Let’s grow the Bauer begonia to everyone

Begonia Bowera (Begonia bowerae) - one of the most popular representatives of the begonia family.

This flower was bred through numerous crosses of different species of begonias and has become a universal favorite among gardeners in the past few decades.

The main difference between this plant and other begonias is the unusual animal color of the leaves.

The flower is often grown as an ampoule, that is, hanging down from a suspended vase.

Tiger flower from warm countries

We know that Bower's begonia is a perennial indoor hybrid of small stature (up to 25 cm). Owners love this begonia not for flowering, since it is not as beautiful as a rose, for example. Often, peduncles simply break off so that the flower does not waste power. Florists love Bower's begonia exclusively for lush greenery. To admire her, the flower is often suspended in a pot.

The leaves of the plant have an asymmetric heart-shaped shape, they are large, dark green with an unusual spotty color of light green blotches. The pattern on the leaves also resembles stripes on the tiger's wool. On the edges of the leaves are hairs.

Begonia takes its roots from the humid subtropics of southern Mexico. Bower begonia was introduced into the culture in 1860. Since then begonia has been in demand among lovers of indoor plants.

Family

Begonia Bauer includes several separate varieties bred by crossing it with other species.

Cleopatra

This decorative variation of begonia has small white or pink flowers blooming from January to June. The leaves of the plant look like a palm with spread fingers up to 15 cm in length, a little bit like maple in shape, and have a fluff.

The color of the foliage is bronze green if the plant is in the light, and as it grows older it changes to light brown and acquires a colorful pattern. Begonia Bouyer Cleopatra propagates, as well as other representatives of the begonia species by cuttings, as well as rooted leaves or pieces of leaves. Another method of propagation of bush begonias in spring is the division of a bush or rhizome.

Tiger

A striking representative of the large Begoniev family is the Bower Tigrovaya begonia - this is a group of plants of the same species, bred by breeders to the delight of lovers of indoor flora. All varieties and hybrids of this species are distinguished by the size, color and pattern of the leaves, as well as the degree of pubescence, the presence of peduncles with pink or white flowers.

Has a heart-shaped leaf shape, medium-sized leaves with serrated edges, the pattern is made up of bright green spots on a dark green background. The plant is devoid of an aerial stem, so long hanging leaves grow directly from the root. The maximum height is 30 cm. For flowering, produces a long stem-peduncle on which white flowers bloom. The flowering period is winter. Tiger begonia hails from the rainforests of Mexico and America.

Tiger

One of the most popular among the representative of Begonia Tigrovaya is the variety "Tiger" (translated as "Tiger") with decorative bronze-green or brown spotted leaves. It is recommended for cultivation in rooms, conservatories, general premises (lobbies, foyers, offices). Read about leafy begonia here.

The color and shape of the leaves of this type of begonia: small numerous leaves with an oblique shape, along the veins of the leaf there is a wide brown stripe, the gaps between the veins are green. The stem of the plant is creeping, branching.

Photo

Check out the photo of begonia:

Landing

All representatives of the Begonia Bower species do not need serious care. They are unpretentious and easy to grow and propagate even to a novice lover of flowers.

Consider the basic rules for caring for a plant.

How to prepare the ground

Begonia loves a rather fertile soil. The best will be the composition of the same proportions of coniferous, sod, leafy land, as well as sand and humus. You can also buy universal land for indoor plants, and add to it the components described above in small quantities.

How to take care of the roots

Before planting begonias in new soil, 1 cm of expanded clay is placed on the bottom of the pot. On a soil surface, sphagnum pieces are laid in a thin layer. These measures prevent rotting of the roots.

In this case, a new pot should be taken a little larger in diameter of the previous one, since too spacious a container will adversely affect the growth of the plant.

Lighting and location

Begonia does not like direct sunlight, and grows well in a shady place. The most suitable place for begonia is a windowsill, the window of which faces north or northwest.

IMPORTANT! Begonia loves even year-round uniform lighting, so in winter it is better to use additional lighting.

