Trailing begonia Orange Cascade - Begonia Pendula

Begonia ‘Orange Cascade’ is a trailing begonia distinguished by its large, double, orange to coral flowers borne on flexible stems that cascade down. Ideal for hanging baskets or tall planters, it enlivens slightly shaded patios and balconies from early summer until the first frosts.

This cultivar belongs to the Begoniaceae family and the horticultural group Begonia × tuberhybrida or tuberous begonias. ‘Orange Cascade’ is a trailing variety of the Pendula type, selected for its flexible stems and floriferousness. The plant has a spreading and trailing habit. Its foliage reaches 25–35 cm in height, and its stems commonly trail for 45-50 cm. They are fleshy and brittle, green to reddish. The foliage consists of alternate, asymmetrical, fairly dark green leaves, with finely toothed margins; it yellows and then disappears at the end of the season. On the same plant, separate male and female flowers are borne in pendulous cymes; they are single, semi-double or double. They measure 6 to 8 cm in diameter and are very bright orange. Flowering renews from June to October if faded flowers are regularly removed. The plant enters dormancy in autumn, its foliage yellows; the tuber must be kept dry at 8–10 °C throughout the winter.

Begonia ‘Orange Cascade’ is ideal in a hanging basket or a planter in partial shade. You can pair it with Begonia boliviensis ‘Santa Cruz Orange’, the trailing begonia Belleconia Mango with its beautiful salmon-orange colour and the variety Gumdrop Coco White with pure white flowers on very dark foliage. Add a few Lobelia Deep Blue Star with dark blue flowers for contrast.

The botanical species at the origin of the "Pendula" begonia comes from the cloud forests and humid cliffs of the Andes mountain range (Bolivia, Peru, north-western Argentina), where nights remain cool; these conditions explain certain cultivation requirements. 
The history of tuberous begonias begins in the 1860s when Richard Pearce introduced B. boliviensis and B. veitchii to Europe; these species, successfully presented in Paris in 1867, served as parents for the first major hybrid, B. × sedenii, paving the way for the pendula lines that decorate our balconies, patios and windowsills today.