The Rex Begonia requires bright but indirect sunlight. By dividing/propagating plants you can continue to enjoy them throughout the years. Make sure you pack the soil tightly around the cutting. Your plant will get plenty of sun but it wont receive direct sunlight. One of our favorite methods for creating high humidity is the pebble tray method. 2023 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Media, All Rights Reserved. Sow so the surface of the tuber is right at or right beneath soil level. It grows 8 inches tall and wide. Harrington's specialties include small business information, crafting, decorating and gardening. Begonia rexis the basis for many hundreds of hybrids, and its forms are too numerous to count. Let the soil dry between waterings and avoid overwatering as it may cause fungal diseases or rot. . Repot your begonias only when they are completely root-bound. I have a question. 3. Begonia rex Taxonomy ID: 200043 (for references in articles please use NCBI:txid200043) current name. Why are the leaves on my Begonia rex fading? You Might Also Like: Rhizomatous begonias such as the rex begonia can be easily propagated by. Beefsteak geranium,King begonia,painted-leaf begonia,Rex begonia. Clip just above growth nodes to give the plant something to work with as it grows new leaves. External Information Resources (NCBI . Make sure you sterilize the pruning shears with isopropyl alcohol. But you can also propagate this plant through leaf cuttings. Begonia fungicide is available at garden centres. Cane begonias should be pruned on a regular basis to encourage a thicker growth, and other varieties benefit from having their excessively straggly growth removed as well. The Begonia is a stunning houseplant with colored leaves that grows from a rhizome. You can care for the leaf-cutting as you do the original Begonia rex. To fix a leggy begonia, first, determine what is causing the overgrowth and then correct it by increasing light, temperature, or changing the plant's pot. Expect one or two plants per cut. Do you want to save any of the leaf patches? When the water evaporates, it creates moisture in the air. Get daily tips & tricks to help make your best home, The 5 'It' Plants of 2021, According to the Pros, 10 Varieties of Begonias for Gardens and Containers, 9 Great Foliage Plants for Container Gardens, How to Grow and Care for Begonia Maculata, 34 Best Plants That Grow in Water Indoors, How to Grow and Care for Black Bat Flower, How to Grow and Care for Persian Silk Trees, Northeastern India, southern China, and Vietnam. I am going to walk you through how to propagate Begonia using root division and through leaf cuttings. Your plant cannot photosynthesize and produce food if it is not exposed to light. This article has been viewed 38,009 times. Move your plant to a shadier area. Cover the whole cutting and pot with a plastic bag to help maintain the proper moisture levels needed for a begonia. Pests love hopping from one plant to another. Begonias, according to conventional wisdom, benefit from smaller-than-average pots. Insert the cuttings in moist, free-draining potting mix and place the set up in a warm, shaded place. It needs bright but indirect sunlight and the soil should always be slightly moist. Finally, pinch back stray leaves on a regular basis to keep your begonia lush. Remove the stem with a sharp knife and slice the leaf into wedges, each piece with a main vein. Rex begonias can also be propagated by pinning a leaf to the bedding mix and making small incisions in the leaf veins or by inserting a leaf (with a petiole) directly into the soil. How to propagate Rex Begonia in water? A systemic fungicide can help. These mites arent actual insects but arachnids instead. To be cautious, I always rinse all my supplies (and my hands) in a solution of 1 teaspoon bleach to 1 quart of water. When an infestation is too big for you to handle, consider pesticides. Rex-cultorum begonias can be propagated in three ways, based on their type: by softwood cuttings, by leaf cuttings, or by dividing the rhizomes in summer. But you should always test a small area of your plant to be on the safe side. When we say a plant is leggy, we mean that its growth is concentrated in its stems. Plant with the flat or concave section of the root facing up. Allow fleshy cuts to dry for an hour before potting. Powdery mildew is a pain to get rid of, but its possible with a lot of effort. Strip off the lower leaves. . Rex begonias are herbaceous perennials in zones 10-12 so they are treated as annuals or houseplant specimens in Connecticut. