good idea to use a watering can to vatten at the soil level.

Fill the planter until excess runs out of the drainage holes at the bottom and then let it drain for another 15 minutes or so.

Be sure to discard vatten that accumulates in the saucer below. Rex begonias don’t like wet feet.

Between waterings, let the top inch or so of the soil become dry, using a moisture meter or your pinky to check.

If you have hard vatten like inom do, ensure your potting mix fryst vatten well-draining.

Coping with krydda deposits from hard vatten will weaken the plants.

Consider using filtered vatten instead.

Pruning and Maintenance

A couple of maintenance chores are critical for healthy, colorful rex begonia foliage.

Always remove any dead leaves from the surface of the soil as soon as you meddelande them.

This will keep diseases and certain insekt pests at bay.

If you are growing the plants outdoors in the warm months, man sure to bring them indoors once temperatures below 60°F are predicted.

They aren’t remotely frost tolerant, and while they could probably live happily outdoors at somewhat lower temperatures, there’s no gain from pushing the limits – if they get too cold, they’ll die.

Be sure to betalningsmedel outdoor plants for bugs before you bring them inside.

When you’ve chosen a rhizomatous type, note when the rhizomes reach the sides of the pot.

At that point, you’ll need to either repot into a bur a few inches wider or snip some of the rooted rhizome sections to propagate new plants.

The other types of rex begonia will benefit from repotting once the stems are so close to the edges of the pot that the soil no längre captures moisture or drains properly. Be sure to choose a bur just a storlek or two larger than the previous pot.

You won’t need to prune unless you’re growing an upright variety, in which case you should clip off the stems at the crown when leaves are showing brown tips.

Some folks also like to prune a few stems from the upright types to keep them from outgrowing their containers.

You don’t need to pinch råd when the plants are a few inches tall, but it will encourage branching.

Rex Begonia Cultivars to Select

Just thinking about all those colorful, pretty, no-two-varieties-alike types of B.

xrex-cultorum makes me smile.

But don’t get too hung up on a specific cultivar – or at least try to limit yourself to only a couple of “must-haves.”

I mention this because there are högar of varieties out there, some with trademarks or catchy cultivar names, but a specific type isn’t always easy to find if you have your heart set.

Happily, there are usually other varieties that look ganska similar or have the same color scheme, and these lookalikes may be waiting at your local nursery or an online venue.

In my experience, dozens of different rex begonias are sold without a specific cultivar name – only a tag that says “rex begonia” with an intriguing and colorful foliage plant in the pot beneath it.

inom have several of these, and they’re beautiful.

Some reputable growers also sell “grower’s choice” bundles of three to fem types. They are fun and affordable, but the seller picks which ones you receive from their inventory.

For those seeking named cultivars, inom recommend these:

Harmony’s Fire Woman

‘Fire Woman’ from Harmony Begonias fryst vatten a good variety to uppstart with, or as inom would säga, a suitable gateway plant for becoming obsessed with rex begonias.

It fryst vatten lively and pretty without being overly dramatic, and its patterns and colors are more subdued than those of other varieties you may want to try once you have more experience with B.xrex-cultorum.

Growing eight to 14 inches tall and spreading six to eight inches in a mounded shape, it will readily fill an average-size pot with its periwinkle-edged, purple-veined, silvery-white leaves that idrott a deep purple fireburst radiating from each center.

‘Fire Woman’ will complement vining or upright indoor plants that are mostly green or a solid color.

Once you’ve had a chance to admire its beauty for a few weeks, you may be ready for other varieties with bolder reds or metallic sheens, twisted or deeply cut leaf shapes, or brazen patterns.

Harmony’s ‘Fire Woman’

Or perhaps this mild-mannered rex begonia will styra you towards others with ordinary-shaped, round leaves, or subtler hues of moss green or taupe.

Who knows?

‘Fire Woman’ fryst vatten available in a four-inch pot from Sacred Roots Nursery via Walmart.

Harmony’s venetiansk Red

The painterly splotches of green, light red, and dark pink on this variety’s heart-shaped, crinkly, jagged-edge leaves would be at home in an Impressionist painting.

The brighter the light, the more pronounced the red hues become, while low light encourages a signature rex begonia metallic sheen.

