Bonfire Begonia

Other Names: Cane, Angel Wing

Group/Class: Wax Begonia

Ornamental Features:

Bonfire Begonia features dainty nodding tomato-orange bell-shaped flowers at the ends of the stems from mid spring to mid fall. It's attractive serrated narrow leaves remain green in colour with distinctive red edges throughout the year. The fruit is not ornamentally significant.

Landscape Attributes:

Bonfire Begonia is an herbaceous evergreen annual bedding plant with a trailing habit of growth, eventually spilling over the edges of hanging baskets and containers. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.

This is a high maintenance annual bedding plant that will require regular care and upkeep, and usually looks its best without pruning, although it will tolerate pruning. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Disease
• Insects

Bonfire Begonia is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Container Planting
• General Garden Use
• Border Edging
• Mass Planting
• Hanging Baskets

Plant Characteristics:

Bonfire Begonia will grow to be about 20 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 20 inches. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. Although it's not a true annual, this plant can be expected to behave as an annual in our climate if left outdoors over the winter, usually needing replacement the following year.

This annual bedding plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It requires an evenly moist well-drained soil for optimal growth, but will die in standing water. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone over the growing season to conserve soil moisture. This plant can be propagated by cuttings.

This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid.