HOURS:
Mon to Fri 8am - 6pm
Fri & Sat 8am - 8pm
Sun 8am - 7pm
LOCATION:
8546 Sun Valley Road
Anytown, USA  12345
CONTACT:
phone: 261.788.5500
fax: 261.787.0463
e-mail: info@successgc.com
UP AND COMING
Deer-Resistant Gardening
Master Gardener Dorothy Dupage shares her experiences creating a truly deer-resistant garden in this month's popular 'Garden Talk' installment...
VIEW

Plant Finder

perennial

Richmond Begonia

Begonia 'Richmondensis'

Add To My Wish List

Richmond Begonia (Begonia 'Richmondensis') at A Very Successful Garden Center

Richmond Begonia flowers

Richmond Begonia flowers

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Richmond Begonia (Begonia 'Richmondensis') at A Very Successful Garden Center

Richmond Begonia flowers

Richmond Begonia flowers

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Height:  24 inches

Spacing:  20 inches

Sunlight:  partial shade  full shade 

Hardiness Zone:  9a

Description:

This boldly colored variety has dramatic, glossy green leaves with dark red undersides, as a backdrop for pale pink flower stems; the mounded growth habit is excellent for containers; a great choice for light shade gardens

Ornamental Features

Richmond Begonia's attractive round palmate leaves remain dark green in color with curious dark red undersides throughout the season on a plant with a mounded habit of growth. It features dainty spikes of shell pink flowers with white overtones rising above the foliage from early spring to late winter, which emerge from distinctive scarlet flower buds.

Landscape Attributes

Richmond Begonia is an herbaceous perennial with a mounded form. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.

This is a high maintenance plant that will require regular care and upkeep, and usually looks its best without pruning, although it will tolerate pruning. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

  • Disease

Richmond Begonia is recommended for the following landscape applications;

  • Mass Planting
  • Border Edging
  • General Garden Use
  • Container Planting
  • Hanging Baskets

Planting & Growing

Richmond Begonia will grow to be about 24 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 24 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 20 inches apart. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 3 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!

This plant does best in partial shade to shade. It requires an evenly moist well-drained soil for optimal growth, but will die in standing water. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone over the growing season to conserve soil moisture. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid. It can be propagated by cuttings; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

Richmond Begonia is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor containers and hanging baskets. It can be used either as 'filler' or as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, depending on the height and form of the other plants used in the container planting. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.

 
 
Hardiness Zone Plant Height Minimum Sunlight
Characteristics
Massing  Edging  Garden  Container  Basket 
Applications
Flowers  Foliage Color 
Ornamental Features