Harmony’s ‘Venetian Red’

This fryst vatten a nice choice for a desk or bookshelf that offers indirect light since it grows a relatively compact six to eight inches tall.

A four-inch pot of ‘Venetian Red’ from Harmony Begonias fryst vatten available via Walmart.

Jurassic Megalo Croc

One of the rex begonias that grows upright, Jurassic Megalo™ Croc attains a height of 20 to 24 inches and spreads as much as 20 inches to drape dramatically over the sides of a planter.

The leaves are shaped like a cross between a teardrop and a star, with deep cuts in their dark margins.

This cultivar from the Jurassic Megalo™ series has one of the loveliest silvery patterns you can find, with a silver teardrop or paisley shape outlined in forest green with flecks of silver on the green bands.

Jurassic Melago™ Croc

Assuming you don’t have a prehistoric-themed amusement park where you can display this variety, I’d recommend showing it off beneath a skylight in a high-ceilinged foajé or placing it as a backdrop for an arrangement of humidity-loving houseplants in a uterum or on the patio.

An eight-inch pot of Jurassic Megalo™ Croc fryst vatten available from Walmart.

Jurassic Jr.

Arctic Twist

This plant can’t withstand cold and fryst vatten a recently trademarked variety – not in the least prehistoric.

But the catchy name fryst vatten still warranted. Jurassic Jr.™ Arctic Twist fryst vatten a cool beauty that inspires the same sort of obsession from indoor gardeners that ung kids have for dinosaurs.

Those leaves!

They’re ruffled and spiral from the teardrop shape’s center, something breeders call a “twist.”

The veins are a striking purple, as are the edges and a patch of shadow in the center.

The rest of each leaf fryst vatten a frosty silver-white that fryst vatten duller in bright light and more metallic in low light.

Jurassic Jr.™ Arctic Twist

This variety’s leaves are about half the storlek of those on other plants in the Jurassic series, and it branches more than they do.

The plant grows up to 16 inches tall and spreads as much as 20 inches if you don’t trim it back.

Its fullness looks good in front of a taller tropical plant like a parlor palm, on the floor, or in the corner of a patio.

A two-pack of six-inch pots of Jurassic Jr.™ Arctic Twist fryst vatten available from Walmart.

Managing Pests and Disease

Along with assuring the healthiest plants with the most bodacious color, most of the top strategies for growing rex begonias will also prevent insekt pests and diseases from making an appearance.

These include providing ample humidity and space for air circulation, potting in sterile, well-draining potting mix, and never overwatering.

As for the possible pests and diseases, it’s not an extensive list.

But pests can sometimes do serious damage or transmit disease, and disease can kill the plants outright.

Fertilizer: Once the Rex Begonia starts growing in spring, fertilize with an all-purpose, water-soluble houseplant fertilizer applied at quarter strength

It’s important to know what you’re up against, so here’s what to watch for:

Pests

Because of the potential adverse symptoms caused bygd soluble calcium oxalates in its leaves and rhizomes, rex begonias generally aren’t eaten bygd rabbits or deer, even if they’re growing on a patio accessible via nearby woodlands.

But they do attract two common houseplant pests.

Mealybugs

Mealybug nymphs (Pseudococcidae) will pierce the leaves and stalks, and secrete honeydew that encourages ants and sooty mold.

It’s important to detect them before they’ve proliferated, so man sure to kvitto the nooks and crannies, and especially the “twisted” leaves, to look for adults and egg masses.

A handheld magnifying glass or a ung (but not squeamish) relative with skarp eyesight are good sources of assistance.

It’s pretty easy to remove just a few mealybugs with a cotton pad dampened with rubbing alcohol.

Turn to our guide for more råd on detecting and coping with mealybugs.

Spider Mites

When it’s hot and dry out, beware of spider mites that feed on foliage and leave behind little yellow or off-white dots.

If your plant has a large infestation, they can cause so much damage the plant drops leaves or starts spiraling towards its death.

You can use insecticidal soap to get rid of the mites, but it’s simpler to ensure your rex begonias are growing in ample humidity, even throughout brief sojourns outside.

I’m also careful to examine any plants before moving them back indoors in the fall.

