Saxifraga stolonifera
Boy , howdy – the strawberry begonia is one gorgeous houseplant !
I entail , slapping the discussion “ hemangioma simplex ” in front of something practically guarantees wideness . ( See : Smoothie King ’s “ Strawberry X - Treme , ” 5 Gum ’s “ Strawberry Flood , ” and Deana Carter ’s “ Strawberry Wine . ” )
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But even coif its descriptive unwashed name away , Saxifragastoloniferaearns its splendour .
Beautiful rosettes of leaves , stunning lithe bloom , and cute little plantlet connected via graceful stolon all solve together in harmony to make a true ornamental peach .
But in purchase order to handle this neat plant in your houseplant armory , you ’ll need to be able-bodied to grow it . Therefore , a guide on its cultivation is in rules of order – one hemangioma simplex begonia guide , coming right up !
What You’ll Learn
What Are Strawberry Begonias?
Strawberry geranium , creeping rockfoil , strawberry saxifrage … You may have discover of the strawberry begonia already , via one of its many other common names .
But despite its most well - be intimate sobriquet , this industrial plant is neitherstrawberrynorbegonia .
S. stoloniferais actually a appendage of the Saxifragaceae , a household of flowering herbaceous perennials that also includescoral Bell , astilbe , andjade plants .
The genus nameSaxifragais a portmanteau word of the Latin termssaxum(rock or Oliver Stone ) andfrangere(to break ) , a nod to howSaxifragaspecies incline to live in rock fissures .
Over time , the roots of these plants can impart to further rock crumbling and break .
The species namestoloniferais also Latin , meaning “ to gestate runner ” – a reference to the threadlike red stolons or ball carrier that are evocative of those of strawberry plants .
Plantlets are bring forth on the ends of the stolons , which allows this species to colonise an area as a Master of Arts in Teaching - comparable ground cover .
The plant kind three- to nine - inch - grandiloquent rosette of dark unripened , rounded , haired leafage with silvery markings and reddish undersides .
In bounce , the prime stems can reach heights of up to 18 in , with each blossom deport two heavy flower petals underneath three belittled , magenta - speckle pinkish ones .
Cultivation and History
Hardy in USDA geographical zone 6 to 9,S. stoloniferais aboriginal to China , Japan , South Korea , and Taiwan .
Found in environments ranging from lowlands to 4,000 - foot elevations , the strawberry mark begonia was brought back west from China by Dutch monger in the mid-1700s .
Nicholaas Meerburg , a lead botanist from the Leiden Botanic Garden in Holland , was the first to cater a name and illustration for this flora , both of which were published in his 1775 work , “ Illustrations of Rare Plants . ”
By 1993,S. stoloniferahad become pop enough in western garden to earn the esteemed Award of Garden Merit from the UK ’s Royal Horticultural Society .
Today , strawberry begonias are still beloved by unripened thumbs , whether grow indoorsor outside .
Propagation of Strawberry Begonia Plants
Alone time , the intelligence , and Double Stuf Oreos should all be consumed or delight in mitigation .
Strawberry begonias , on the other hand , can be enjoyed without simpleness , as much as your horticultural mettle desires .
grow moreS. stoloniferais best done by propagating plantlets .
From Plantlets
The daughter plantlets of a strawberry begonia are pretty much mini versions of the mother flora , clones unite via a slender stolon that fuel the plantlet .
These plantlet are quite capable of growing as their own independent units . But in an indoor setting , it ’s up to us gardeners to manumit them .
With a sterilized blade , cut away plantlets once they rise at least five mature leaves , making certain to leave an column inch of stolon stem sticking out from the alkali .
From here , you may propagate the plantlet either in piss or in growing medium , depending on whether or not the plantlet has develop aeriform roots .
No aerial roots ? Then you ’ll necessitate to submerse the stem in water , while keep the foliage above the water ’s Earth’s surface . This process will finally top to root establishment on the submerged radical !
Ideally , the water you use should be filtered , distill , or collected rain grade in a magniloquent , close crapulence glass or your choice of translucent glassware and allowed to get to room temperature .
These mental testing subway system - esque container will at the same time keep the roots sozzled and the foliage dry , while also allowing you to observe rootage formation .
A line of these vial can have your nursing home looking like a science lab … but it does n’t have to .
3 - Tier Mkono Plant Propagation Tubes
An aesthetic style of expose these thermionic tube on your paries is with this three - tiered wooden plant terrarium – with 15 admit tubes ! – that’savailable from Amazon .
shoes in a location indoors that receives bright , collateral light and be trusted to change out the water every three day or so .
In a few week , you should have plantlet with two column inch of root development .
At this point , you ’ll ask to move each into its own four - inch container filled with a 50:50 mixture ofsphagnum peat mossand perlite .
Any plantlets with ethereal theme that have already developed prior to their removal from the mother plant should go now into their own weed , as described above .
