Santa Cruz® Sunset Begonia

Light Needs

Full Shade to Full Sun

(Can Grow In Most Sunlight Conditions)

Mature Height

12-16 Inches

Mature Spread

12-16 Inches

Scarlet red flowers glow on red stems from dark green arrow-like leaves, cascading over the edge of the hanging basket or container garden. An unusual variant in the begonia family, Santa Cruz tolerates sun or shade, giving you the option to place it on the porch or the patio, or in your woodland edge landscape. Begonia boliviensis is an easy to care for annual for all your gardening needs.

Native to the Bolivian Andes, South/Central America, Africa and SE Asia, in Zones 9a through 11b it is a perennial, its elongated blossoms cascading like fireworks over the green foliage. In Zones 3-8 it is a one season annual, brightening hanging baskets, containers, landscapes and indoor gardens alike. Although it tolerates bright sunlight, too much can cause the foliage to fade. Afternoon shade in hot sun regions will provide the perfect environment for this plant.

Santa Cruz® Sunset Begonia Care

Take care to provide a consistent watering schedule, and water only when it appears dry. Soil should be well draining, and allow the plant to dry out somewhat but not too much between watering to prevent root rot. The top inch or so of the soil surface should feel dry. Feed with a fertilizer formulated just for begonias, with a 1:1:1 ratio of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium. Soil pH should be mildly acidic to neutral at 6.0 to 6.5 for best performance.

Deadheading is not necessary as spent blooms will drop off, but maintaining a soil that is clean of debris will help in reduction of disease and insect infestation. Prune back rangy stems that overstep their bounds and remove all yellowed or dead leaves to prevent the spread of diseases. Aphids can be a common pest for begonias so use a systemic insecticide or apply an insecticidal soap at the first sign of infestation.

Santa Cruz® Sunset Begonia Spacing

Spacing for this begonia is important as it reaches 12 to 16 inches tall and spreads 12 to 16 inches wide. It does well with a plant spacing of 12 to 16 inches, so in a hanging basket it may be the only occupant. It cascades beautifully so that you won’t miss the other companions. Companion planting in larger containers, however, can be done with other annuals like petunia, calibrachoa, sutera, lysimachia, ipomoea and solenostemon with spectacular results.

SKU:

BEGSCP