Rex begonias are a colourful addition to your indoor or patio potted plants. Ive cut each vein about an inch from the central vein in the photo above. Place in a brightly lit, 60 to 70 degree F room and keep the soil moist but not soggy. But because they propagate so easily, it's a simple matter to keep a steady supply of healthy plants by creating new plants from cuttings. They frequently have large leaves (up to 6 inches long) that are brightly colored in various shades of green, red, silver, and even purple. To create this article, volunteer authors worked to edit and improve it over time. Rex Begonia Crispy Leaves Just as Begonia's do not do well if overwatered, it is also important to ensure that your plant does not dry out and die of thirst. % of people told us that this article helped them. After you've resolved the initial problem, prune your plant from the top-down, removing the leggy parts. How to Divide 45 Favorite Perennials Stick the leaf petioles or wedges into the soil, and slip the tray into a plastic bag. The soil should always be moist. This is a common method for dividing hardy begonias. Temperature and Humidity It grows about 6 inches tall and wide. Rex begonias like bright, indirect light year-round. Are Begonia Rex Plants Poisonous? - Study Nature Rex Begonia | Costa Farms "I've been losing all my beautiful leaves off most of my favorite plants! Water sparingly and allow to drain. This beautiful plant was introduced to cultivation in 1952 and has puckered leaves with a dark cross in the middle. Place this in a warm area of your home, but out of the path of direct sunlight. There are a few different methods that can be used to propagate rex begonias, but the most common is stem propagation. The problem is that a rex begonia with some leaves bitten off is really a disaster on the gardening front. If you give them more than an inch, theyll take a mile, and in this case, the mile in question is straight up. But doing this can mean accidentally over-watering your plant, which makes using fast-draining soil super important. Follow our step-by-step guide to dividing rex begonias and create the perfect gift for friends and family, while ensuring the continued health of your own plant. Rhizomatous begonias such as the rex begonia can be easily propagated by. Its both economical and satisfying to watch your sad, leggy begonia transform into a thriving swarm of new plants. Your begonia, regardless of variety, requires partial shade to bright, indirect light to thrive. As with other begonias, the rex and other foliage begonias prefer the same humid, gentle environment in which understory ferns thrive. Maintain the soil moist until new growth emerges. How to propagate Begonia | From leaves or cuttings Rex begonias can be bought at the following online retailers: Logees, Amazon and Etsy, and many other online and offline shops. How to divide begonia tubers - Patient Gardener Other varieties may not require as much vigorous pruning, but even the most delicate begonia will benefit from having its overgrown stalks and stems trimmed back. http://www.gardengatemagazine.com/articles/how-to/divide/how-to-propogate-rex-begonias-from-leaf-cuttings/?epik=dj0yJnU9X0NGUGk3bDdwbWdZUk16SVNJRVFuczRFUVMxYzdmaDUmcD0wJm49RDgtMjg5UmhGOVN6WlBLNlVNbGsydyZ0PUFBQUFBR0hmWWp3, How to Root Succulents with Leaf Cuttings, How to Propagate Rex Begonias from Leaf Cuttings. The cutting should then be placed in a clean pot filled with moistened potting mix. Avoid direct sunlight, but any location with good diffuse light will encourage your begonia to bloom with an abundance of alluring foliage. Then, to keep the cuts in contact with the mix, start pushing T-pins through the leaf into the soil. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. All rights reserved. But they will also let you know if they feel that their water, light, and soil conditions are a bit off for their liking. University of Connecticut Home and Garden Information Center. Garden Guides | How to Divide Wax Begonias Post #8301529 Quote CindyMzone5 Hobart, IN Jan 10, 2011 Should I try to evenly divide the roots so that all of the clumps have some roots? But don't let the soil become overly dry or the plant will begin to wither. 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. 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. How to Transplant a Begonia | DoItYourself.com They thrive in full sun and well-drained soil that is kept moist during the growing season (spring through autumn). When shopping for a new pot, choose one that is only an inch (2.5cm) or so wider across the top. It isnt too good to be true! If the begonia will be transplanted to an outdoors location, prepare the soil about 7 to 10 to days before planting by adding aged manure or compost and mix into the soil. Begonias are some of my favorite indoor plants. Rex begonias are beautiful and easy to propagate from leaf cuttings. Plus, you want to trap in moisture so itll grow quicker. Learn how from The Urban Gardener, Alan Creach of Creach Greenhouse and The Plant