How to Classify Begonias Using the Leaves and Stems

In case you might take a leisurely stroll throughout all the international locations close to the equator, in all of the tropical and subtropical areas, you is perhaps fortunate sufficient to witness the two,000 or so begonia species in existence rising of their native habitats within the wild.

From misty oceansides to high-elevation forests, they arrive from a various vary of climates.

It might be an thrilling journey to test all of them out. The one drawback is that you just most likely wouldn’t be capable of inform what sort you have been taking a look at from one to the following…

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Okay, so that you most likely gained’t go on a world-round wander anytime quickly, however even when you’re simply procuring at your native nursery, it could actually nonetheless be subsequent to inconceivable to determine the varied begonias on the market when you aren’t some form of knowledgeable.

Heck, even the consultants battle.

Is that this a kind of wax hybrids with large blossoms? Or is that this the sort that doesn’t flower nicely however has beautiful foliage? Perhaps it’s each?

We’re going that will help you work out learn how to determine begonias based mostly on a couple of key traits.

After analyzing the foliage and stems, you’ll be capable of confidently slim down what you’re taking a look at, no knowledgeable data required.

Right here’s what we’ll talk about to assist make that occur:

Whereas the traits of the flowers and leaves are the obvious issues we are able to take a look at on a plant, the stems and roots can provide us an excellent higher concept of the species of begonia.

We will use all 4 parts to make an informed guess concerning the id of a specific plant.

Although they fluctuate wildly in look, all begonias have alternate leaves with stipules, that are tiny constructions that develop on the base of a leafstalk.

All of them have separate feminine and male flowers, plus another qualities that solely botanists will actually care about, like inferior ovaries and centripetal stamen initiation.

Mostly cultivated varieties have asymmetrical leaves, fleshy stems, and pretty distinguished flowers. However there are exceptions. B. bogneri appears to be like extra like grass, for instance, and also you may not even discover the flowers.

Don’t fear, you don’t must memorize all this! The vital factor is to have the option to try the leaves, stems, and flowers, plus the roots, when you can.

Begonias are literally labeled by the American Begonia Society by the form of roots they’ve: fibrous, tuberous, or rhizomatous. After all, every type have some fibrous roots, however this class refers to those who solely have fibrous roots.

Let’s discuss that group first. Then, we’ll speak concerning the completely different leaves you may come throughout and learn how to categorize them.

Fibrous Rooted

Fibrous-rooted begonias have purely fibrous roots with none tuberous or rhizomatous roots.

However you don’t have to dig up the plant and study the roots to find out if that’s what you’re taking a look at. There are different clues.

Have a look at the stems and leaves for a touch.

In case your plant has stems that look form of like bamboo, which means they’re straight, have lengthy internodes, and have little bumps the place the leaves emerge from, you have got a cane-like sort.

Cane-Like

Cane-like begonias have turn out to be far more standard in recent times. I feel that needs to be as a result of they’re easygoing, and plenty of have eye-catching foliage.

Clearly, this group stands aside due to its cane-like stems that give it some resemblance to bamboo. Past the cane-like stems, you’ll be able to look to the leaves to assist outline this group.

A lot of the cane-like sorts on the business market have some quantity of silver recognizing on the highest floor and purple on the underside, with most having some purple on the higher aspect of the leaves as nicely.

The leaves emerge from a swollen node on the stem, one other attribute that lends to the bamboo-like resemblance.

For instance, angel-wing begonias just like the wildly standard B. maculata, with its lengthy leaves speckled in shiny silver dots, are on this group.

In case you see the attribute angel-wing leaf form, it’s most likely within the cane-like group, although many rex sorts have this as nicely.

Inside this group, there are three sorts: ‘Lenore Olivier,’ mallet, and Superba. There are round 80 species and 1000’s of cultivars within the cane-like group.

Most of them are grown for the foliage, however some have giant cascading clusters of pink, purple, white, or orange blossoms.

All Superba sorts have lobed or cleft leaves, silver markings, and purple coloration. These of the mallet sort are maroon or darkish pinkish-red, and people of ‘Lenore Olivier’ are smooth-edged and stable inexperienced.

In case you’re available in the market for certainly one of these, you’ll be able to carry dwelling a stupendous B. maculata plant with its polka-dot foliage in silver, inexperienced, and purple from Costa Farms.

B. maculata

It’s out there through Amazon as a 14-inch-tall plant in an ornamental pot.

Semperflorens

Traditionally, this has been the most well-liked group. Also referred to as wax begonias, these may be recognized by their thick, succulent, waxy leaves.

