Three new shades for a fiery old favourite; perfect for patios and hanging baskets
The influx of new begonias for summer containers over recent years has been impressive. Most are derived to a greater or lesser extent from
Begonia boliviensis, a species first found in the eastern Andes of Bolivia and Argentina in 1864 and re-discovered in the wild in 1990 when seed was again collected.
Those closest to the wild species have pendulous single flowers, each with four pointed petals, and most come in fiery red and orange shades. But
this season sees the arrival of the Beauvilia Series which includes some very attractive softer shades.
‘Beauvilia Salmon’ is a lovely soft shade of salmon orange, ‘Beauvilia White’ is pure white without a hint of pink, while ‘Beauvilia Lemon’ is pale primrose yellow. These soft colours integrate far more effectively with other plants than the vivid fiery colours of most other begonias of this type.
All three of these newcomers develop a
compact semi-trailing habit so they are ideal for hanging baskets and tumbling over the edge of large pots. The foliage is neat and an
unusually dark and rich green which sets off the flowers beautifully. In mild winters plants will even overwinter as tubers.
The Beauvilia Series of begonias was developed in The Netherlands by Beekenkamp Plants who also develop new cultivars of a wide range of other summer flowers.
You can order plants of
‘Beauvilia Salmon’, and of
‘Beauvilia White’, and of
‘Beauvilia Lemon’ from
Hayloft Plants.
** Please note the contents of this blog reflect the views of its author and are not necessarily those of the RHS **