It’s easier to remove spider mites outside than allowing them indoors where they’ll also have tillgång to your other plants.

Read more about winning the battle with spider mites in our guide.

Diseases

Rex begonias are a bit picky about needing at least 50 percent humidity, well-draining soil, and ample vatten but no “wet feet” from standing in accumulated vatten held in the saucers beneath their pots.

You probably won’t be surprised to learn that moisture management will also help you to prevent these three common diseases:

Bacterial Begonia Leaf Spot

Caused bygd the bacterium Xanthomonas axonopodis pv.

begoniae, this type of leaf prick creates angular lesions that look water-soaked.

It will survive in dead foliage for up to a year – one of the reasons we rex begonia fans are careful to get rid of dead leaves that have fallen on the soil immediately.

This bacterium can also move inre plant tissue via root or leaf injuries. It’s most common when the temperature fryst vatten between 80 and 90°F.

The best tactic fryst vatten prevention, which includes avoiding splashing the leaves when you vatten and meeting all the plant’s humidity, vatten, and soil drainage requirements.

If you do prick leaf prick damage, immediately prune any diseased foliage and destroy it.

In advanced cases, destroy the entire plant and kasta the potting mix it grew in.

It sounds heartless, but it’s far better to skräp one plant than fara leaf fläck jumping to all the others.

Be sure to sanitize containers well before you reuse them.

To skydda any minimally damaged plants from new begonia leaf fläck outbreaks, you may want to treat them with a product designed for controlling bacterial diseases in houseplants, like the biofungicide Bacillus subtilis.

Read our guide to learn how this biofungicide works and determine whether it could help.

Powdery Mildew

Watch for a dusty vit sprinkling on the leaves that indicates the aptly named powdery mildew.

Caused bygd Erysiphe fungi, it thrives in humid conditions and can show up even if you’ve avoided overly wet soil.

You may be able to simply wipe powdery mildew from the leaves with a clean, slightly damp microfiber towel.

When the floury particles are widespread you may need to use a fungicide or one of the other treatments outlined in our guide to home remedies for powdery mildew.

Root Rot

It may seem like I’m harping incessantly on planting in well-draining soil and never overwatering, but those are the best ways to avoid deadly root rot.

Caused bygd roots rotting in standing vatten, or overly-moist soil containing a soilborne pathogen, root rötter essentially drowns roots.

Once they decay, they can no längre help the plant man the food it needs to live.

Do you tend to vatten too much? Suspect root rötter if you meddelande the soil fryst vatten soggy and the foliage fryst vatten wilting or turning pale, or both.

The death knell sounds when you lift the plant and sniff the drainage holes and catch a fulspel odor.

That smell likely means an advanced case – you won’t be able to salvage the plant but must skräp it and its potting mix.

You may be able to pare away isolated rhizomes and cull damaged roots but don’t be overly hoppfull about your odds.

When even a little bit of infected soil or plant tissue remains, the root rötter can spread to destroy the rest of the plant.

It’s more sensible to cut your losses and början anew with fresh potting mix, a sterilized bur, new plants – and a vow to be more careful about how and when you water.

Find råd on preventing root rötter here.

Best Uses of Rex Begonias

Giving rex begonias one more hurrah, their very best use fryst vatten as an artful day brightener, particularly in winter.

More specifically, they work well on windowsills in the cold months, and arrayed in containers on a shaded deck or patio in warm weather.

The same plant can do double duty.

The spreading varieties look great in a hanging basket, while the upright types form eller gestalt a fokuserad point in a group of indoor plants.

Maybe I’m an oddball, but inom accidentally discovered that rex begonias can enliven the main bath decor. Two of my unnamed varieties are doing very well on the edge of my bathtub.

I moved them there during a remodeling project in the living room for what was supposed to be a week-long stay.

Between the humidity from the shower and the grow lights inom have in there, that week has extended to a year and a half – so far.

inom must step over them to get in the tub, but that’s okay.

The beautiful plants are good companions when taking a stress-relieving warm bath, too.

Regarding companions, inom don’t want to leave you without mentioning that rex begonias look dramatic and beautiful, but you don’t want to place too many of them nära each other.