Planting & caring for Elatior begonia

Properly caring for and planting Elatior begonias: Expert tips about beautiful indoor begonias with tips on the most beautiful varieties.

Elatior Begonias (Begonia x hiemalis) are unbeatable, sympathetic roommates. They bloom all year round and in return they really want nothing more than a nice place to stay, water and a little fertilizer every now and then. Unfortunately, they are often not thanked for this frugality, because many of the Begonias (Begonia) after the first bloom in winter you won't end up with anything on the compost. But the plant is perennial and, with proper care, will produce numerous flowers again in the next year.

Elatior begonias: origin and characteristics

As a group of hybrids, elatior begonias are actually not a proper species. Four species of begonia are the ancestors of Elatior begonias:

Begonia socotrana, Begonia veitchii, Begonia boliviensis and Begonia rosaeflora. Each of the four has immortalized something of themselves in the Elatior begonia. Sometimes this piece is bigger, sometimes smaller, because not every Elatior begonia variety was bred from these original species in equal proportions. What the Elatior begonias have in common, however, is that they bloom beautifully. The flowers in various colors grow together in a cluster. Overall, the plants can grow up to 40 centimeters, but they are quite compact.

The most beautiful varieties of Elatior begonia

Each of the Elatior begonias is different because they descend from the four original species in different proportions. Even if one variety has all four original species, as it were, as grandparents, it is possible that another variety also descends from all four species, but the proportion of one species predominates in genetics. This results in a literally colorful variety of elatior begonias.

Beautiful varieties of Elatior begonia:

• ‘Clara’: This variety has double flowers in brilliant white
• ‘Camilla’: The unfilled flowers of ‘Camilla’ appear in beautiful shades of pink
• 'Barkos': The variety is considered to be one of the most beautiful among the Elatior begonias and has deep red colored and double flowers
• "Yellow Stone": With its intense yellow flowers, the ‘Yellow Stone’ variety brings variety to the quite white-pink-red colored world of begonias
• "Carneval": The double flowers are eye-catchers with their deep yellow inside and intense red outside

In addition to the elatior begonias, numerous other species belong to the genus of begonias. Interesting Begonia species see this article.

Buy elatior begonias

Choose a plant that looks strong and healthy. If you want to enjoy the begonia for a long time, you should also watch out for signs of rapid growth. Begonias that grow tall are susceptible. In order to rule out an infestation with fungi, you should carefully check the selected begonia again before buying it, especially for powdery mildew (Erysiphaceae) take a closer look. More tips on Buying begonias we have prepared for you here.

Plant elatior begonias in a pot

Elatior begonias are mainly offered in spring - this is also ideal, because this is the right time for transplanting. In principle, the plants should be kept in pots as they are very sensitive to cold.

When planting, it is essential to use a flower pot with a drainage hole to prevent waterlogging. As an additional measure, you can put a few pebbles on the bottom of the pot to better drain off excess water. Nutrient-rich soil such as our peat-free soil serves as the substrate Plantura organic potting soil.

Before planting, loosen the root ball slightly so that the plant can take root more quickly in the new pot. Now pot the begonia with the help of the earth and then press the whole thing down lightly. Water a little and the Elatior begonia is ready to plant. You only need to repot the plant every few years to refresh the soil and possibly to give a little more space.

Everything else about the Plants of begonias find out here.

Caring for elatior begonias

They love temperatures between 16 and 22 ° C, which is why elatior begonias do not get along well outside. A place in the apartment suits them perfectly. These temperatures are also optimal over the winter, because as tropical plants these begonias are used to uniform temperatures all year round. Place the beautiful plants in a bright place without direct sunlight. You should regularly remove withered flowers. This not only helps the aesthetics, but also prevents an infestation with fungi. Elatior begonias need a lot of nutrients. An organic-mineral fertilizer like ours Plantura organic flower fertilizer is exactly the right thing for you. This type of fertilization has a pronounced long-term effect and also contains quickly available nutrients.