Grow Rieger Begonia

25 Comments

1. Nancy Newell - April 11, 2008 at 1:10 pm

   2007-5-19
   Nancy L. Newell
   I received a red begonia as a Mothers Day gift. Now the big question. what is the proper way to care for it. and is it a annual or perennial plant ? also my mandavilla plant has only a few green spots on it, but rest looks like it died. can I cut it back now ?
   thank you,

   Hi Nancy
   There are several begonias-tuberous Reiger begonia, Angel wing , wax begonia. Wax begonia is grown as an annual (will not survive frost)whereas with tuberous begonias, the tuber can be saved over the winter and replanted the following year. At any rate, they all need semi-shade to grow well. Too much shade will make them leggy and less floriforous. Although some will tolerate more sun, too much sun can burn the leaves. Keep the plant moist and let it dry out slightly between watering. If you put it in the right spot it will reward you with many flowers. If you have large bright colored flowers, then you may have a tuberous begonia or a Rieger begonia. On your mandevilla, cut back up to the healthy growth and fertilize to give it a jump start.

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2. AUDREY QUARTERMAIN - February 5, 2009 at 4:50 pm

   are rieger begonias hard to grow??the gardens around here dont have them,but I DID FIND ONE IN SAFEWAY,AND IT BLOOMED ALL THE TIME INDOORS..EDMONTON.ALBERTA

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3. Terri Hilton - March 22, 2009 at 4:03 pm

   I received a rieger begonia from my little grandson for my birthday and wondered if it can be planted outside. We live in North Carolina and it gets very hot in the summer months. If it is kept indoors, can it sit in a west window. That is the only window that gets nice sunshine in the afternoon.

   Hi Terri
   Rieger begonia can be planted outside. I would plant it in a shaded area to help keep it cooler during the hot summer. If it gets too hot the plant will slow down blooming. You can also grow it indoors in a filtered west window.

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4. AUDREY QUARTERMAIN - March 23, 2009 at 11:16 am

   A GROCERY STORE GOT THE REAL RIEGER BEGONIAS IN,BUT WERE FROST BITTEN IN TRANSPORT,THE SAM STORE ON THE OTHE SIDE OF THE CITY [THE SAME DAY] GOT THEIRS IN,BUT WITH A BIG SIGN HANGING IN THIER STORE,RIEGER BEGONIAS ARRIVED BUT THEY ALL HAD BUGS ON THEM,,MY QUESTION!!!ARE THESE MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO LICE AND BUGS,?THANKS SO MUCH.

   Hi Audrey
   Some insects that attack Rieger begonias are; aphids, fungus gnats, mealy bugs, thrips and whitefly. Rieger begonia can become susceptible to insects when the plants are stressed and weakened, otherwise they can be relatively bug free. I have not experienced too many “bug” problems with them.

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5. Robin Juhnke - March 28, 2009 at 10:53 am

   I just got a rieger begonia from my mothers funeral and I want to take care of it for obvious reasons. I live in Austin TX and was wondering if I could plant this outdoors on my semi protected patio with a drip system that waters every 5 days or should I try to keep it indoors? My house is window and light limited along with cats that like greens. I also got a peace lily and a philodendron. I have been researching and it seems they both should stay indoors in our hot summers. Mom always answered these questions or me so I would appreciate any help.

   Hi Robin
   Sorry to hear about your Mom’s passing. You can plant your Rieger begonia in either a container or in a shady area of your flower garden. If the weather gets hot and dry in the summer, you may have to water more often.
   As far as the peace lily and philodendron-both are tropical plants and if they can spend the summer on a shaded porch, they would certainly enjoy the humidity and warmth. On the other hand, it may be easier to maintain them indoors.

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6. barb - May 11, 2009 at 5:33 am

   I live in Minnesota. Just received a rieger begonia. Is this an inside or outside plant for our location?

   Rieger begonia can spend the summer outdoors in semi-shade but will have to be brought indoors for the winter. It’s not hardy in Minnesota.

