Begonia boliviensis Bossa Nova® Mix coated seeds

Begonia boliviensis Bossa Nova® Mix brings together several compact forms of Bolivian begonia, with a trailing habit and variously coloured flowers. Offered as coated seeds, this tuberous begonia, once reserved for experienced gardeners, is now accessible to all. The plants flower continuously throughout the summer; they look superb in hanging baskets, window boxes and large bowls. Begonias are grown as an annual, but can be kept as tuberous perennial if overwintered frost-free.

Botanically speaking, the Bolivian begonia belongs to the Begoniaceae family. The type species, Begonia boliviensis, also known as the Bolivian tuberous begonia or Andean begonia, is a tender tuberous perennial. It is native to the Bolivian Andes and north-western Argentina, where it colonises damp rocky walls, banks and mountain stream sides, in a cool, often misty climate, at medium to high altitude.
The Bossa Nova® Mix is an F1 hybrid. The Bossa Nova® series was developed by the English breeder Floranova in the early 2010s, to offer a seed-raised version, highly branched and floriferous, as an alternative to tuberous begonias propagated by cuttings. The mix brings together several solid colours from the series (red, orange, pink, yellow, white), all with green foliage.
Each plant forms a bushy then trailing clump, 30 to 40cm tall and 40 to 50cm wide, sometimes more in a hanging basket, where the stems can trail to 50–60cm. The leaves are narrow, asymmetrical, lanceolate to triangular with a very oblique base and finely toothed margins. They measure 6 to 10cm long and are medium green to blue-green. The foliage is deciduous: the above-ground part disappears when the tuber is dormant.
It flowers in clusters that arise all along the stems, in the leaf axils. Each bears numerous pendulous, 5 to 6 cm long flowers with four elongated, tapering tepals. In this Bossa Nova Mix, the colours cover a wide range of reds and oranges, yellows, pinks and pure white. Flowering begins in late May or June, depending on the sowing date, and continues without interruption until October.

In the garden or on the terrace, Begonia boliviensis Bossa Nova® Mix excels in large containers and other hanging baskets, where its trailing habit works well. A bright partial shade position is ideal, but Bossa Nova begonias also tolerate gentle sun if the soil remains moist. The chartreuse green of Ipomoea 'Sweet Caroline Light Green' beautifully highlights their warm tones, while Bacopa 'Snowtopia White' brings a cloud of small white flowers. For slightly shadier spots, consider the trailing Fuchsia 'Blue Angel' and Heuchera 'Marmalade' with its coppery foliage.