What does Bolivian begonia look like: a photo of a plant. Rules for planting, care and breeding

Bolivian begonia belongs to the Begonia family. It has about 1600 species. It got its name in honor of Haiti M. Begonia (Governor).

Also in honor of this plant in 1920, an asteroid was named. Belongs to the class dicotyledonous.

You will learn how this plant looks, what care it needs to be taken, how to deal with diseases and pests, and also how to propagate properly.

Botanical Description and History

Begonias are both perennial and annual shrubs or shrubs, as well as herbs. Leaves are uneven and attractive in color (as is true for cultivated species). The flowers are also irregular and same-sex.

The fruit is a box. Located high in the mountains from three to four thousand meters above the sea and tropical forests. Homeland of Bolivian begonia - eastern Andes. In South America, the most species of begonias. In Africa, begonias prefer the moist western part.

Description of appearance and features

Bolivian begonia has a very attractive appearance. This plant has elongated leaves, beautiful flowers that look like elongated bells. Hanging shoots. In nature, the plant lives apart.

REFERENCE! Begonia belongs to tuberous plants. In height reaches from 30 to 45 centimeters. The stems are covered with green serrated leaves. The flowers are usually two to three on the same plant and have a red-orange color.

Flower photo

Below are photos of what Santa Cruz, Copacabana and other varieties of this wonderful plant look like.

Bolivian:

Santa cruz:

Copacabana:

Rules and Landing Tips

A favorable mixture for begonia is peat and humus (in equal proportions) and twice as much sheet land, as well as sand. The soil is fertile for her. Non-flowering begonia should be planted in the ground when there is no frost. May-June will do.

Bolivian begonia is short-lived, so it is grown like potted plants. In autumn, the plant should be brought into the house. To begonia bloomed in May, it must be sown in January, since the vegetative period occurs from 14 to 17 days. After planting, seedlings must be pinched, leaving only three pairs of leaves. This must be done before rooting, or two weeks after planting.

Lighting and location

In the first month, the temperature regime should be maintained in the region of 18-20 degrees Celsius. Then lower to 16 degrees. Avoid direct sunlight. Young begonia needs to be planted from 20 to 30 centimeters from others. It grows well in partial shade, and in sufficiently lit places.

TIP! It is best to place the plant on window sills or balconies.

Soil requirements

Begonia prefers soil with well-drained soil. Peat or sand should be moistened from time to time. Nutrient soil consists of humus, woody, 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 woody soil, leaf humus, peat, as well as pieces of pine bark and vermiculite. This composition increases penetration into the soil of air. A period of rest lasts two to three months.

Care Rules

1. Begonia is unpretentious in care and will not take much time. Trimming and top dressing is optional.
2. 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.
3. In summer, the plant must be sprayed. It is best to water in the morning. Water cannot fall on leaves. Autumn should not be watered until the leaves turn yellow.
4. Plant should be fed once a month. Mineral fertilizers are suitable. When begonia reaches 10 centimeters in height, it is necessary to start feeding.
5. In summer, begonia can be taken outside. For several weeks, the plant will arrive in a stressful state, the leaves may partially fall off, but then everything will return to normal. When the conditions of its favorable existence greatly change, then a period of stagnation will come, a period of rest.

ATTENTION! In the winter season, the plant should be located far from the window, otherwise the begonia will suffer greatly.

Common Diseases and Pests

Begonia diseases include various diseases. Most often weak plants are ill. Its diseases include two main diseases: gray rot and powdery mildew.

Gray rot

At the beginning, the plant is covered with 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 lies in the fungus, which even after the death of begonias lives for a long time. 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 with 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.

There are also a number of diseases, such as bacterial and annular spotting.

Do not do without pests, for example:

• soft shield;
• leaf nematode;
• greenhouse aphids;
• gall nematode;
• greenhouse whitefly;
• greenhouse thripsis.

Breeding methods

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

Cuttings

First you need to cuttings rooted, for this you need to put them in water. 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. To do this, place a leaf on the glass. Divide with a knife into triangles.

IMPORTANT! The vein should be located at the top of the leaf.

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

Root propagation

Another way to propagate begonias. It is necessary to divide the root system into a favorable crumbly soil. For the emergence of sprouts, you should wait very little time.

Imperial begonia is unpretentious in everything and does not require special care (more details about the nuances of caring for the imperial begonia can be found here). In gardening, it has become very widespread, 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. At the moment, the sale of Bolivian begonias is comparable to the sales of popular crops of the balsamic variety. In 1920, the asteroid was named after begonia.

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