Elatior Begonias

Elatior Begonias have fleshy, heart-shaped, green foliage above which grow spectacular, richly coloured flowers on brittle stems. Theses can be single or double and range of colours is very wide with brilliant reds and oranges through to the gentler shades of yellow, pink and shades of white.

Elatior Begonias are a wonderful and bushy member of the Begonia family that is semi tuberous and have been specifically grown to have long indoor flowering seasons

Begonias brighten up shady areas with their colorful blooms. Unlike most flowering plants, which require at least a half day of full sun, begonias actually prefer growing in the shade. They also never have a down time.

The plant is strongly connected with happiness, joy, and fortune because of their size and vibrancy, these blossoms will easily light up a room.

The botanical name for these plants is Begonia X Hiemalis. The word Hiemalis means winter flowering and originally these plants were just that.

They are the perfect indoor plant, requiring shorter days for blooming and were commonly nicknamed Winter Begonias.

Over time though, these gorgeous and resilient plants have been hybrid to be considered and everblooming species. They can bloom year round, multiple times with the proper Elatior Begonia care.

SOIL

Elatior Begonia care is pretty simple. They grow well in any high quality, fast draining soil. They need a good anchoring soil to accommodate for the top growth.

We have made our own mix however out of two cups peat moss, one cup vermiculite and one cup of perlite. Another option is mixing one cup peat moss and one cup vermiculite at a 50:50 ratio.

FERTILIZER

We have found that one of the most important things for Elatior Begonia care, is composting. we don’t fertilize it other than to add either a perlite to the soil.

They grow well  without fertilizer but if you do want to use one, use a lime free water soluble one. Begonias prefer fertilizer poured around the base.

LIGHT

These plants do well with indirect sun or even partial shade. I keep mine away from the direct sun on a bright shelf. If you live in a subtropical area, they can be planted outdoors but will not do well with direct sun. They also need an environment that is not too windy.

WATERING

The best Elatior Begonia care for watering is to water often enough that it doesn’t get dry between watering. I stick my finger in the soil and water it when the top two inches are not quite dry but will be in another day or two.

I water if fully, allowing the excess to drain through the draining holes in the bottom of the pot and I keep the soil damp but not ever wet. They prefer to have moisture so never letting them dry out completely is key.

A layer of mulch over the soil is a good idea for Elatior Begonia care. These plants do not have tolerance for a wet environment on their leaves so be careful to not splash them too much during watering.

TEMPERATURE

Like all of the Begonia family, Elatior Begonia prefer daily indoor temperatures of 75 degrees with a low of 60 degrees in the night.

They can tolerate higher temperatures as long as they have protection from the harsh sun rays. They are not frost intolerant and do not like being exposed to elements such as wind.

PROPAGATION

The easiest way to propagate an Elatior Begonia is to take cuttings from the plant to propagate. You can use either a stem or a leaf cutting.

 

GROWTH

If you give your Elatior Begonia care, it will grow to an average size of 10-18 inches tall and wide. They are densely clustered plants usually and have a mounding habit when growing.