Trailing begonia mix of 3 colours - Begonia × tuberhybrida Alifra, Apricot, Ballerina

The Trailing Tuberous Begonia Splendide, here in a mix of 3 cultivars ‘Alifra’, ‘Apricot’ and ‘Ballerina’, is a classic for flowering hanging baskets and window boxes in partial shade. Its naturally trailing habit and its generous flowering from summer to autumn create cascades of soft, warm colours for weeks. The tubers can be stored from one year to the next, protected from frost.

A member of the Begoniaceae family, Begonia × tuberhybrida is the result of old horticultural hybridisations involving notably B. boliviensis, B. pearcei and B. veitchii, Andean species from Bolivia and Peru; the pendula "type" was selected for its trailing habit and its beautiful performance in hanging baskets. The Splendide series groups cultivars with large double flowers; ‘Alifra’ has soft pink tones, ‘Apricot’ has apricot hues and ‘Ballerina’ has a yellow-orange-apricot colour gradation. Their corollas reach 12–15 cm in diameter. The habit is flexible, trailing; each plant reaches 30 to 50 cm in height and 40–60 cm in spread over the course of a season. The fleshy and brittle stems bear medium glossy green, asymmetrical, ovate leaves with finely toothed edges. The very long-lasting flowering extends from June to October. The cup-shaped flowers are filled with petals. Each plant grows from a flattened tuber, a brown storage organ, from which several buds emerge. The tubers reach 5/6 cm in diameter and can be stored out of soil, in a dry place, between 5 and 10 °C.

Plant Splendide Begonia tubers in hanging baskets, deep pots or planters, protected from harsh sun, wind and heavy rain. Combine the colours of this mix with grey foliage or trailing plants: Dichondra 'Silver Falls', and Lysimachia nummularia ‘Aurea’ are good companions for morning sun. To create a fuller container in light shade, add fuchsias ‘Tom Thumb’ or New Guinea impatiens. In a sheltered border, combine them with trailing begonias from other series (Illumination salmon, Pendula White) to vary shapes and colours.

The genus name Begonia pays tribute to Michel Bégon (1638-1710), intendant of Saint-Domingue, patron of the botanist Plumier. The rise of tuberous begonias in Europe was built in the 19th century from Andean species introduced by the Veitch and Lemoine houses; these cultivars popularised balcony begonias throughout the northern hemisphere.