Trailing begonia Red Glory - Begonia odorata

Begonia odorata Red Glory is a trailing, red, lightly fragrant begonia, ideal for adorning hanging baskets, planters, or shaded terraces. Covered in double red flowers, it is a characterful plant, easy to grow in pots.

This plant belongs to the Begoniaceae family. Contrary to what its name might suggest, odorata does not refer to a botanical species but to a horticultural group, the Odorata group, which brings together cultivars selected for their trailing habit, abundant flowering, and fragrance. These begonias result from complex hybridisations between different South American species, notably Begonia boliviensis and Begonia × tuberhybrida. The genus name Begonia pays tribute to the French governor Michel Bégon, a patron of botanists in the 17th century.
'Red Glory' is a cultivar selected for its trailing habit and its large red flowers with a subtle fragrance. The plant forms a dense, trailing clump, measuring approximately 35 cm in height and 25 to 30 cm in width. Its flexible, fleshy stems bear deep red, large double flowers, measuring up to 8 cm in diameter. The flowering period extends from June until the first frosts. The deciduous, bright green foliage is formed of asymmetrical leaves with slightly crinkled edges, measuring 10 to 15 cm long. Plants grown from tubers reach their full development 2 to 3 months after planting. The tubers, underground storage organs, allow this begonia to overwinter in dormancy, a period during which the vegetation disappears. The tubers should be grown like those of Dahlias.

Begonias saw a resurgence of interest in the early 2000s with the commercialisation of cultivars selected for their fragrance, a quality that had almost disappeared from modern varieties. Begonia odorata Red Glory is best grown in a hanging basket or container, on a sheltered balcony. It is ideal for brightening up a shady corner with its luminous red flowers and continuous flowering. Pair it with plants with decorative foliage like Coleus Copinto Manhattan, Hypoestes with pink-speckled foliage Hippo Pink or with the white flowers of Impatiens Sunpatiens compact white. In the same hanging basket, you can also combine several cultivars from the Odorata group like Pink Delight, White, or Angelique to vary the tones while maintaining the same trailing and fragrant form.