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7. Carrie - May 16, 2009 at 7:25 am

   Hello I received a rieger begonia for Mother’s Day. They are yellow and one red one that has died. I live in the Boston Ma. area. I was wondering if I should plant it in a container or if I could plant it outside? Will it come back every year? I am not a gardner but trying to get into it. So I am really lost when it comes to plants and flowers!! Maybe you could give me some tips on which plants and flowers are best to plant in my area that will come back each year? Thank you so so so much!

   Hi Carrie
   See the above article on reblooming begonia It is not hardy in your area and will have to be dug up for the winter. When shopping for plant for your yard look for perennials that are hardy in your area zone 6a-6b.

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8. Potting/Planting Rieger Begonia - June 3, 2009 at 6:30 pm

   Bought 2 beautiful blooming Rieger Begonias today; they were under a cool greenhouse, so I assume planting them indoors is best. We live in the hot & humid southland called Alabama and I’m not so sure these babies could handle the heat. I’ve read both east & west windows, so I’m confused. May I just have an approximate time of indirect sunlight needed to keep these beauties alive? Thanks for the help & the website is quite informative & useful!

   Hi Abby,
   There are so many different kinds of begonias and hybrid crosses that have slightly different lighting conditions and that’s where the confusion lies. The ideal light for a winter rieger begonia is a bright, filtered east window. It is possible to grow Rieger begonia in a west window with filtered light-meaning a sheer curtain in front of it.
   Here’s a rule of thumb: if the leaves turn a copper color that will indicate that your begonia is getting too much light which can eventually cause leaf burn.
   If you have a tuberous begonia-which likes warm weather and humidity, you can place it outdoors in a light shaded area.

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9. Eni - June 16, 2009 at 5:41 pm

   Begonia hardiness
   How do I protect my recently planted wax and riger begonias from winter weather in Florida without digging them all out?

   Hi Eni
   You don’t need to dig them up in Fla. Wax begonia is hardy in zone 9-10. They should survive the winter. Rieger begonia is hardy in zone 10. Depending on what part of Fla you live in, you may have to cover your plant in case of a frost.

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10. Judy Templeton - August 4, 2009 at 7:29 pm

    I live in Bellevue Nebraska. I have a Rieger begonia in a hanging pot which I got this spring which I have outside in a mostly shaded area. I had a light pink one last year and it bloomed so well when I saw a orange-red one I had to have it. It is outside all summer and is beautiful. It is so very little work and it has become my husband’s favorite. It is probably because of all the color it provides. I had no idea I could keep it over inside. Well, I will give it a try anyway. Your site is wonderful. Thank you for the inspiration.

    Hi Judy
    Tuberous begonia are one of my favorites. If it dies back from frost just save the tuber and replant next early spring.

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11. cathy - October 22, 2009 at 6:17 am

    i have an angel wing begonia that i sit on my deck through the warm months, we had an early frost and i forgot to bring it inside, will it come back if i bring it inside?

    Hi Cathy
    It depends on how much cold damage the plant incurred. Cut back the frozen parts and see if you get any new growth from the roots. If you don’t see anything within a months then I would give up.

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12. Cherish - January 14, 2010 at 10:43 am

    Hello,
    I love in Pensacola, FL. It is very hot and humid here in the summers, and dry and cold in the winters. I just received a Rieger Begonia from my Employer for the passing of my grandpa. I would like to keep it alive for his memory but i have never had good luck with keeping plants alive. I live in a small apartment and I never open the blinds and there isn’t much sunlight that comes in them anyways, but I would open them if it would help. I don’t know which way is West or East in my apartment so I don’t know what to do, this will be my first plant other than a fern, which didn’t live very long. 🙁 Any advice or help you could give me would be great! Thanks!!

    Hi Cherish
    Sorry to hear about your grampa. Rieger begonia needs bright indirect light to thrive and bloom. For it to have any chance, place it in the window so that it gets some indirect light. An east window will give you morning light (sun).

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13. Keira - February 2, 2010 at 11:27 am

    Flower color change
    Hi! I have what was a baby pink Rieger Begonia that I got a couple years ago. It’s been doing great except that now when it flowers, almost all the flowers are white with only 1 or 2 that have any signs of pink on them. Do I need to change the soil pH or is there anything else I can do to make them more pink again? Thanks!

