Imperial begonia houseplant: description of subspecies, subtleties of planting, flower care and methods of its propagation, pests and diseases

Imperial begonia or Rex begonia is not only an ornamental indoor plant, but also perennial and grassy.

There are about 1,500 species of this magnificent flower. It differs from others in its beautiful appearance of leaves, strong and powerful root system, the stem is low and thick, covered with bristles of different colors. A favorite of all gardeners and amateur gardeners.

Botanical Description

Begonia is a plant with amazing leaves, which come in a variety of colors and sizes. Leaves are either round, or oval or elongated. These flowers are not valued for their color, but for their exquisite decorativeness. The leaves reach huge sizes, about ten centimeters.

The flowers have a white tint and grow from 0.3 to 0.5 centimeters. There are several types of flowering begonias: evergreen begonia, elatior or also called winter (you will learn more about this kind of flower here), tuberous begonia (there are up to 80 centimeters in height).

Begonia is divided into two types:

Iron Cross. Leaves are long from 15 to 18 saturated green.
Reproduction occurs using cuttings. I watered gently in the winter.
Groß en Erfurt. Leaves are green. Reproduction and courtship is the same as for Iron Cross.

Begonia is divided into four groups:

Creeping begonias with flexible shoots.
Ancestors of hybrid forms.
With erect bamboo-like shoots.
Thick rhizomes, lodging shoots.

Appearance and features

It has a beautiful appearance. Easy to courtship. Use for room decor, such as: gardens, workplaces, houses. There are both male and female flowers. In women, a seed trihedral box is formed above the petals. Perianth leaves are bright and uneven.

Landing rules

Most often, imperial begonia is grown as a houseplant, at home, or in greenhouses. If the weather is favorable, then it can also be planted in open ground. To plant begonia in the soil, it is necessary to create a soil mixture with loosening and nutrient components.

IMPORTANT! For cultivation in the soil, good and sufficient lighting is necessary. Pure varieties are best planted in greenhouses. So that begonia does not lose its beauty, it must be transplanted once every two years.

Also on our website in this material you will find information about planting an ever-flowering begonia and caring for the plant at home.

Lighting and location

Prefers a bright location. Due to the presence of bright color, she needs an optimal amount of lighting. With insufficient lighting, the leaves lose their brightness.

Direct sunlight should not be allowed to enter, since under excessive light the plant gets burns. In summer, it is necessary to hide the begonia from the sun, and in the winter, it is better to put it on the window if it faces south. Penumbra is the best place for a plant.

Soil requirements

Imperial begonia prefers soil with a normal acidity content. Nutrient soil consists of humus, ancient, nutritious soil mixed with coniferous earth and sand. For plant transplantation, a mixture is created that can be purchased or made at home on your own.

To create this mixture, you need to take river sand and as much ancient land, leaf humus, peat, as well as pieces of pine bark and vermiculite. This composition increases penetration into the soil of air.

Flower Care Tips

For the normal growth and development of the imperial begonia, it is necessary to maintain a temperature of 13 - 22 degrees Celsius. He likes fresh air, but needs to be protected from drafts. In winter, you should closely monitor the time between waterings.

The roots can die, both from a large amount of moisture, and because of its lack. When the surface of the earth is completely dry, only then should the begonia be watered. The pot must be placed in wet peat. This is done in order to create optimal humidity. Too much moisture causes the plant to rot. Humidity must be maintained at least 60 percent.

IMPORTANT! In the winter season, the plant should be located far from the window, otherwise the begonia will suffer greatly. In summer, the plant must be sprayed. You can not get on the leaves.

Common Diseases and Pests

Begonia diseases include various diseases. Most often weak plants are ill. Its diseases should include two main diseases: gray rot and powdery dew. There are also a number of diseases, such as bacterial and annular spotting.

You can’t do without pests, for example: soft scab, leaf nematode, aphid orangery, gall nematode, whitefly greenhouse, greenhouse thrips.

Gray rot

At the beginning, the plant is interrupted by rotten spots of drill color. The spots begin to grow and kill the plant due to high humidity. A number of the following reasons can aggravate the situation: frequent spraying, overfeeding, or waterlogging of the soil. The cause of this disease is a fungus, which, even after the death of begonias, lives. Moved with air or water.

If the disease has already gone too far, then the best outcome of the event is simply to destroy the plant, as it becomes a source of infection for others. This disease does not always lead to death. In the early stages of the disease, the plant can still be saved. This will help systemic fungicide.

Powdery mildew

The plant is covered with white spots. Begonia rots. The fungus moves through the air. Occurs in high humidity or temperature..

To avoid death, it is necessary to fulfill the following requirements: do not feed the plant a large amount of fertilizer, treat it with fungicide.

Breeding

Imperial begonia can be propagated both by cuttings, and with the help of seeds, some parts of the leaves, or even the separation of the roots.

We also offer to familiarize yourself with the characteristics of the propagation of evergreen begonia in a separate material.

Cuttings

To start it is necessary that the cuttings take root, for this you need to put them in water and wait for the roots to appear. After that, you can already plant in the soil.

Also, the roots will quickly develop and grow in ordinary soil with the addition of stimulants. It is necessary to cover the pot with the plant with a film to create a greenhouse effect. It will be better to warm the soil before this.

Using parts of leaves

This is a good breeding method for the imperial begonia. For this you need to place leaves on the glass and divide it with a knife into triangles.

Next, lay them on the ground and cover with a film, after pressing the leaves tightly. Every day must be aired. Shoots will be seen in about a month. For transplantation, you need to wait for the shoots to grow stronger and carefully plant for independent development and growth.

IMPORTANT! When separating the leaf, the vein should be located at the top of the leaf.

Rooted

Another way to propagate begonias. It is necessary to very carefully divide the root system into several parts and plant in a favorable crumbly soil. There is a special substrate for indoor flowers on sale, if you wish, you can prepare it yourself. It is necessary to moisten the soil evenly, avoiding overflow. For the emergence of sprouts, you should wait very little time.

Imperial begonia is unpretentious in everything and does not require special care. In gardening has received a huge distribution, about 125 species. At the moment, there are a large number of varieties and sizes of begonias. Varieties that were bred in Belgium are the most popular. In 1920, the asteroid was named after begonia.