Farm.In this video, Alan refers to root tone, which is the same type of product as Bonide Rooting Power, which is what we currently use and recommend at The Plant Farm. The first thing you do is to dig up your Rex Begonia plant. Cut the leaf and stem from the main plant, then take off the leaf stem and throw it away so youre left with just the leaf. If there are several plants in one pot, they will crowd together. A very well draining potting mix with added sand and perlite. Use warm water in a misting bottle. With a moderate growth rate, rex begonias may grow to less than 12 inches in a year. Needed good info to prune and appreciate this info as I am not as good a plant person as my sister who gave me this plant. Begonias shed their lower leaves as they grow older. Cissus discolor, also known as rex begonia vine, is an evergreen, perennial, flowering trailing plant in the grape or family Vitaceae native to Southeast Asia, . Grow them there until theyre big enough to put in the garden or transplant into more permanent pots. But if all the roots are rotten, there isnt anything you can do for the plant. Provide the plant with plenty of bright indirect sun, but keep it out of direct sunlight and rotate frequently to expose it to equal light on all sides. Cultivars which are usually derived from Begonia tuberhybrida are a favourite of gardeners for their bright colours and long flowering season. Then spray your Begonia down with the oil. How to Grow Begonia Rex - Healthbenefitstimes.com Gather the items on the "Materials & Tools" list above. It needs bright but indirect sunlight and the soil should always be slightly moist. Begonia Listada Plant Care Best Practices, Scarlet Begonia (Begonia Coccinea) Best Care Tips | Plantophiles, [] The leaf surface has a mixture of colors ranging from green grass ting to red. Taxon 67(2): 267-323. Above: Moist soil, happy begonia. Begonia rex Putz. This is especially true in warmer weather more on that later. Unlike other houseplants, bigger plant pots are better. How to Propagate Rex Begonias from Leaf Cuttings | Garden Gate Dig up the begonia and then look to see where it naturally sections. Here are some tips for the most common plant problems youll encounter. It contains soluble calcium oxalates. Use a sharp knife and divide into as many pieces as you like, as long as each piece has at least one bud on it. Theyre full of chemicals, so its important to test an area of your plant before using it. We may receive a commission from sales referred by our links; however, we How to Water Houseplants Can Rex Begonias Be Cut Back - WHYIENJOY Soil Airy, light, fast-draining soil is best for rex begonias. See those tiny plants unfurling? They thrive on humidity but be careful if misting leaves that they don't stay too wet and encourage powdery mildew. Jenny Harrington has been a freelance writer since 2006. Rex Begonia Propagation -The Plant Farm - YouTube Clip just above growth nodes to give the plant something to work with as it grows new leaves. Begin by removing the tallest, thinnest stalks. Then, to keep the cuts in contact with the mix, start pushing T-pins through the leaf into the soil. If it has, remove the rotten roots. Because their leaf markings are so beautiful, rex begonia growers often remove the small, inconspicuous flowers when they appear, as they can detract from the foliage display. They can also become sprawling because fast-growing stems frequently lack the strength to keep their heads up. How to Propagate Begonia Rex in Water by using a single leaf | plant Guide To Care For Begonia Rex | Harper's Nurseries In most cases, it is easiest to divide a perennial plant by first digging and lifting the entire plant. Step 1: Gather your materials for propagating rex begonias. A Begonia rex needs porous fast-draining soil using peat moss, perlite, and vermiculite. Cut the tuber with a sharp knife directly between the two stems. Rex begonias are a colourful addition to your indoor or patio potted plants. These flowers have a slight resemblance to roses. The plant requires less water during winter, when it often enters a dormant . - . 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. Keep your leaf cutting near 70 degrees and give it plenty of humidity. Use a sharp knife and divide into as many pieces as you like, as long as each piece has at least one bud on it. If you do this too often, it can create powdery mildew. When a previously lush and leafy specimen produces an excess of stems and stalks, it shoots up until its nothing more than a tuft of greenery on a long bundle of sticks. For a Begonia, use regular houseplant fertilizer at half strength every two to three weeks in spring and summer. Expect one or two plants per cut. . Tuberous begonias | UMN Extension I am going to walk you through how to propagate Begonia using root division and through leaf cuttings. The leaves are hairy and wavy. It was published in 1857. How to Propagate Rex Begonias | Home Guides | SF Gate Pruning and pinching will help you concentrate the growth of your plant and make it