Soil and air requirements

Begonia, like any tropical plant, is used to moist soil and air. But, it does not tolerate waterlogging, as this leads to decay of its thin roots. Watering should be done as the soil dries so that water does not fall on the foliage and petioles.

In order for the foliage to grow well and have a healthy appearance, a pot with begonia next to a container of water.

When spraying, water should not fall on the leaves, from this they become covered with brown spots and spoil the appearance of the plant.

Proper home care

How to provide the right care for a tropical beauty? The best place for Bower's begonias would be a balconyor window sills of the northern part of the house.

In the spring-summer period, when the plant is actively growing, begonias need to provide uniform and moderate watering with soft water. Before watering make sure that the ground is dry. In winter, when it is at rest and in a cool room, you need to water it very sparingly. Also in spring and summer it is better to feed tiger begonia with complex fertilizers.

Between March and October, Bower's begonias need to be fertilized once a week, and less often in winter every 6 weeks. In winter, temperatures above 16 degrees will be comfortable, and the soil should be warm.

ATTENTION! Plants from the tropics are accustomed to the fact that there is no need to fight for a place in the sun - it is always at its zenith, so begonia does not like rearrangements and the lack of enough light in winter.

Diseases and Pests

Unfortunately, like most houseplants, Bower begonia may be affected by pests or disease. So what problems can a flower grower have with this plant?

Consider them below.

Leaves

Became pale and began to rot

Reasons: excessive watering, unventilated room.

Fall or twist

Causes: high temperature causes leaf deformation, and an excess of moisture in the soil leads to their withering and decay, can contribute to the decline and lack of light.

Yellowing

Reasons: lack of light, as well as inappropriate watering (either too plentiful or too insufficient.

Steel brown tips

Reasons: Too low humidity. Spray air around the plant or place a container of water near it. Remove from radiators in winter.

Felts

If you find fluffy lumps on the leaves of Bower's begonia - you know, these are felts. Such pests must be removed with a cloth or cotton swab dipped in an insecticide diluted with water. If this does not help, then the leaves should be treated with an undiluted insecticide.

Aphid

Great damage to many indoor plants causes aphids. She has her many colonies on peduncles and young stems. For the fight, you can use a good pressure of soapy water. With the defeat of almost all stems, it will be necessary to use insecticidal preparations.

Gray rot

The causative agent is the botritis fungus. Causes of occurrence: excess heat and moisture. You can detect by the numerous watery gray spots on the top of the plant, leaves and flowers. Gradually, they turn into mucus on the plant, expose it to rot and blackening. To combat, use a copper-soap liquid - dissolve 2 g of copper sulfate and 20 g of green or tar soap in a liter of water.

Powdery mildew

All the aboveground parts of the plant are affected. In the beginning, round spots with a white coating appear on the leaves, gradually they occupy the entire surface of the sheet, forming a powdery coating. Gradually, the leaves become brown and die. For the fight, a recipe is suitable, as well as against gray rot.

Propagation Features

Bower begonia can be propagated by rhizome parts and cuttings. The role of the cuttings will be the upper part of the shoot, or a single leaf. Begonia propagation can be carried out at any time of the year, most often it is carried out in spring or summer.

Cuttings

We take an adult healthy plant, cut a leaf from it with a five-centimeter shank from it and immerse it in half the cutle in the same soil as when planting.

1. We select a pot for a new plant no more than 7 cm in diameter.
2. We place the pot in a plastic bag with holes for ventilation and put it in a room with a temperature of at least +17 ° C.
3. After a month, we check whether there are sprouts near the main leaf grown from the cuttings.
4. After another month, we plant new sprouts in separate pots.

Rhizome division

We take a rhizome from an adult overgrown plant and plant it in a low pot. We cut off all aboveground parts from it. After the rootstock has taken root, we divide the plant. We separate the rooted part from it and plant it in another pot. The pot is covered with a film with holes for ventilation.

Conclusion

We examined the features of growing and caring for the Begonia Bower family. It is able to decorate both residential and office premises, giving them a cozy look. If you follow the rules of care you can ensure that your pet has a beautiful view and long life.