Characteristics
| Hardiness zone | 9b |
|---|---|
| Flower color | scarlet |
| Foliage type | evergreen |
| Plant form | trailing |
| Mature height | 12 inches |
| Spread | 16 inches |
| Light requirements | full sun to shade |
| Moisture requirements | moist |
| Plant origin | import |
Santa Cruz Begonia
Botanical name: Begonia boliviensis ‘Santa Cruz’
This variety features slender, sharply pointed green leaves; a floriforous display of velvety scarlet-orange blooms on red stems; great for containers and baskets.
Ornamental Features
Santa Cruz Begonia features dainty nodding scarlet bell-shaped flowers at the ends of the stems from mid spring to mid fall. Its attractive serrated narrow leaves remain green in color throughout the year. The fruit is not ornamentally significant.
Landscape Attributes
Santa Cruz Begonia is an herbaceous evergreen perennial with a trailing habit of growth, eventually spilling over the edges of hanging baskets and containers. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.
This is a high maintenance plant that will require regular care and upkeep, and usually looks its best without pruning, although it will tolerate pruning. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;
Insects, Disease
Santa Cruz Begonia is recommended for the following landscape applications;
Mass Planting, Border Edging, General Garden Use, Container Planting, Hanging Baskets
Planting and Growing
Santa Cruz Begonia will grow to be about 12 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 16 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 14 inches apart. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 3 years.
This plant performs well in both full sun and full shade. It requires an evenly moist well-drained soil for optimal growth, but will die in standing water. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone over the growing season to conserve soil moisture. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America. It can be propagated by cuttings; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.
Santa Cruz Begonia is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor containers and hanging baskets. Because of its trailing habit of growth, it is ideally suited for use as a 'spiller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the edges where it can spill gracefully over the pot. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.
