Lakeshore Garden Centres Plant Finder

Group/Class:  Holiday Collection

Brand:  Terra Nova Nurseries

Description:

An outstanding selection, presenting stunning silver topped leaves with burgundy undersides ; small clusters of dainty coral pink flowers are produced throughout the season; prolific, and easy to grow; great for containers or hanging baskets

Ornamental Features

Holiday™ Silver Bells Begonia's attractive deeply cut lobed leaves emerge light green in spring, turning silver in colour with curious burgundy undersides and tinges of grayish green the rest of the year on a plant with a mounded habit of growth. It features dainty nodding coral-pink orchid-like flowers with pink overtones and yellow throats at the ends of the stems from mid spring to early fall.

Landscape Attributes

Holiday™ Silver Bells Begonia is an herbaceous annual with a mounded form. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage.

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;

• Insects
• Disease

Holiday™ Silver Bells Begonia is recommended for the following landscape applications;

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

Planting & Growing

Holiday™ Silver Bells Begonia will grow to be about 10 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 16 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 12 inches apart. Its foliage tends to remain low and dense right to the ground. Although it's not a true annual, this plant can be expected to behave as an annual in our climate if left outdoors over the winter, usually needing replacement the following year. As such, gardeners should take into consideration that it will perform differently than it would in its native habitat.

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. This plant should not require much in the way of fertilizing once established, although it may appreciate a shot of general-purpose fertilizer from time to time early in the growing season. 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.

Holiday™ Silver Bells Begonia is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor containers and hanging baskets. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing a mass of flowers and foliage against which the thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.