Begonia Multiflora Maxima mix of 6 colours - tuberous begonia in Switzerland (red), copper, white, pink, yellow, orange

The Begonia Multiflora Maxima Mix of mix of 6 different colours, is a collection of tuberous begonias prized for floriferousness and a compact habit. In pots, planters, and shaded borders, it forms neat little clumps covered in white, pink, yellow, orange, copper, and red flowers throughout the entire summer, and even beyond. Easy to grow, it tolerates morning sun.

An ornamental plant from the Begoniaceae family, Begonia × tuberhybrida is a complex hybrid derived from Andean species such as B. boliviensis, B. pearcei, B. veitchii, and B. davisii, selected in Europe from the late 19th century onwards. The Multiflora Maxima group refers to dwarf, bushy, highly branched lines that produce numerous medium-sized flowers.
The plants in this "6-colour mix" develop fleshy, brittle stems from spring, bearing asymmetrical, ovate to heart-shaped, toothed leaves in medium green to purplish-bronze depending on the plant; the cultivar ‘Switzerland’ is distinguished by its very dark, almost black foliage and its scarlet-red flowers. Reaching 25–35 cm in height and 20-30 cm in width within a few weeks, some plants are slightly trailing. Each grows from a flattened storage organ (tuber) which enters dormancy in autumn.
The inflorescences, in the leaf axils, bear both male and female flowers; the male flowers are wider and double in the Multiflora Maxima series, measuring between 7 and 10 cm in diameter depending on the colour, sometimes with frilled tepals. The colours available in this mix are pure white, pink, bright yellow, deep orange, orange-copper, and red. Flowering renews itself from June until the frosts. This begonia is not hardy: the plants disappear in winter if their tuber is not kept frost-free, dry, sheltered from light, between 5 and 8 °C.

Plant the begonias from the Multiflora Maxima mix in a shaded border, for example at the base of your Hydrangea macrophylla. They are also very decorative in large planters to flower an east or north-facing terrace. The red and copper varieties will be highlighted by purplish foliage like that of the heucheras 'Obsidian' and 'Black Pearl'. In a flowerbed, place the lighter subjects (white, yellow) at the front to capture the light and use ‘Switzerland’ for punctuation.

Tuberous begonias, highly sought after since the Victorian era, were developed in England, Belgium, and Germany; the "Multiflora" lines were bred for cultivation in window boxes and more exposed sites: their numerous, but modestly sized, flowers are less sensitive to wind and rain than those of the Grandiflora hybrids with their very large corollas.