Group/Class:  Rex Begonia

Description:

This vigorous variety quickly creates a dense, full specimen; mottled green leaves mature to near-black with chartreuse veins and burgundy undersides; spikes of rose pink flowers in winter to spring; best in bright indoor light

Features & Attributes

Black Velvet Begonia features showy panicles of rose flowers with pink overtones and yellow eyes rising above the foliage from mid winter to early spring. Its attractive crinkled lobed palmate leaves emerge dark green, turning black in color with curious burgundy undersides and tinges of chartreuse throughout the year.

This is an herbaceous evergreen houseplant with a mounded form. This plant usually looks its best without pruning, although it will tolerate pruning.

Planting & Growing

When grown indoors, Black Velvet Begonia can be expected to grow to be about 12 inches tall at maturity extending to 18 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 24 inches. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 3 years. This houseplant performs well in both bright or indirect sunlight and strong artificial light, and can therefore be situated in almost any well-lit room or location. It requires an evenly moist well-drained soil for optimal growth, but will suffer if left to grow in standing water. The surface of the soil shouldn't be allowed to dry out completely, and so you should expect to water this plant once and possibly even twice each week. Be aware that your particular watering schedule may vary depending on its location in the room, the pot size, plant size and other conditions; if in doubt, ask one of our experts in the store for advice. It will benefit from a regular feeding with a general-purpose fertilizer with every second or third watering. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soil. Contact the store for specific recommendations on pre-mixed potting soil for this plant.

There are many factors that will affect the ultimate height, spread and overall performance of a plant when grown indoors; among them, the size of the pot it's growing in, the amount of light it receives, watering frequency, the pruning regimen and repotting schedule. Use the information described here as a guideline only; individual performance can and will vary. Please contact the store to speak with one of our experts if you are interested in further details concerning recommendations on pot size, watering, pruning, repotting, etc.

-- THIS IS A HOUSEPLANT AND IS NOT MEANT TO SURVIVE THE WINTER OUTDOORS IN OUR CLIMATE --