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. - . Straight perlite is very easy for starting new rhizomes. Sometimes called painted-leaf begonias or fancy-leaf begonias, these plants are known for their variegated leaves. See those tiny plants unfurling? To treat this disease, remove all infected leaves on the plant. Let the surface of the soil get dry to the touch before watering. Expect one or two plants per cut. Gather the items on the "Materials & Tools" list above. The vibrant colored leaves of a Begonia Rex start to fade and look bleached when it is getting too much direct sun. Or pink with silver edges. She is a Master Gardener and lead gardener in a Plant-A-Row, which is a program that offers thousands of pounds of organically-grown vegetables to local food banks. I hang fluorescent lights 6 inches above the cuttings and leave them on about 12 hours each day until the new plants start to grow. Grow them there until theyre big enough to put in the garden or transplant into more permanent pots. Take a close look at the shape of your begonia first. You want to switch out the saturated soil for fresh, moist soil. Ingestions may lead to vomiting, kidney failure in grazing animals, and salvation in cats and dogs. Step 2: Take a leaf cutting from your rex begonia. They frequently have large leaves (up to 6 inches long) that are brightly colored in various shades of green, red, silver, and even purple. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Check for rot in your cuttings once a week. There are a few plant pests that love the Begonia rex. Soil Airy, light, fast-draining soil is best for rex begonias. Provide 50% humidity. Use a pair of sterilized pruning shears to get your leaf cutting. Remove the begonia from its container and gently tease the roots apart, position it in the pot and backfill around it. Provide 50% humidity. Rex begonias are a colourful addition to your indoor or patio potted plants. The Begonia tuberous plant creates beautiful pink flowers. Once the roots have dried, its time to plant them. Fill containers with fine-textured potting mix and moisten it. The weaker stems lean and nod, and your plant takes up more room in your arrangement. This plant is only a semi-tropical plant. You Might Also Like: Have a lovely tuberous begonia who has been blooming well since August but is leggy now in December. How to Propagate Begonia Rex in Water by using a single leaf | plant Propagating Experiments. Spider mites also feed on the sap from your plant. High humidity isnt necessary for a Rex begonia. How to propagate Begonia Rex from stem cuttings Take 4-6 in. They should always be your last resort because they contain chemicals that can harm the environment. Since you must wait for the roots to dry, prepare the plant pot. Then, place the vase or glass containing the plant in a light and warm spot to provide the perfect growing conditions. Trim the cutting to just below the next node along for cane or tuberous begonias. 2. How to split begonias? Like many other Begonias, the Begonia rex is susceptible to several plant issues. With a moderate growth rate, rex begonias may grow to less than 12 inches in a year. Step 3: Cut the rex begonia leaf. This article has been viewed 38,009 times. Cut the stem off all the way back to the base of the leaf. Cover your container with its dome or plastic wrap. Begonia rex is toxic to pets such as cats, dogs, and horses, according to ASCPA. It can affect the animals breathing and cause excessive drooling. To grow a begonia in a pot, you need to allow for growth, so ensure you choose a pot that is twice the width and depth of the plant. It suffocates the pests within only minutes. They assume that the plant needs more water. 1. Find a rex begonia leaf you want to propagate and cut it off the plant. The most common affliction from too much direct sunlight is the scorching of leaves. Step 2: Take a leaf cutting from your rex begonia. Set Up Your Apiary With the Best Beekeeping Supplies, Create a Safe Deer Feeding Station With the Best Deer Feeder, Become More Efficient With the Best Rubber Buckets, Declutter Your Outdoor Space With the Best Deck Boxes, Liven up Your Lawn With the Best Grass Paints, Create a Relaxing Sitting Space With the Best Gazebos, Optimize Your Orchids Growth With the Best Orchid Fertilizers, Improve Your Gardens Soil Health With the Best Fish Fertilizers, Relax and Unwind With the Best Inflatable Hot Tubs, Best Patio Sets to Level up Your Outdoor Space, Seclude Your Garden with the Best Outdoor Privacy Screens, Unleash Your Flower Power With the Best Fresh Flowers, Safeguard Your Equipment With the Best Riding Lawn Mower Covers, Guarantee Extra Protection With the Best Lawn Mower Covers. A Begonia rex needs porous fast-draining soil using peat moss, perlite, and vermiculite. Leave them in place until they start to get in the way. This article was last updated on 12/27/21 This will help make it stand up. Begonias shed their lower leaves as they grow older. I hang fluorescent lights 6 inches above the cuttings and leave them on about 12 hours each day until the new plants start to grow. Cuttings taken from leggy specimens are a great way to start new plants. Turn the begonia leaf back over and press it into the seed-starting mix. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/6\/6b\/IMG_20160613_180020-1.jpg\/460px-IMG_20160613_180020-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/6\/6b\/IMG_20160613_180020-1.jpg\/420px-IMG_20160613_180020-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":613,"bigWidth":420,"bigHeight":560,"licensing":"