Birds And Bees - Begonia Botany

Day 328: Today we have a little basic botany, i.e., the "birds and bees" of Begonias. If you've ever grown tuberous Begonias, you may have noticed that some of the flowers have only a single whorl of petals while others are lush and full. There's nothing wrong with your plant. The difference is just that which exists between the "boys and girls" of the Begonia world. The male flowers (bottom left) are double and put on an ostentatious display. Female flowers (top left) are single, and if you look at the back side of the blossom, you'll see the winged ovaries (right). In the case of Begonias, the ovaries are referred to as "inferior," meaning they occur beneath the flower. In other species of plants (Sunflowers, for example), the ovaries may be "superior," positioned above the petals. Tuberous begonias generally produce clusters of two female flowers and one male. Many growers pinch out the female flowers to encourage stronger development of the males, but I have never felt the need. Every year, I pot up a tuberous Begonia for my front steps and never have a shortage of flowers. Tubers can be dug and wintered over in a cool, dry location.

Porch Light

Day 204: I got it in my craw to make a trip to Watson's Nursery today in the hopes of finding a hardy fuschia to entertain the hummingbirds and as is so frequently the case, came out with more than I'd intended to buy. There aren't many stores where I have that problem: only nurseries and the occasional well-equipped tackle shop. Among my day's modest purchases at Watson's was a new "porch light," a brilliant yellow Non-Stop Begonia.

The color varies from year to year, but visitors to my home can always expect to see a tuberous begonia on the front porch step during the months of summer. These carefree plants are so rewarding! Give them morning sun and adequate water, and the blooms will simply burst with color. Some (such as the red one I grew last year and this yellow variety) have darker foliage. The male flowers are abundantly petalled, and the female (single) blooms should be pinched out to ensure heavier flowering. Tubers can be held over from year to year, but most gardeners grow them as annuals.

Yes, I did buy a hardy fuchsia. Dollar Princess (purple corolla, red sepals) is not currently in bloom, but you can expect her to appear in a subsequent chapter. And who knows what else may turn up in my garden this year? Watson's didn't have the tomatoes I wanted, so I'll be going back in a week or two. I'm sure something else not on the list will follow me home.