Leaf colour changes the red
The same red can look quite different depending on the leaf behind it:
- Red wax begonias with bronze foliage look dark and warm.
- Red flowers over fresh green leaves look brighter and more cheerful.
- Tuberous begonias with nearly black leaves make scarlet blooms seem to glow.
Pick the foliage first and the flower will follow.
What does a red begonia mean?
Flower-meaning guides in the Victorian tradition often associate begonias with a warning to be careful, and red is traditionally a colour of strong feeling. Treat this as folklore. Books disagree, and nothing about the plant itself depends on it.
Containers, baskets and feeding
Few summer bedding plants flower so well in part shade, which is why red begonias turn up in Irish hanging baskets. Feed pot plants every couple of weeks with a high-potash feed such as tomato fertiliser, and water more often in a dry spell, at the base and not over the leaves. Hang tuberous types at eye level so you can look up into the blooms.
- Plant out after the last frost.
- Combine with white or yellow flowers and silvery foliage.
- In autumn, lift tubers, dry them and store in a frost-free shed.
Animal safety
Soluble calcium oxalates make begonias toxic to dogs, cats and horses, according to the ASPCA. The underground parts are the most dangerous. Vomiting and salivation occur in dogs and cats, and kidney failure in grazing animals. Contact a vet if your pet has chewed any.
