Wax begonia is so unique that people fall in love with it at first sight

Other names for wax begonia

Clam-meat begonia, glass begonia, glass jade, perpetual begonia, melon-seed begonia, rose begonia, saxifrage begonia

Morphological characteristics of wax begonia

Wax begonia is a perennial evergreen herbaceous plant, with an upright, slightly succulent stem, 25 cm to 40 cm tall, and well-developed fibrous roots; the leaves are ovate to broadly ovate, with an oblique base, green or purplish red; it is monoecious with unisexual flowers, and the cymes are axillary. Flower colors include red, pink, and white, with single or double petals, and there are very many varieties.

Growth habits of wax begonia

Wax begonia likes sunlight and is slightly tolerant of shade. It is relatively afraid of cold and likes warmth, a slightly shady and humid environment, and moist soil, but it fears heat and waterlogging. In summer, pay attention to shading, ventilation, and drainage. Wax begonia is very sensitive to sunlight. In summer, adjust the lighting time well, create a suitable growing environment, and carry out shading treatment. Plants cultivated indoors should be placed in a place with sufficient scattered light and air circulation, and windows should be opened at night for ventilation.

Varieties of wax begonia

The leaves of wax begonia can be divided into two major types: one turns red-green after receiving sunlight, and the other is copper-red. Flower colors include red, peach, white, bicolor, and so on. Flower forms are also divided into double-petaled and single-petaled. Double-petaled varieties are not easy to collect seed from and are mostly propagated vegetatively by cuttings. Commercially sold varieties are almost all hybrid F1 varieties, and their constitution is vigorous.

Common varieties include: Olympia series, Hi-Fi series, Loraine series, Bronze Leaf series, Ambassador series, Olympic, Dance series, Fax, Pink Chanel, Vodka, and others.

Application value of wax begonia

Wax begonia is used very widely internationally. Besides potted ornamental use, it is also a material for flower beds, hanging baskets, planting troughs, window boxes, and indoor arrangements. In terms of quantity and quality of use, it has developed rapidly. In the United States, besides potted ornamental use, it is more often used for flower bed appreciation, and many new varieties with strong adaptability, heat resistance, and moisture tolerance have been bred. In Northern European countries such as Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, high-quality potted ornamental types are mainly produced and exported to Western European countries. Among them, Denmark's Dæhnfeldt company is famous for producing wax begonia. The Netherlands, the United Kingdom, France, and other countries also have a certain amount of production. In short, wax begonia is still quite popular in the European market. Japan has a certain amount of production, mainly meeting the needs of the domestic market. Seeds rely on imports from the United States and Denmark.

In traditional production, wax begonia is used as a perennial greenhouse potted flower. In recent years, people have applied it to flower bed arrangements with excellent results. With the emergence of some relatively heat-tolerant varieties, wax begonia is very likely to become one of the most important flower bed flowers in China, with advantages such as a neat plant shape, abundant and dense flowers, easy combination with other flower bed plants, and a long ornamental period, so it is becoming more and more popular. It is generally cultivated in spring and autumn.

The flower language of wax begonia

Wax begonia is suitable for giving to children, and its flower language is: happy and intelligent; it can also be given to adults full of childlike innocence, implying spring in all four seasons and becoming younger.