The legend of the ancient Chinese says that the tears of the girl in love, spilled on the ground, turned into a beautiful flower, which is begonia. The native land of the plant is not exactly established.
Named after a friend
Over a thousand species are botanists in the genus Begonias in the family of the same name. For the first time the plant was described by the Frenchman (botanist and monk) S. Plume in the distant year 1687, who named after the friend of M. Begon, governor of Haiti, the flower of begonia. The homeland of the plant is the subtropical and tropical geographic zones of the globe, South America, the western regions of Africa, Asia (the Eastern Himalayas, mountainous regions and south of India, the Ceylon Islands and the Malay Archipelago). It should be noted that in Australia in its natural form, despite its proximity to Malaysia, begonia does not grow.
Studies have established a related relationship between African and American plant species. Despite the fact that Africa has only 3 places in the world in terms of the number of species growing here, scientists believe that it was from this continent that the begonia spread throughout the continent. The native land of a plant of domesticated species, most likely - in places of growth of natural. The primacy in the emergence of hybrid tuberous begonias belongs to Belgium.
Variants of classifications
The common botanical classification of various forms of the Begoniev family has not been found. In nature it is shrubs, upright and climbing, herbaceous and ampelian plants. Begonia home - the same variety of forms. In the first approximation, cultural varieties are divided into ornamental-deciduous and ornamental-flowering. The most common are flowering begonias. But the fascinating beauty of the leaves finds its admirers. In domestic floriculture conditional division of house begonias on tuberous and shrubby is carried out.
Domestic tuber begonia
The main external sign and main advantage of begonias of this most fashionable kind is abundant luxury of simple and double flowers. Admire the plants, competing in form with roses, peonies, carnations. Another feature of them is hidden in the soil - a tuberous rhizome. Appeared not so long ago (1870), tuberous begonia. The birthplace of this semi-hybrid or hybrid plant is Belgium. The creator, who pointed the way to other breeders-begoniests, was Louis Van Gutt, co-authored with nature, created the first mahr variety.
Large-flowered varieties
Hybrid begonias of Rasa Elathior Rieger group are resistant to fungal lesions and short-term - a 9-hour day for the development of axillary kidneys. This includes such varieties: Kyoto (begonia white, medium-sized, with large, dense flowers), Louise (light cream with pink, tall).
The Ras Gluar group up to Lauren characterizes the compactness of stunted plants with small leaves and generous multicolored. Famous varieties with pink flowers: Carolina, Marina, Egers Favorit, Competitor, Rosemary.
Semi-hybrid begonias differ in variety of colors, they can be simple, semi-double and double-shaped. Sometimes on a single plant there are simple and double flowers. The popular name of this begonia is Ivan-da-Marya (fluffy - masculine, ordinary - female flowers). In size they can be giant (up to 20 cm in diameter), large-flowered (from 8 to 10 cm in diameter), multi-flowered (from 3 to 5 cm). Identify pink, pion-shaped, narcissus and other forms. The most famous varieties from large-flowered: Dark Red (dark red), Orange (the color visually confirms the name), Rose (pink), Scarlett (pink-scarlet), Yellow (yellow), White (white). The multicolor variety is Dark Scarlett (dark pink).
How to grow begonia
Plants are grown from seeds, tubers and cuttings (leaf or stem pieces). Seeds are very small, they are sown without planting, sprouts need to wait a month or two, dive at least two times, the necessary temperature for germination is about 25 degrees. Tubers can be divided, but at the same time observe the sterility of the tool and substrate, fresh cut must be dipped in powdered activated carbon.
Sterility is also necessary for propagation. Leaf cuttings root in sand or in a mixture of sand and moss (proportion 1: 4), pressing stones to the substrate. On a slice of a sheet, incisions are made at venation sites. Cuttings from the stem first root in the water. A necessary condition for all types of reproduction is the optimum soil moisture. Dry soil and air plants can not stand (do not forget, their homeland - the tropics). But with excessive moisture, they can simply rot.
Do not forget about the good scattered lighting (for lighting it is enough to apply a lamp at 60 W). It is necessary to periodically ventilate the cuttings covered with a jar. There is a ban on cold water for wet procedures when spraying an earthy coma with seeds or cuttings, watering buried tubers. Ideal soil is a mixture of turf, leaf land, humus, peat and sand in a ratio of 3: 1/4: 1/2: 1.5: 1. Peat is especially necessary for tuber begonia. It requires the acidity of the soil in the pH range of 6-6.5. Most begonias do not like turning the pot.