God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.
Rabu, 07 Mei 2008
Fact Sheet: Begonias
The Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney has one of the world’s largest outdoor collections of begonias. The range of foliage types covers many different shapes, colours and textures. Begonias are mostly tropical and sub-tropical but some survive in harsher climates even above the snowline. But as diverse as these plants are - all begonias have one thing in common, asymmetrical leaves - a rare thing in the botanical world. One theory about the shape of the leaves is that it helps them stand out in the forest, and attracts pollinators, because many of the species have insignificant flowers. Begonias can be classified into a number of groups based on growth habit. For example Begonia tenuifolia is a fantastic example of a rhizomatous begonia. The foliage arises from an underground stem, called a rhizome. Other interesting begonias include: • The largest leafed of all begonias B.megaptera is a spectacular species that comes from the Himalayas. • Other rhizomatous begonias have variegated leaf forms such as Begonia manicata ‘Aureomaculata’ with its speckled yellow and green leaves. • Many gardeners will be familiar with the cane stemmed group. These have long bamboo like canes which rise from ground level. They have fabulous foliage and often beautiful clusters of flowers such as Begonia coccinea, the angel winged begonia, which flowers all year round.• The extra height of the cane stemmed varieties makes them especially useful planted at the back of garden beds. The interesting colour and texture of Begonia ‘Sophie Cecile’ is fantastic for use as cut foliage in flower arrangements. Often they’ll also strike roots in the vase which gives you an idea of how easy they are to propagate. • Rex begonias are technically a rhizomatous begonia, but are often put in a group of their own because of their amazing iridescent foliage. For example the Begonia (Rex Cultorum) cv.• The Begonia semperflorens or bedding begonias provide spectacular splashes of colour. These plants are old favourites, and are commonly grown as annual border plants, and will provide year round flowering in warmer climates. • The palm leaf begonia Begonia luxurians has long finger-like leaflets • And the fern leaf begonia Begonia foliosa also has interesting foliage.• Begonia venosa is a species from the South American desert. It needs full sun and dry conditions.Most begonias like moist soils and dappled shade. This makes them useful plants in the garden for underneath trees, where it’s often difficult to get any colour. Many species also make good indoor or patio plants. Begonias are succulent-like plants that store moisture in their stems. That means they can survive extended dry periods, and are quite waterwise in the garden. They respond well to fertiliser, but in the absence of it, will still survive nicely. But the moisture in the stem means if they freeze, it’s usually the end of the plant. If you grow them in a frosty climate, put them in a container, and move them to a sheltered spot in winter. As far as pests and diseases go, they’re pretty good. But they are prone to fungal leaf spots such as botrytis, so keep the foliage dry and only water in the morning. The begonia collection at the Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney shows just how diverse and waterwise this group of plants can be. It also shows how well suited they are to providing colour and texture for difficult shady spots in warm climate gardens. Many of the plants on show are commonly available at nurseries, but others are quite rare.
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