Tuberous Begonia Red Picotee Ruffled

Wow, these vibrant, red flowers are real head turners. The bright ruffled edging of the petals creating a stunning show. These flowers are big, with more petals than most Tuberous Begonias.

Tuberous Begonias sprout in spring and repeat flower for several weeks with large, colourful semi to fully double blooms from summer to autumn. The flowers are real attention getters. The petals are soft and seem to glitter in the sunlight. Blooms are up to 10cm across.

The flowers open in the direction that the leaves point.

Tuberous Begonias have a reputation of being difficult. But once you learn a few tricks of the trade so to speak they are rewarding and not challenging to grow.

Tuberous Begonias grow well in similar conditions to Ferns and Hostas. That is in filtered light, under shade cloth, under a porch or tree, or in a shade house.

It is important to get the watering right with Tuberous Begonias, they are a bit fussy, but easy to please once you know how.
1. When the Begonia tuber begins to shoot in August/September keep the soil just moist, watering as the soil begins to dry.
2. When the plants are actively growing and flowering, saturate the pot (avoiding the stem and leaves), then allow the soil to dry out before watering again. This is important because if it is kept constantly wet it can breed fungal or bacterial infections and cause tuber rot.
3. When the Begonia tuber is dormant (winter), keep the pot dry and lay it on its side.

Tuberous Begonias grow best in pots, in climates with cool nights. You can easily grow them in the mild areas of NSW, the Qld Tablelands or in Victoria, Tasmania and south of Perth in WA. They won't tolerate high humidity or direct sunlight.

When potting, we recommend adding a handful of perlite or sand to a good quality potting mix. Don't rely on the potting mix for fertiliser, it has a limited amount and should be supplemented with a slow release fertiliser every 3-4 months and, for best results, add a liquid seaweed tonic during growth and flowering.

If you would like larger flowers, disbud your plants through December and allow the blooms to begin from January, the blooms will last longer and be bigger. Ensure you stake your Tuberous Begonia when planting so the stems and blooms are supported and able to put on the best show.

Supplied as: Bulbs