Now , you simply treat them like you would a matureS. stolonifera – furnish collateral light and a moist growing medium throughout their ontogenesis and development .
How to Grow Strawberry Begonias
“ But how do I cultivate to the full grown strawberry mark begonias ? ”
I ’m glad you asked …
gratefully , the care requirements forS. stoloniferaare jolly simple .
Climate and Exposure Needs
Ideal temperatures are 50 to 70 ° F – a range that your home base will most likely be able to sustain .
provide supplemental humidity is n’t a requirement , but it ’ll sure help in keep get to the soil moist and reducing plant desiccation .
A tray of small-scale stones partially submerse in water is an cheap and effective way of increase the ambient humidity . Just place it beneath your plant ’s raft .
group houseplant close together work , too .
picture - wise , ensure that your strawberry begonia meet the bright indirect light possible . But it must be collateral – lineal brightness could do sunscorch , evaporation , or even flora last .
Growing Media Needs
A pH of 6.0 to 7.0 is optimum for the potting mix and a 50:50 mixing of bog moss peat moss and perlite will serve your strawberry begonias well .
The moss helps to keep back moisture while the perlite improves aeration and countenance excess water to debilitate . Do n’t leave to use a container with drainage holes !
Water and Fertilizer Needs
For strawberry begonias , it ’s important to wield grime moisture . Water whenever the top in of soil feel dry .
During the growing season , add a complete houseplant plant food with every fourth round of watering . During autumn and winter , make that every 6th metre you water .
Liquid Indoor Plant Food
A glorious mathematical product for the job is this eight - ounce bottle of liquid 4 - 3 - 4 NPK fertilizer from Easy Peasy Plants , which isavailable on Amazon .
Growing Tips
Maintenance
Other than trim off any undesirable flower stem and repot in spring every three to four years , there ’s not much that this plant needs , upkeep - wise .
For repotting , choose a mass with a diameter a couple inches greater than that of the original container .
In the new pot , add an column inch or two of growing media to the bottom – an even mix of peat moss and perlite is arrant .
Tease the plant out from the original container , untie any tangles from the side and bottom of the root system , and set it in its new container .
take in the sides with additional growing media , gently pat it all down , and irrigate it in .
In winter , body of water a moment less often – perhaps by allowing an additional in or two of dispassionateness before watering – but never let the soil dry out .
Strawberry Begonia Cultivars to Select
There ’s no doubt – a standard strawberry begonia is quite stunning .
Anyone who buys this three - inchS. stoloniferaspecimen from the Winter Greenhouse Storeon Amazonwill doubtlessly see this for themselves !
S. stolonifera
But if you ’re look for a slightly different flavor of cosmetic awesomeness , then read on to learn about a duet of gorgeous strawberry mark begonia cultivars .
Maroon Beauty
You bed those colour books that kid and try - out grownup love to use ?
‘ Maroon Beauty ’ looks like someone took a strawberry mark begonia and scribbled in between the silver markings on the upper leaves with a maroon Crayola .
This is n’t entirely an hyperbole – the color does n’t quite fill in all the way to the silver edges , providing an interestingly chaotic appearing .
These maroon blotches search a turn like larboard wine filth , which add completing color to the already - present green and silver .
Additionally , reddish whisker are seeming on the leaf surface – yet another cool feature of speech to wait at .
Variegata
For another variety with a slimly different color scheme , ‘ Variegata ’ appear alike to the standard specie , deliver for its white-hot to pinkish foliage margins .
The accurate size of the colorful margins fluctuates in breadth as it moves around the edge of each leaf , with the thickest sections at the basal ends of the leaf .
If you ’re worried about monochromatic hues , the color can differ from one leaf to the next , too .
Some sport purely clean border , others show off hot pink margin , and the remainder are a mixing between the two . It in spades keeps you on your toes , providing endless optical interest !
‘ Variegata ’
For a ‘ Variegata ’ plant in a two - inch pot , guide on over to Amazon .
Managing Pests and Disease
Besides having a more easily controlled environment than you might in an outdoor garden , the greatindoorsalso be given to feature fewer pests and diseases .
But infestation and contagion can still pass off inside the home , so it ’s worth knowing how to combat the most notoriousS. stoloniferahealth issues .
Pests
In addition to the problem that they do , pests can also transmitter pathogens . Therefore , cracking down on infestation could also save up your plant from infections down the road .
check that you check your plant for pests before bringing them into your home .
Any infested specimen should immediately be quarantined away from your other houseplants until the issue is resolve .
Soft - corporate , yet green and entail , these pests grow to between a sixteenth and an 8th of an inch long at maturity .
Via their draw mouthparts , they take out the sap from works tissue , which can precede to wilting and overall scrawny growth .
Aphids also excrete honeydew while they fee , which can result in the calamitous fungal powder known assooty mold .
