By Johnbrierley
United Kingdom
I have a plant labelled 'Betulia' which I suspect is a variety of begonia. How should I treat it over winter?
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begonias page
- 13 Jul, 2010
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This is Begonia x hiemalis Betulia - one of the Elatior group of Begonia hybrids - which are produced in bulk in Holland and widely sold over here as short-lived summer bedding plants.
They are not winter hardy and won't tolerate temps much below 10°C. Although they technically are perennial plants they are almost always treated as annuals. You can try over-wintering indoors as a house-plant by withholding water and allowing the plant to rest for 6 weeks once new flowers are no longer being produced. Then cut all stems back to 2 or 3 leaf nodes, and watering again to encourage re-growth. Another alternative is to over-winter as new, young plants from leaf cuttings.
13 Jul, 2010