Wax begonias bloom all year round and are easy to care for; they can grow indoors

Wax begonia, also called bedding begonia, is a potted flower I really love. It likes a warm, humid environment with plenty of sunlight, and with proper care it can bloom all year round.

I generally grow it as a perennial. The plant is fairly short, and its leaves look tender and juicy; there are varieties with dark green and dark red leaves. The flowers are usually very small, single or double, and the flower color is usually pink or red.

To care for wax begonia, you must keep the environment warm all year round, with the recent care temperature kept above 5 degrees. The planting soil should be a loose, well-draining sandy soil, and waterlogged soil must be avoided.

Wax begonia likes plenty of light, but direct sunlight should be avoided; in summer it needs appropriate shading to avoid scorching. Wax begonia can tolerate short periods of drought, but cannot tolerate frequent waterlogging. During the growing season the soil can be kept moist.

If you want wax begonia to bloom more, you can add a little decomposed organic fertilizer to the pot, and later during the growing season supplement with a little diluted organic liquid fertilizer every week.

Wax begonia is generally propagated by stem cuttings; of course, if you choose leaf cuttings, that also works, with a certain success rate. The branches and leaves are very tender and root and sprout easily. The stem cutting method is very easy: generally cut a section of stem about 9 cm long, remove any flower buds, and also cut off the lower leaves, then leave it in a ventilated, shaded place to let the wound dry, usually for about half an hour.

Prepare a loose, well-draining sandy soil, dip the bottom of the wax begonia stem in a little rooting powder, insert it into the dark soil, and after planting water thoroughly and place it in a warm spot with bright, indirect light and good ventilation, keeping the care temperature at around 20 degrees. Within one or two weeks, keep the potting soil slightly moist, and after two weeks gradually expose it to light.

You can also try leaf cuttings. Wax begonia also belongs to the begonia family, and most begonias can be propagated by leaf cuttings. You can cut off a thicker, sturdier leaf from the bottom and cut the leaf stalk in half.

Put it in a plastic bag for 5-10 minutes, then insert it diagonally into slightly moist sandy soil, maintaining high air humidity, a warm environment, and good ventilation, so that it has a chance to take root and sprout.