With strong spray of water , you may blast any aphid off of leaf surfaces . Insecticidal scoop or neem oil can be applied to the foliage as a way of killing these pests outright .
Additionally , dip cotton plant swabs in isopropyl alcohol and rubbing them on infested plant life surfaces in an good form of spot treatment .
Bonide Insecticidal Soap
Bonide quick - to - practice insecticidal easy lay isavailable on Amazon .
Bonide Neem oil colour
And you’re able to find constitutional neem oil color from Bonideavailable from Arbico Organics .
see more about how to manage aphid in our guide .
surface with a mealy - looking wax , these segmented , wingless , and white- to gray - colored insect are 1/20 to a twenty percent of an inch long at maturity .
On strawberry begonias , they tend to congregate on leaf undersides , specially along the midvein .
Much like aphid , they can suck enough sap from leaf tissues to cause droop and stunted growth . They also excrete honeydew , which can result to the black sooty mold bring up earlier .
mealy bug are standardised to aphids in both the symptoms that they causeandhow you check them – the proficiency used for aphid will also work just OK on these pests .
Find additional mealybug ascendancy tips here .
These soft - bodied and shelless shellfish incline to infest houseplant if they ’re arrange near unresolved windows without screens or placed outdoors for short stop .
symptom show up as circular bite marks on foliage , which can leave in leaf yellowing and browning .
A slug ’s hallmark goop trail is another index of their comportment , which can show up on the plant or nearby open .
First things first , you should definitely pick off any poke that you happen to see . Once that ’s done , take the plant outside and lightly wash away it down from all angles .
After the plant dry , add a sparse layer of diatomaceous earthto the open of the potting spiritualist .
Additionally , you might wish to apply a dusting or a dilute DE spraying made with one tablespoon of DE per two cup of body of water to the top side and undersides of the leave .
These treatments will severely dry up and kill any lick gooselike enough to attack your specimen .
Be sure to make for alfresco or in a give vent area and wear proper protection when apply DE .
check more about slug it out with biff in our guide .
Full revelation : wanderer mites are n’t technically insects . They ’re in reality arachnids , along with check and real spiders .
Of the spider mites that infest houseplant , the two - recognize spider mite is the most unwashed .
At 1/50 of an inch in length , these orotund , eight - legged critters have two outstanding dark spots on their bodies , hence the name .
Spots of chlorosis or spot of feeding scathe can show up on infested foliage , along with webbing .
Along with gentle sprays of urine , applications of insecticidal soap or horticultural vegetable oil are effective means of control .
to boot , since these wanderer mites opt dry environments , maintaining ambient humidness around your strawberry begonias and keeping them by rights irrigate will help to deter these pest .
Our guide to dealing with spider mites provides more info .
Disease
Not too many disease progeny with this plant , gratefully . However , one potentially serious problem is the infamous condition known as …
do by either too much moisture on its own or in combination with a soilborne fungus , root putrefaction is no jest .
If the rootage basically swim from excess irrigation or sit in a medium that does n’t drain decent , they ’ll start to decay , causing wilt and greensickness in the shoots .
intervention imply removing the industrial plant , wash away the soil from the affected ascendant , and then nip off said roots away with sterilized scissors .
You may also need to lop away an equivalent amount of leaf mass so the source and shoots are more in proportion with each other . Plants that are too far gone will have to be pitched .
In full term of prevention , the best thing you could do is H2O properly and offer a well - draining container and media .
By using fresh and uninventive media , you should n’t have to worry much about fungous problem .
Best Uses for Strawberry Begonias
S. stoloniferaand its mat - like , clumping use looks rattling when group with more good houseplants such assnake plantsandfiddle - leaf common fig tree , each in their own container .
Additionally , the plantlets that organize on the end of the graceful reddish rootstalk trail over container quite elegantly , pass water strawberry begonia an ideal specimen for a hanging basket .
Quick Reference Growing Guide
The Strawberry Begonia: A Berry Awesome Plant
Yes , it ’s true : S. stoloniferawill importantly upgrade your interior design .
get to think of it , a strawberry begonia is a muckle like anactualstrawberry . They ’re both sweet to look at , they ’re both pretty , and if I come across a roadside stand that sells either of these , I ’d probably bribe more than most would believe financially responsible .
It ’s the end of the pathfinder , folk , and a time for festivity : you could now flaunt aS. stoloniferain your house ! Once you have a season or two under your knock , domesticate these guys will become a near - effortless routine .
Interested in other indoor plants that do n’t involve backbreaking labor to keep alive ? Here are some moreguides on school small - maintenance houseplant :
© Ask the Experts , LLC . ALL rightfulness RESERVED.See our TOSfor more details . intersection pic via Arbico Organics , Bonide , Easy Peasy Plants , Garden Belle , Mkono , and Winter Greenhouse . Uncredited photos : Shutterstock .
About
Joe Butler