denser and bushier. You start by filling a tray with smooth pebbles. Po each piece into individual pots of new compost, making sure each portion of rootball is planted at the same depth it was originally. Remove the lower leaves on each cutting, leaving the upper one or two leaves. You have to remove all the infected leaves, so it doesnt spread. Cissus discolor: How to Grow and Care for the Rex Begonia Vine Fill the plant pot with porous and fast-draining soil. The biggest way to prevent plant pests is to examine all new plants before you bring them into your home. This moisture goes straight to your plant since it sits atop the water source. How to Make a Kokedama. Fill an 8-inch diameter pot with well-draining soil mix. Because of its thick stems, this Begonia is known as a fibrous Begonia. Cover your container with its dome or plastic wrap. The most toxic parts of this plant grow underground. Begonia rex 'Putzey' came into cultivation as a stowaway plant that germinated on an orchid which was imported into England at the height of the Victorian plant collecting fever. Get rid of these infected leaves right away. Managine Pests in Gardens: BegoniaBegoniaspp. (Begonia rex Magic Colours) A stem cutting should be two to four inches in length and come from a healthy plant. To do this, you want to cover the leaf-cutting in plastic wrap. Spray your plant down every three weeks or so. Begonia Propagation: Rooting Begonias From Cuttings - Gardening Know How The best temperature is 65-75F (18-24C). Start as many leaves as will fit in your tray or pot without the leaves touching. Begonia tubers increase in size each year and after three years or so, the flower display will begin to deteriorate. Porous soil allows excess water to drain instead of holding onto all that unneeded water. Once you see the plant roots coming through the pots drainage holes, its time to re-pot it. While this may appear barbaric, it will prompt your blushing beauty to produce not one, but two new sprouts from the trimmed tip. When peat moss is unavailable, Ive had success substituting coir or sphagnum moss for it in this blend. The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Painted-leaf begonia can be propagated in different ways, including: Leaf cuttings; Stem cuttings; Dividing the rhizome; Of the three, the most common is leaf cutting because it requires less work to set up. Here are some other cool Begonia species to check out. Stem cuttings are very simple. You dont want it to take off again, so keep an eye on it. They can take up to 6 weeks to emerge, so be patient. Besides a pest infestation, there may be other reasons why the leaves are wilting, including the following: Rex begonias are one of the easiest houseplants to care for and happy in many conditions. In worst-case scenarios, it can kill your pet. 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. Cut the germinated tubers longitudinally, each with 1 to 2 buds, and plant in a pot after the incision is dried. The water will evaporate over time, keeping humidity in the air at all times. Common Issues with Strawberry Begonia. Lush Garden 5.95K subscribers 108K views 2 years ago #begoniarex #waterpropagation #begoniarex. This is it! The best light for rex begonia vine when growing indoors. With a sharp spade, cut a piece off. This is because the leaves are covered in calcium oxalate crystals. Tiny White Bugs In Soil The Truth Revealed! The easiest method is to buy a humidifier. These leaves are arranged in an asymmetrical manner on the stems. Prefers partial shade and organically rich, moist but well-drained soils. Remove the begonia from its container and gently tease the roots apart, position it in the pot and backfill around it. 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. Make sure you pack the soil tightly around the cutting. Step 3: Cut the rex begonia leaf. wikiHow is a wiki, similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. Use liquid fertilizer weekly at quarter strength or at half strength every two weeks. 2023 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Media, All Rights Reserved. Fading leaves on a Begonia rex indicate too much direct sunlight. Remove the stem with a sharp knife and slice the leaf into wedges, each piece with a main vein. A systemic fungicide can help. Pot in well-draining soil and feed with a balanced fertilizer in the spring and early summer months. Leave them in place until they start to get in the way. 1. long stem cutting from a healthy Begonia Rex. Take a close look at the shape of your begonia first. . Divide the plant by prising the root ball apart from the top, being careful to keep buds on each section. Plant with the flat or concave section of the root facing up. Now you care for the new plant like you do the mother, Rex. Silver Limbo is a compact, small-leafed variety that offers beautiful metallic-silver foliage that has purple-red backsides. I mist mine daily and water the soil once a week. Propagating Begonia rex. There are a few plant pests that love the Begonia rex. Whats