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Herbaceous Perennial

Begonia ravenii (T)

Raven's begonia

A tuberous perennial, to around 60cm high, with creeping stolons, succulent, often reddish stems, and large, asymmetric, shallowly lobed green leaves with serrated edges. Small clusters of pink flowers are produced from the leaf axils in summer and early autumn

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Ultimate height

0.5–1 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

0.5–1 metres

Loam

Moisture

Well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Partial shade

Aspect

East–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Begoniaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Clump forming
Genus: Begonia can be annuals, evergreen or deciduous perennials or shrubs, with fibrous, tuberous or rhizomatous roots and usually asymmetrical leaves, often strikingly patterned, and small or large flowers, both male and female in the same cluster
Name status: Correct
Horticultural Group: Tuberhybrida begonias are bushy tuberous perennials with glossy leaves and usually double flowers in small clusters in summer; most are dormant in winter

How to grow

Cultivation

Plant in well-drained soil in part shade. See begonias: outdoors

Propagation

Propagate by basal or stem-tip softwood cuttings in spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Cottage and informal garden
hanging basket
Patio and container plants
Rock garden
Banks and slopes
Conservatory and greenhouse

Pruning

Remove old stems and foliage as the plant dies back for winter

Pests

May be susceptible to caterpillars, mealybugs, thrips, glasshouse red spider mite, vine weevil and aphids

Diseases

May be susceptible to grey moulds, powdery mildews, stem rot and rhizome rot

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