Beautiful Begonia for Your Home

Healthy vigorous begonia can turn into something like this.

Begonia (Begoniaceae) is wonderful indoor plant, instead of beautiful leaves they also have beautiful flower in some species. Flower enthusiast has breed new cultivars that producing wonderful flowers. This plant is native to moist and warm regions of south-east Asia and makes it suitable to be out in moist area such as in the bathroom or kitchen.

The mark on B. masoniana.

For wonderful color of leaves the B. masoniana (iron cross) has the wonderful dark purple cross mark on their leaves, while the texture is little bit hairy with heart-shaped. The size can be up to 5 in across and 8 in long on a hairy pink-red stalk.

Large amount of begonia cultivar.

While B. rex has a larger leaves with longer shape heart shape. The colors are richer with silver, cream, pink, purple and darker color.

They’re huge amount of cultivars for begonias. Since the hybridized can be done easily within the genus, the number of cultivars will keep on growing. There are few major groups that classifies by the American Begonia Society;

• -          cane-like
• -          shrub-like
• -          rhizomatous
• -          semperflorens (wax or fibrous rooted begonias)
• -          Rex
• -          trailing-scandent
• -          thick-stemmed

Young begonia-semperflorens.

Buying hints: Plants that reach 6 inches tall is the best size since it has good chances to grow healthy with more reasonable price. Inspect the leaves to be well in shape with no signs of browning or curling. It is also important to make sure that the plant is not infected by any fungal diseases.

General care: Grow in peat or loam-based potting compost and make sure the good drainage always maintain. The need to repotting is when roots put through the drainage holes.

Light: To help begonias produce more foliage put the plants in the areas with filtered lights. Bright areas but not with direct sunlight are the best ideas. They also can be grown with artificial light.

Hanging is one of the best way for begonia.

Temperature: The low temperature for begonia should not be lower than 50 °F even though the best temperature is 60 °F.

Humidity: It is important to get the air surrounding the begonia humid to imitate the tropical forest. The suitable ways to do this are the double pot technic and the pebble trays. Mist sprays may cause die-back.

Watering and Feeding: Watering the plant only when the soil feels dry to avoid crown rot if the soil is soaked for a length of time. During the winter only watering when the plants show obvious signs of wilting. To maintain continuously healthy growing begonia use liquid feeds every two weeks.

Flowering begonia will strikingly beautiful. 

Propagation: Sow seeds in early spring at the temperature of 65 °F. Take cutting from healthy leaves and root in propagator.

Disorder: Do regular check on your plants for grey mold can cause blackish-brown blotches on the leaves. Mildew also can grow underside of the leaves. While root knot eelworm attacks the roots leads the plant to die.

Araucaria Beautiful Pine for Indoor

Araucaria grows healthily in pot.

Araucaria (Araucariacae) native to the Norfolk Island in the Pacific Ocean (next to Australia) is actually a big tree than grows up 200 ft. in the wild. It’s a fern-like tree valued for its delicate foliage and horizontally tiered shoots. It will grow very slowly in the pot and seldom reaches more than 6 ft. in height and 3 ft. in diameter, this tree suitable to decorate the porches, halls and stairways – usually in pairs or more indoor or outdoor. Thrives well both in indirect sunlight or shade. It is also being used as a Christmas three. The other species of this tree can also be found in eastern Australia, New Guinea, Argentina, Chile, and Southern Brazil.

It has bright green, awl-shaped needles form thickly on the tiered shoots and have a soft mossy feel on young growth. It will turn stiffer and pricklier as they age. When the needles drop from the trunk they will reveal a scaly bark.

A closer look at the top part of the Araucaria tree.

Buying Hints: Available from garden centers and florist. Even though in can be little bit expensive they are durable. Select the tree with size around 12 – 18 in young pot plants with perfect leading shoots and symmetrically arranged tiers of bright green branches. Any discoloration on leaves or broken trunk should be avoided.

General Care: Araucaria is a tolerant plant and grows well in a peat or loam-based potting compost. Young plants should be potted on annually until they are in 8 – 10 in pots. Mature plants are easily kept healthy by changing an inch or so of the top compost.

Light: Best in light shades area with well-ventilated such as big hall or in front door areas. As long as not place into direct sunlight that can scorch their leaves. High moisture also can be very good for it.

A healthy leaves of mature Araucaria leaves.

Temperature: Lower temperature can be tolerated until 45 °F and it still can retain a good its bright green color. It is not so sensitive to temperature as long as not too hot or too cold.

Humidity: Moisture is very important especially during growing period from spring to late summer. Whether sprays with water or to be set above moisture tray of pebbles and water.

Watering and Feeding: Water freely from March to September and keep the soil moisture. Feed can be applied every twice a week with dilute manure. Foliage feed also can be used to spur new growth especially for the plants that have not been potted on. In winter just make sure that the compost is not dry.

Bonsai Araucaria.

Propagation: Propagation by seeds starts in spring, or by cutting of 3 in long side shoots in spring and summer. These should be raised in propagator at temperature of about 65 °F.

Disorder: With a good care Araucaria is very durable plant, avoid placing it too near a radiator or bright light source which may cause the leaves to shrivel.