more, dividing rex begonias reinvigorates them and makes them grow better. Rex Begonia Care Indoors (Simple Tips For Success) When the plants are 3 inches tall and have at least two leaves, theyre ready to lift. Another method involves spritzing the leaves of your plant now and then. How to Propagate Begonia Rex in Water by using a single leaf | plant Propagating Experiments. Find out how, in our step-by-step guide. You can use a mixture of perlite, vermiculite and peat moss, if you prefer. For a previously leggy plant, a good all-purpose balanced liquid fertilizer is ideal. Water when the top 1" of soil becomes almost dry about once a week. The original leaf probably will have torn apart and may have even disintegrated. a Few Hardy Begonias @ Jun 1, 2021 - Rex begonias make excellent house plants, and are easy to divide so you can gift them to friends. I like to take leaf cuttings because its so fascinating to watch a single leaf sprout a whole bunch of babies. It isnt too good to be true! They assume that the plant needs more water. This article will show you the easiest way to propagate a rex begonia leaf. Humidifiers allow you to adjust the humidity as needed. Plantophiles.com is a participant in affiliate advertising programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to affiliates. Water when the top 1 of soil becomes almost dry about once a week. Another interesting andbeautiful begonia is B.masoniana, also known as the Iron Cross begonia. Cover your container with its dome or plastic wrap. And the soil should be porous and fast-draining soil. He is a professional writer whose articles on plants and horticulture have appeared in national and regional newspapers and magazines. Rex begonias grow from a rhizome, which is a root system that sprouts buds and roots to grow into the plant. You can also propagate rex begonia from water. Divide rex begonia in early spring right before the plant begins growing again. Learn more Rex begonias are striking known as painted-leaf begonias or fancy-leaf begonias because of their stunning leaf coloration. My begonia is so leggy that I wonder if when I cut it I can cut the stems several times to propagate them? Pests love hopping from one plant to another. Plantophiles 2023 |UpVision GmbH | Privacy Policy | About us, Common Problems with the Begonia Rex (Pests and Diseases), Your Begonia Rex has Crispy Leaves or is Losing Leaves, Your Begonia Rex has Silver or Grey Spores, Your Begonia Rex has a White Powdery Substance. How to propagate Begonia Rex from stem cuttings Take 4-6 in. When you cut a leaf, make sure the leaf-cutting has three inches of the petiole attached. So, they water the plant more and more. These cuts (and the stem cut) are where the new plantlets will form. Begonias are prone to fungal infections, and bleach kills any lurkers. Youll only need to refill the tray with water once its empty. Consider using a systemic fungicide. Use regular houseplant fertilizer tri-weekly diluted to half-strength. Because they are susceptible to fungal infections, it is a good idea to limit the opportunity for those pesky diseases to establish a foothold in potting soils. 4. Start as many leaves as will fit in your tray or pot without the leaves touching. You should only fertilize this plant during the growing season when new growth emerges. A leggy begonia, like an adolescent, is one that is rapidly growing. So what are you waiting for? Its important to pay careful attention to your plant so you can fix any problems as they arise. Water Rex begonias require regular water, but be careful not to overwater them. Published: Wednesday, 26 August, 2020 at 3:06 pm. Creach Greenhouse and The Plant Farm are family owned and operated. Here is where you will find the Rex begonias, Dragon Wing begonias, and other specialty ones like Eyelash begonias. Dividing and conquering the fastest-growing genus: Towards a natural sectional classification of the mega-diverse genus Begonia (Begoniaceae). They come in various colors, the most common color being green. Develop the tech skills you need for work and life. The salt from the fertilizer can build up in the soil, causing serious fertilizer burn. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 38,009 times. How to propagate Rex Begonia in water? #begoniarex #waterpropagation Its much easier to propagate begonias from leaves, and you can do this with most kinds of begonias.To make babies from leaf, start by snipping a few healthy leaves from your favorite begonia. Well walk you through both methods step-by-step down below. High humidity isnt necessary for a Rex begonia. This article is about how to care for Begonia rex. Compact grow lights are very common and simple to use and will provide your begonia with the light levels it requires to stay in one place rather than legging it off in search of a brighter day. Fill the tray with damp potting mix and youre ready for the fun part taking the cuttings! After you've placed your Begonia Rex seedlings into holes in the soil, cover them with soil and water them generously.