Decorative plants are an integral attribute of the design of a variety of rooms. Greens in pots not only perform the function of saturating the air with oxygen, but also decorates the interior, and pleases the eye with their beautiful appearance. Such plants are both typical for our region, and exotic. The latter include coral begonia - a beautiful flower native to South America.
Houseplant Description
Coral begonia is a decorative foliage plant belonging to the large Begonia family. The coral variety of this flower came to us from Brazil. With home growing, the stalk of a coral begonia can reach a height of 60 cm to 1 m, and in the wild, up to 1.5 m.
| Root system | Fibrous |
| Stem | Upright |
| Leaf shape | Oval, cut or elongated |
| Leaf color | Shades of green with spots of white and silver |
| Flower shape | Umbrella inflorescences, clusters |
| Flower color | Coral, pink, light purple |
Necessary conditions for landing
When breeding coral begonia at home, it is important to adhere to a number of rules. They relate to both the planting process itself and the conditions of the flower.
Check out houseplants like adromiscus.
Optimal season
The spring season is considered the most preferable for planting a coral begonia, since it is during this season that its flowering occurs. However, maintaining the correct temperature makes planting possible at any time.
Pot selection
The best option would be a clay pot with a diameter of 5 to 6 cm. When the root system has finally formed in the flower, it should be transplanted into a larger pot - from 8 to 10 cm in diameter.
If the plant was planted in spring, it needs to be relocated to an even larger pot: spring is the most favorable for flower growth, so it grows faster than at any other time of the year. However, you need to be careful when choosing a pot - if it turns out to be too large, then the roots will begin to rot.
Priming
The easiest option is to buy soil in a specialized store. For coral begonia, the soil intended for violets is quite suitable. If you have the desire and time, you can start searching for suitable soil on your own, but in urban conditions this process is quite problematic.
Important! Under the ground at the bottom of the pot you need to lay a layer of gravel or expanded clay with a thickness of 1.5 cm.
Another option is hand-made soil preparation. To do this, you will need compost, peat and sand (100 g each ingredient) and garden soil (200 g).
Temperature and humidity
Since coral begonia comes from Latin America, it loves moderately warm air. The optimum temperature for this plant ranges from 14 to 25 ° C. Exceeding the temperature regime is fraught with burns of leaves, and too low temperatures - with freezing and death.
It is worth remembering that the main enemy of begonia is drafts. In terms of humidity, the plant is not very whimsical, but loves water. You need to water the flower so that the water level is slightly higher than the ground level, and do the next watering when the soil dries.
Light mode
The plant loves sunlight. It is best to put the pot so that oblique sun rays fall on the leaves, and in winter - in the most illuminated place in the house. You can place the flowerpot on any side, except for the south, otherwise direct sunlight can get on the flower, which will lead to burns and drying out of the begonia.
Home Care
Caring for plants is not limited only by the conditions of detention. It also includes activities such as pruning and watering.
Did you know? In 1920, the German astronomer Carl Reinmouth named one of the asteroids in honor of this flower - 943 Begonia.
Watering
As mentioned above, a plant should be watered only when the soil begins to dry out. This method of irrigation is most convenient, since the flower does not tolerate drought and at the same time does not like when water stagnates in the soil.
Top dressing
Subject to the conditions of keeping and watering begonias, no fertilizers are required, and it will completely cost water and sunlight. Nevertheless, once every 3 months, a solution containing potassium compounds should be added to water during irrigation.
Pruning
Trimming begonia is necessary when the trunk length reaches 10 cm. How much it is necessary to shorten the plant depends on the preferences of the owner. The optimal forms for the design of the plant are a bush, a pyramid and a ball. If the stem is too thick, then you should limit yourself to processing the side shoots.
Important! After trimming, it is strictly contraindicated to change the temperature of the plant.
It is also important to know how to properly trim the begonia after winter: the stems are shortened to 7 cm, which contributes to the active growth of shoots. Equally important is the choice of tool. The best option would be a razor blade or a construction knife.
Transfer
Young begonias require a transplant every year. They make it in late spring or early summer. The new capacity should have a diameter of 1.5–2 cm larger than the previous one so that the root system has room to grow. Adult plants do not require transplantation and can be limited to transshipment or replacement of the topsoil.
Breeding
One plant is good, and two is better. Begonia fits perfectly into this rule due to the beauty of its flowers. Fortunately, a flower can be propagated in several ways at once: by cuttings, dividing the bush, and also from seeds.
Important! Sprinkle the soil on top with ash so that the leaf does not begin to rot.
Cuttings
One of the easiest ways to propagate is by using cuttings. A cut of the leaf cuttings is made from the central part of the stem. The cutlery is placed in a container with water at room temperature, the additives in the water do not mix. The plant remains under supervision for some time until the roots are formed and grow by 1 cm. After this, the stalk with roots can be planted in a substrate.
Video: bush formation and propagation by cuttings
Seeds
Growing from seeds takes place according to a scheme similar to other plants. In a pot or box you need to fill in a pre-prepared substrate, after which, using the seal, put the seed in it. Sowing should be covered with a “lid” of glass or cling film and placed in a warm place. After seed germination, the “lid” must be removed, and the container with the plant should be moved to a well-lit place.
When the first 2 leaves appear, you should make a pick according to the 3 × 3 pattern, and after 30 days - another pick, already according to the 6 × 6 pattern. After 15 days, top dressing is performed, and after another 30 days, picking of plants growing from different seeds into separate pots is performed. The final stage - after 30 days, the plants are transplanted into the open ground.
Dividing the bush
This method of reproduction consists in dividing an existing flower. The bush must be dug out of the ground and cut into several parts so that each of them has shoots and roots. Each of the obtained parts must be placed in a separate pot, where the plant will continue its life.
Possible problems
In addition to disturbing the living conditions, begonia, like other plants, is afraid of problems such as diseases and pests.
Did you know? In the Himalayas, begonia is used as a seasoning in many dishes. The leaves of this flower are eaten.
Diseases
There are many answers to the question of why begonia does not bloom, and one of them is disease. The most common diseases include:
- Powdery mildew - occurs when there is an excessive amount of water in the soil. It appears in the form of brown spots on the leaves. The disease must be fought by removing infected leaves, after which the plant is treated with fugicide.
- Gray rot - occurs at high humidity and high temperatures. The leaves become covered with white spots, then begin to rot and crumble. For treatment, treatment of the aerial part of begonia with a 1% solution of Bordeaux fluid is used, as well as a decrease in humidity.
- Bacterial spotting - small watery spots appear on the leaves, leading to the death of the flower. This disease is incurable, therefore, only prevention is used. For this purpose, 5% copper chloride is used.
In addition, the lack of flowering may be due to lack of nutrients. In such cases, the problem can be solved by fertilizing the plant.Pests
Common pests that parasitize on begonias are thrips and spider mites. The first can get with new plants brought from the store. If they appear, the pot with the affected flower is removed from the rest of the flowers and treated with insecticides for several weeks in a row, and the place where it used to be stood is disinfected and washed well.
Ticks start at low humidity - the air becomes too dry. They are easy to identify by the web and white dots on the inside of the leaves. To combat them, begonia should be washed with soap or dishwashing detergent in warm water, and then treated with insecticides. Coral begonia is an unpretentious flower. It does not require serious care, and thanks to beautiful flowers it can become a real gem of any flower garden.
