How to Grow Cane Begonia? A Detailed Guide to the Latest Cultivation Methods
Cane begonia (Begonia maculata) is a perennial upright or spreading subshrub in the family Begoniaceae and the genus Begonia. Its fleshy leaves are obliquely oblong to oblong-ovate, the petioles are thick and purplish-red, and its cymose inflorescences are pale pink or white. It blooms in summer and autumn, and its soft, lovely leaf color gives it very high ornamental value. It is often grown in pots to accent living rooms, display windows, or to decorate home windowsills, balconies, coffee tables and other spots. Now let us take a look at how to grow cane begonia!
Growing Habits of Cane Begonia
1. Temperature: Cane begonia grows rapidly in a warm environment, with lush stems and leaves and brightly colored flowers. The optimum growing temperature is 19-24°C, and the winter temperature should not fall below 10°C, otherwise the leaves are easily damaged by cold, though the rhizome is relatively cold-hardy.
2. Light: Cane begonia is sensitive to light and is best grown in morning sun and diffused light; strong light easily scorches the leaves. Its response to photoperiod is very pronounced, and under short-day conditions flowering is noticeably delayed.
3. Soil: Cane begonia prefers well-drained humus soil with a suitable pH of 6.5-7.5. Alkaline, heavy, or easily compacted soil is unfavorable for growth, leading to stunted stems and leaves, dull colors, and a susceptibility to chlorosis.
Propagation Methods for Cane Begonia
1. Sowing: Usually use a shallow clay pot or a seed box. First cover the drainage hole with a piece of tile, fill it evenly with loose, fertile seed-raising soil, then press it level gently with a garden wooden board and scatter the seeds evenly on top. After sowing there is no need to cover with soil, as watering would wash the seeds away, so the pot is usually soaked from the bottom and taken out once moistened. Cover the mouth of the pot with semi-transparent glass to keep the humidity inside relatively high, and place it in a semi-shaded spot at a room temperature of 18-22°C, misting morning and evening. Generally germination occurs 7-30 days after sowing.
2. Stem cuttings: Stem cutting propagation can be done year-round at room temperature, but the best results come from April to May. Usually select a robust stem tip as the cutting, 10-15 cm long, with 2-3 buds. Use loose, well-drained fine river sand, perlite or rice-husk ash as the rooting medium. When inserting the cutting, do not bury it too deep; half of the cutting is appropriate, and maintain relatively high air humidity and a room temperature of 20-22°C. Generally it calluses and roots in 9-27 days.
3. Leaf cuttings: Leaf cutting propagation works best in summer and autumn. Choose fully developed mature leaves and lay them flat on a sand bed. Use a blade to make a 1 cm cut at the central midrib of the leaf; each leaf can have 4-5 cuts. Then use “n”-shaped wire to pin the leaf firmly onto the sand surface. If the rooting medium temperature is below 15°C, rooting will be delayed, and below 10°C rooting becomes difficult.
4. Root cuttings: In spring and autumn, cut the lower rhizome into 3-5 cm sections and insert them obliquely or lay them flat on a sand bed, maintaining a room temperature of 20-22°C and relatively high indoor humidity so that they produce adventitious roots and adventitious buds. Generally adventitious roots appear 15-20 days after insertion, and adventitious buds sprout in 30-40 days. Once several small leaves have formed, they can be moved into small pots for care.
Cultivation Methods for Cane Begonia
1. Watering: Cane begonia is a shallow-rooted plant that likes a semi-shaded, mild and moist environment. Its optimum growing temperature is between 15 and 25 degrees. It is fairly drought-tolerant but afraid of waterlogging, so watering should follow the principle of "dry then wet", keeping the potting soil moist as the ideal. In the height of summer, mist the leaves and the ground; raising the air humidity will benefit its growth.
2. Fertilizing: Cane begonia likes fertilizer. Fertilizer should be applied when the potting soil is dry, hoeing the soil first; watering after fertilizing helps the plant absorb it, but heavy fertilizing should be avoided when the stems and leaves are weak or right after repotting. During the vigorous spring growth period, apply a dilute liquid fertilizer once every 10 to 15 days. In the high-temperature summer season the plant stops growing and fertilizing should be reduced. Feeding is paused during the flowering period and in winter.
3. Light: Cane begonia is sensitive to light and is best grown in morning sun and diffused light, and is suitable for year-round cultivation on a south-facing balcony indoors. In spring, autumn and winter it should be given plenty of sunlight. In summer avoid strong light, otherwise the leaves will turn yellow and growth will slow. Its response to photoperiod is very pronounced, and under short-day conditions flowering is noticeably delayed.
4. Pruning: Pruning cane begonia helps maintain a good plant shape. For cane begonias grown for many years, or when the plant grows too tall or the leaves at the lower part of the stem drop off, making the plant shape unattractive and spoiling the ornamental effect, pruning can be done together with spring repotting to encourage the plant to send out new shoots and produce more brightly colored flowers.
5. Diseases: For pest and disease control in cane begonia, the principles of prevention first and integrated control should be fully applied. First, improve ventilation and light penetration; the potting soil must not be too wet, and water must never accumulate in the pot. Second, spray a fungicide once every half month, such as thiophanate-methyl or carbendazim, to prevent diseases. If red spider mite damage is found, spray dicofol at 1500 times dilution.