The foliage is often inexperienced or bronze, however some cultivars are variegated and even have white younger leaves.

Gardeners love these as a result of they bloom nonstop in vibrant pink, white, and purple. Plus, they’re comparatively drought-tolerant, and seed propagates readily.

Most that you just’ll come throughout at shops are hybrids, and B. cucullata is often one of many mother or father species.

The deep bronze leaves of ‘Viking XL’ are sufficient to advocate it, however the vibrant, inch-wide, purple flowers steal the present.

‘Viking XL’

It’s a spread that’s additionally disease-resistant, and maintains its compact form with out turning into leggy.

Nab a four-plant bundle at Burpee.

Shrub

A number of stems rising out of the bottom level to the shrub group.

It’s somewhat arduous to outline this group simply by the foliage. The leaves may be {smooth} and glossy, or bushy and velvety. So, take a look at the stems first.

There needs to be a lot of them, fairly than a single or small variety of stems. These stems must also have a lot of branches.

As a result of the foliage is so various, this group is subdivided by leaf sort. These teams are:

Naked
Distinctive
Bushy
Miniature

Naked sorts are hairless (glabrous). Bushy, after all, have advantageous hairs on both or either side. Miniatures have tiny leaves on correspondingly small vegetation.

Distinctive is form of a catch-all group for the vegetation which have uncommon or uniquely attention-grabbing leaves, like closely lobed, palmate shapes.

The shrub group is primarily grown for the foliar show, however some have fairly, long-lasting flowers, often in white however typically pink or purple.

Look at the expansion of B. metallica, as pictured above, to get a good suggestion of what they appear like.

Thick-Stemmed

This group is recognized by, after all, the thick stems, but in addition the leaf development.

Because the stems age, all of the decrease leaves drop off, leaving simply these on the tip of the stems. The foliage can appear like that of these in every other group.

Leaves may be waxy, bushy, velvety, or {smooth}, and smooth-edged, toothed, or lobed. They are often inexperienced, bronze, purple, or purple, and might need silvery markings.

Widespread hybrid cultivars and species embody B. ‘Bangles,’ B. egregia, B. ludwigii, B. rigida, B. ‘Rudy,’ B. venosa and B. vitifolia.

These are a few of the most troublesome sorts to develop as a result of they’re choosy about their situations, so that you don’t see plenty of them.

Whilst you can pinch them to encourage branching, they sometimes solely produce one or two stems with no branches, which makes them much less visually interesting to some growers. That’s another excuse why they aren’t frequent.

Trailing-Scandent

As you’ll have gathered, this group is outlined by its trailing, arching development behavior.

Some may be skilled as climbers and a few will path over a wall or pot. Many have lovely flowers, although others are grown for his or her foliage alone.

The leaves are sometimes spherical, heart-shaped, or oval, with {smooth} or toothed margins.

The floor may be {smooth} or bushy, and it might need raised areas. Most have comparatively small leaves. The flowers are often pink or purple.

B. convolvulacea, B. glabra, B. molleri, B. radicans, B. solananthera, B. thelmae, and their hybrids are the commonest sorts.

Rhizomatous

In case you have been to dig down slightly below the soil floor and do some exploring, you’d discover succulent, horizontal roots for all the begonias on this group.

These rhizomes are literally an extension of the stems of the plant rising underground.

Rex-Cultorum

That is, by far, the commonest sort of rhizomatous begonia. These may be recognized by wanting on the foliage.

It’s colourful with inexperienced, purple, purple, silver, or any mixture of those. They’ll even have reflective silver markings.

This sort may be confused with cane-like begonias, and the one manner to make certain is to take a look at the roots.

Most of those are cultivars of B. rex, of which there are over 4,000, however there are many hybrids, too. These are grown for his or her foliage and never a lot for the blooms, that are small and lack coloration in comparison with many others.

Study rising rex begonias in our information.

Upright Jointed

The vegetation on this subgroup is perhaps mistaken for cane-like sorts at first look. Past the completely different roots, these vegetation are inclined to department out greater than the cane-like sorts.

Have a look at B. diadema for a very good instance.

Tuberous

Tuberous begonias type giant tubers as a storage mechanism to get them by means of the dry season. These are sometimes grown for the massive flowers.

Now, don’t confuse ”tuberous begonias” (B. x tuberhybrida) with people who have tuberous roots.

Tuberous begonia is the frequent identify for tuberous hybrids, however there are lots of species which have tuberous roots as nicely.

The × tuberhybrida members of this group have the most important blossoms of all begonias, in addition to the most important vary of flower colours and patterns.

