What is collar begonia and how to take care of her at home?

Begonias are popular with gardeners because of their diversity. A prominent representative of this type of plant is the collar variety.

The flower because of the peculiarities of flowering and leaf structure is perfect for decorating the house. The collar begonia represents ornamental flowering plants.

It has beautiful light green leaves with a slight down on the edges. The reverse side of the sheet is red streaked.

The article will look at how to properly care for this plant.

Botanical description and history

Begonia collar (Begonia manicata) is a perennial herb. In Europe, it came in the middle of the 19th century from Mexico. It is to stay in the tropical rainforests that the flower owes its extraordinary appearance. This variety is derived from the royal begonia. The flower stands out among representatives of other types of begonias in that it grows to a height of 80-100 meters. The plant is quite sprawling. Its leaves are juicy and large, the size reaches 50 cm. They are located on high and thick petioles.

Appearance and features

The creeping stem of the collar begonia is covered with thin red fibers. The light green leaves look like grape leaves, and a small down is visible on the edges. On the reverse side you can see the red streaks.

Small bright pink flowers are located at the ends of the peduncle, which is distinguished by its length and subtlety. Flowers form a brush in which 5-6 inflorescences are connected. They rise above the leaves. Mostly appear in winter.

A photo

Next you will see a photo of a collar begonia:

Where and how to plant it?

Over time, at the collar begonia:

• form is lost;
• inflorescences and leaves become smaller;
• shrub decays.

It must be replanted every 4 years. Instead of an old plant, a fresh stalk is planted in the prepared soil. In the southern areas, where the soil warms up faster, the tubers can be planted immediately into the ground. But all the same for the night they need to be closed with a film.

Important! Collar begonia grown in open ground is very rare. Most often planted already flowering seedlings. To obtain germinated her tuber in a glass or pot, and then transplanted into a flower bed.

Lighting and location

At home, collar begonia can live longer than the prescribed 3-year term, if properly care for her and create a microclimate that is closer to natural.

The flower needs a bright place, but in order to avoid direct sunlight there. The plant feels uncomfortable on a narrow windowsill. A good place for its location is a special stand, which must be placed away from the heaters. The best option is the western and eastern side of the room, in winter the flower can be put on the south. Just be sure to build a diffusing screen. In winter, the plant needs additional lighting.

In appearance of the leaves, you can immediately guess that they do not have enough light. They become smaller, fade and lose decoration. Collar begonia responds poorly to travel, so you should immediately put it in a permanent place.

Soil requirements

This flower needs loose soil. You can cook it yourself by mixing three pieces of leafy earth and one at a time:

• peat;
• sod land;
• humus;
• sand.

Home care

1. After the soil is ready, it is poured into a small pot. In a pot of this size, the root system will grow spontaneously, so excess water will flow out faster. It will well affect the growth of leaves. The flower reacts negatively to too much water, it needs moderate watering.

   In the summer they water when the top layer of soil dries out. In winter, it is necessary to moisten the plant only in order to keep the land a little wet.

2. The collar begonia loves cool rooms, so that the air in them is humid in the range of 50-70%. This is due to the fact that large leaves have a large area of ​​evaporation, and the root system cannot compensate for the lost moisture.

   To create the required humidity, it is recommended to put a container with water near the pot. In hot months, you can spray the place around the begonia, you can not splash directly on the flower to prevent leaf burns.

3. The best temperature in which begonia will grow well is 16-20 ° C. The normal development of this plant is impossible without trace elements and nutrients. During the growing season, the flower should be fed with special fertilizers intended for decorative and hardwood begonias. They are distinguished by a balanced composition and the presence of nitrogen in them, which contributes to the healthy growth of the plant and the beauty of its leaves.
4. When starting to feed, it must be remembered that for young collar begonias it is advised to make the nutrient solution 2 times weaker than that indicated in the instructions. Fertilizers are applied simultaneously with water or one hour after the plant has been poured, because the penetration of nutrients into wet soil occurs much faster.

   Do not allow the solution to fall on the leaves, it can lead to burns and further fading. It is forbidden to apply fertilizers against unrooted and diseased flowers.

   Important! Flower growers are not advised to feed the collar begonia in hot weather. The best time is evening and cloudy day.

5. Transplantation plants are engaged in the spring before it begins to bloom. Just before the start of active growth, which begins in February-March, the tips of the begonias must be pinned, sending new shoots to the root. Thanks to this manipulation, the plant will form a beautiful crown, and young shoots will begin to grow and grow faster.

Common diseases and pests

Collar begonia is prone to certain diseases. Mostly they appear due to the violation of the microclimate.

1. One of the diseases is powdery mildew, which appears as a result of lack of ventilation and high humidity.
2. If the room is regularly low temperature and excess moisture, it can lead to the appearance of gray rot.

   In this disease affects:

   • roots;
   • leaves;
   • stem.

   Fungicide solution and preventive measures will help to cure these ailments.which includes:

   • loosening the soil;
   • timely watering and airing;
   • optimum illumination;
   • comfortable temperature and humidity.
3. Pests insects enter the room with flowers, earth. In the summer months, aphids may attack the collar begonia.
4. If the air in the room is dry, then the flower can attack the spider mite. In order for this not to happen, you need to clean the plant from dirt and dust.

Breeding features

1. Vegetative breeding method is considered easy. For this it is necessary to separate small cuttings with three or four leaves from an adult plant. You can take single sprouted shoots or small lateral processes, put in the water to form roots. After the roots grow to 3-5 cm, the flower should be planted in the substrate. In the pot with holes, the rooted collar begonia is mainly planted in the month of January. The planted process is carefully compacted, watered and placed in a warm, bright place.
2. There is another way of reproduction - by dividing the rhizome. It is performed during transplantation or planting. Prepare the soil in advance and plant part of the root there. The container is placed in a room where the temperature is 20-24 ° C. After 14 days you can see the sprouted young shoots that need to be transplanted to a permanent place.

The collar begonia is a beautiful and non-capricious flower. It adapts well to the living conditions in the apartment. However, he also needs competent care and attention.

Watch the video: Amy Webb. SXSW 2019 (April 2024).