SIPD Staff Plant Picks: October

Aimee

Begonia

Begonias are one of my favorite plants of all time! And when I say favorite, I mean it. I have over 10 at my home. There as so many varieties and they are super easy to care for. Rex begonia is a common type. It typically prefers indirect, moderate light. I try to let my rex begonias dry out between watering as they can suffer from root rot. While rex begonias can produce stunning, delicate blooms, they can be difficult to make bloom. You can remedy this by using fertilizer that promotes blooms. These are easy to find, although I would recommend using a weaker solution than what is suggested on the container. Another type of begonia I adore is the green leaf. It comes in small leaf varieties and the angel wing, which is larger. These begonias are great to use in landscaping or for your patio. They love shade and water, but keep your eye out for fungus!

Rex begonias are particularly great for October. They come in so many whimsical designs and tend to have those perfect dark fall colors-reds, purples, and greys. They would make a great addition to a planter on your porch and are perfect in a pot indoors. Rex begonias can even be used in cut arrangements, and they will root. You can use these rooted cuttings to share or to plant into a pot.