This ornamental plant was brought from tropical India. Evergreen, with large serrated leaves, the royal begonia prefers warmth, is not demanding on lighting, and once a year pleases the hosts with pink flowers. It usually grows no higher than 60-70 centimeters. On an asymmetric sheet, a spiral pattern is clearly visible. Another name for the culture is begonia rex or Napoleon's ear.
Botanical Description
The royal royal begonia is a racemose herbaceous plant of the begonia family. The stalk is thick and juicy, lying, usually lowered down. Large, up to 25 centimeters in length, leaves of characteristic coloring are asymmetrically located throughout the trunk. Fancy spirals of dark green, silver, purple colors. Varieties with almost black, brown and bright raspberry spots are found. Rex blooms once a year with large delicate pink inflorescences located on a short stalk.
Popular varieties
Growers have long had favorites among varieties. These varieties are particularly decorative and perfectly adapted to life in a city apartment.
| View name | Specific traits |
| Begonia Bauer | Tuberous variety to be extracted from the soil for the winter. A low, up to 25 cm, plant with an erect stem and large asymmetric leaves. Flowers come in all shades from red to white. |
| Begonia nude | Long creeping trunks with rooting in knots. The foliage is medium-sized, egg-shaped. Inflorescences are small racemose. Popular with owners of winter gardens. |
| Begonia Arthur Mallet | A hanging long stalk with light green rounded leaves with contrasting burgundy or raspberry spots at the petiole. A common hybrid variety. |
| Rich begonia | Perennial plant with a short thick stem. Large egg-shaped leaves combine shades from light olive to silver. The flowers are a little creamy white. |
It is better to choose varieties in accordance with the interior design and individual aesthetic preferences. The photo will help you navigate in all its diversity.
Content Rules
Growing a royal begonia at home is simple and even a beginner grower can do. Mainly care is to provide the flower with a comfortable viewing environment.
Humidity
Since the plant is of tropical origin, it is quite demanding on the water content in the air. In the conditions of a city apartment with central heating, it is better to provide additional moisture, for example, by placing a decorative fountain, an ultrasonic spray of water suspension or placing a flower pot on a pallet with raw expanded clay.
Spraying can damage the leaves and lead to loss of decorative qualities or decay.
Watering
Drying of an earthen coma should not be allowed. The soil should always be moderately moist. Overflow threatens the flower with diseases. If the variety hibernates in a pot, pour it with warm water.
Shine
Begonia rex does not tolerate exposure to direct sunlight. Optimal lighting is bright but diffused. Placing the pot near windows with eastern and western orientations will help provide the flower with comfortable daylight sufficient for proper vegetation.
Temperature
The plant tolerates heat and cold heavily. The average temperature in the room should be in the range of + 18- + 25 degrees. There is no need to provide winter lowering. The flower itself regulates periods of active growth and dormancy.
Priming
Begonias love light nutrient-rich soils with a neutral acid-base balance.
Ready mixes are sold in specialized stores, but you can make it yourself by collecting a mix of sheet earth, humus, peat and sand in a ratio of 2: 3: 1: 1 according to the recipe.
Transplantation
The plant requires a transplant once a year. This is best done in early spring while it is at rest. The capacity is needed 1-3 cm more than the previous one, wide and shallow, since the root system of the begonia is fibrous, located close to the surface.
When moving, it is important not to deepen the stem base, in order to avoid rotting. Do not forget about the drainage of the pot. Excess moisture should be easily removed, for this a layer of expanded clay or pebbles is laid on the bottom, and a sufficient amount of river sand or vermiculite is added to the soil itself.
Fertilizer
Top dressing should be carried out during the period of active growth from mid-spring to late summer. It will be enough to water the begonia twice a month with a solution of complex mineral mixtures. Closer to autumn, fertilizers with a low nitrogen and potassium content are preferred.
Organic is also good for enriching the soil. Fermented horse or cow manure is diluted with water 1: 5 and the flower is watered about once a month.
Formation
Before the period of active growth begins, around the end of February, pinch the tips of the shoots, and overgrown roots are tucked into the pot. Thanks to this manipulation, several new shoots from sleeping buds are formed, and the flower itself acquires a lush and aesthetic appearance.
Begonia propagation
The flower reproduces beautifully both by seeds and vegetatively. Each method has a number of features that must be considered.
You can get new plants:
- Growing from seeds. To do this, wait for the flowering and maturation of the bolls to end.
- Cuttings of leaves and stems. The material is cut off, treated with a tool that stimulates the development of the root system, and digged into the ground. To maintain sufficient humidity, you can cover the cuttings with a film.
- Rooting of leaf particles. To obtain planting material, the sheet is cut into triangles with a juicy vein on top of each. They are pressed tightly to the ground and covered with cling film. In a few weeks, new shoots will appear.
- The separation of rhizomes. Usually, when transplanting, part of the roots are separated, which are buried in loose moist soil. Soon, new shoots will appear from the sleeping buds.
Begonia bauerCultivation Errors and Pathogens
Royal Rex is most susceptible to rot and mold. Overflow or residual moisture on the leaves leads to the formation of foci of fungal and bacterial damage. It is very difficult to cure a diseased plant. You can try to save the flower by intentionally drying the surrounding air and treating it with fungicides. Heavily affected stems and leaves will have to be cut.
If the rot began to rise from the root, you have to destroy begonia.
Too dry, hot or cold air leads to the fact that the leaves begin to lose color and dry at the edges. After the microclimate is restored, the plant will regain full strength and beauty.
If it is weakened, parasites can choose it. The spider mite, scale insect, thrips and aphids are capable in a few days not to leave anything from the flower.
To get rid of pests, you need to mechanically remove their accumulations, thoroughly wash the leaves and stems with soapy water and then repeatedly treat with a specialized insecticide.
Mr. Dachnik recommends: begonia rex - a doctor for asthmatics
Thanks to the large fleshy leaves, Rex perfectly purifies the air. It emits a lot of oxygen and active volatile. It was possible to find out that in the room where some varieties grow, the concentration of Staphylococcus aureus is reduced.
It is useful for people with asthma to have such a flower at home. It has antimicrobial properties, reduces the risk of allergies, increases immunity.
Humidified air, so necessary for plant health, prevents the formation of flying dust particles in the air and makes breathing easier.
According to signs, begonia helps people with creative professions and contributes to a favorable atmosphere at home.