They’re a few of the hottest sorts, and you’ll learn all about them in our information to rising tuberous begonias.

The foliage is often giant and spherical. The leaves are darkish to medium inexperienced on the higher floor and lighter inexperienced on the underside, with or with out purple veins.

After all, there are variations, with some with toothed or lobed margins, however that’s the commonest.

Augustia

There are 12 species from tropical East Africa on this group, all with tuberous roots.

B. dregei and B. sutherlandii are the commonest in cultivation.

B. dregei has inexperienced foliage with some quantity of purple or purple, and vegetation might need white or silver spots. B. sutherlandii options pale inexperienced foliage with pink or red-tinged veins or edges.

Bolivian

B. boliviensis, referred to as Bolivian begonia, has leaves with a darkish inexperienced floor and paler inexperienced undersides, each with advantageous hairs.

They are often lanceolate to ovate and are all the time asymmetrical. Some have a toothed margin.

These vegetation have a pendulous development behavior and vibrant purple flowers.

Elatior

Also referred to as Cheimantha, Hiemalis, or Reiger, this subgroup is made up of tuberous hybrids, and it’s form of a catch-all for people who don’t slot in different teams.

Many have B. dregei, B. grandis, B. x semperflorens, or B. socotrana of their lineage.

Many are winter flowering and have plenty of pink, salmon, or purple blossoms. You’ll usually discover them offered as vacation, Christmas, or yuletide begonias.

Figuring out Begonias by Their Leaves

You completely can’t determine a begonia by the leaves alone. There are simply too many species with similar-looking leaves. However they’re a very good place to start out your investigation.

Observe essentially the most defining attribute of the foliage and go from there.

Waxy Texture

Vegetation with thick, waxy leaves are often wax sorts. It’s proper there within the identify, in spite of everything.

Much less generally, they may also be rhizomatous species or cultivars, or thick-stemmed fibrous sorts. Assume it’s a wax begonia except there’s another indication that hints in any other case.

Silvery Spots, Stripes, or Marks

These with silvery markings are often both fibrous cane-like or thick-stemmed sorts, or rhizomatous rex.

Tuberous augustia sorts can even have these markings.

Angel Wing Form

Some have leaves that appear like the angel wings depicted in traditional work by Michelangelo Caravaggio, Raphael, Vernet, and Thayer.

The leaves sometimes seem singly, so it’s important to think about that the poor angel misplaced one wing someplace alongside the way in which.

If yours has this leaf form and it’s connected to a cane-like stem, you may be positive you have got a rhizomatous, cane-like sort.

Many are hybrids or cultivars of B. aconitifolia, B. coccinea, B. listadaand, or B. maculata, to call a couple of.

Fern-Like Leaves

There are a couple of sorts on the market that look a bit like ferns. Fern begonia (B. bipinnatifida) is, by far, the commonest.

Given its adoration for decent, humid environments, it has gained a stellar status as a terrarium plant.

This rhizomatous sort has fleshy inexperienced and maroon leaves.

Strappy Leaves

Not all begonias have broad leaves. Some are slim and strappy, resembling these of lilies and even grass.

B. herbacea and B. lanceolata are rhizomatous, and sometimes confused with each other, whereas B. komoensis and B. bogneri have tubers.

Peltate Leaves

Some begonias have leaves that appear like little umbrellas, with the petiole connected to the underside of the leaf someplace close to the center.

These embody the rhizomatous B. leprosae, with its hairless, asymmetrical inexperienced leaves and small flowers, in addition to B. sudjanae with its mild inexperienced, bushy asymmetrical foliage.

Palmate Leaves

If the leaves of the plant appear like the palm of a hand with an odd variety of finger-like leaflets, it’s most likely fibrous B. aconitifolia, tuberous B. dregei, fibrous B. luxurians, rhizomatous B. palmata, or one of many many rex hybrids.

So Many Begonias, So Little Time

Alright, so even essentially the most skilled begonia grower struggles from time to time to determine what they’re taking a look at, however hopefully, you’re feeling a bit higher outfitted to get on the market and determine away.

So long as you’ll be able to take a look at the roots, stems, and leaves, you’re armed with the instruments it is advisable to do some sleuthing.

What do the leaves and stems of your plant appear like? Are you having hassle narrowing it down? Tell us within the feedback and share some footage with us, and perhaps we can assist!

Then, proceed in your begonia journey by testing a couple of of our different guides subsequent:

Photographs by Kristine Lofgren © Ask the Specialists, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for extra particulars. Product pictures through Burpee and Costa Farms. Uncredited pictures: Shutterstock.