    Hi Keira
    There are a number of reasons why flower color can change. One of them is soil ph. If your plant has been in the same soil for a few years, then the ph can change merely from watering. Flower color also changes due to temperature and amount of sunlight and age of the plant. In many cases, if the plant has been hybridzed the dominant gene takes over as the plant gets older and diminishes the weaker color which in this case is red.

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14. Hope - February 16, 2010 at 7:52 am

    Brown spots
    Hey I just got a pink Rieger Begonia. I didn’t water it yet because it was moist when I brought it home from the florist and I was a little worried about overwatering. I am going to water it today, but I noticed brown spots on some of the blooms. Is that mold? I cut all the brown blooms off because I don’t want it to spread to the rest of the plant. The brown is like on the edges of some flowers. It is not dead spots becasue it is wet.

    Hi Hope
    The brown spots or blotches can be some type of fungus that the blooms get from having water in the petals and lack of air circulation. Sometimes that happens when the plants are packed in boxes too long. The best thing you can do is to remove the diseased part of the flower so that it doesn’t spread. When you water make sure you drain all the water from the bottom of the pot so that the roots are not sitting in water. Let the top 1 inch of soil dry out before watering again.

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15. Lisa - April 19, 2010 at 2:57 pm

    Hi – I bought rieger begonia’s for the first time last summer ( I live in Philadelphia area) and they did so well through the summer and fall, I bought a lot more this summer. They did much better than my geraniums. I have moved into a home with an enclosed porch although it is NOT heated. Can I move my begonia’s in the porch around fall – and will they continue to bloom like a houseplant? OR should i move them into the house – again hopefully to bloom. OR should I cut them back and store them and pull them out next spring.
    Thank You:)

    Hi Lisa
    Unless your porch is frost proof the begonia would not survive. You can treat them like a houseplant and will get some flowers, depending on the amount of light it receives. If it makes it through the winter, then cut back the spindly winter growth in spring to stimulate new growth. If you have the tuberous type, once the frost kills off the foliage, store the tuber and bring it out and repot next spring.

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16. Autumn - July 17, 2010 at 3:38 pm

    Stem rot
    I have had my rieger begonia sitting under my porch for a few months, and it did very good. I live in Alabama, where we have been experiencing high 90 temps. I have begun to notice some of the stems at the base of the plant rotting and turning dark colors. I went out of town and I think it may have been over watered by a friend. I am unsure if the heat or the over watering is causing the problem. Should I cut off the stems that are appearing to be turning bad? I have moved the plant indoors, where it will continue to receive indirect sunlight.
    Thanks!

    HI Autumn
    Overwatering and excessive heat stress can cause the stem rot problem. Cut off the diseased parts. Depending on how extensive the rot is, it may or may not recover.

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17. Dana Lupu - March 7, 2011 at 8:16 am

    Hi,my name is Dana and i got a Begonia Reiger #6 as a present.I-m curios,i live in the Poconos and we have a lot of Deer,.Do they eat this plants?

    Hi Dana
    It’s not their favorite plant but they will eat it if nothing better is available. I have to protect mine in the fall or else they will eat it down to stubs.

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18. Betty - April 6, 2011 at 12:30 pm

    Light exposure
    I got 2 Begonias (reiger-elater). I live in NW WA in a small Apt. I’ve kept them by an East window. I get early morning sunshine but I keep them away from the sun. Im I doing right? Or should I let them be in the sun? Thanks

    Hi Betty
    Yes, Bright, indirect light is best. The East window is great.

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19. Patty - May 16, 2011 at 3:14 pm

    Are all Rieger begonias tuberous? I would like to keep the three I just bought for several years. I live in Ohio, so keeping them outside is not an option. I will try them inside, but can I dig them up and store them?

    Hi Patty
    You can dig them up and store them. Another option is to keep them in the soil when they go dormant and repot in fresh soil.

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20. Meghan - August 9, 2011 at 5:49 pm

    Not blooming
    Hi,
    I have a Rieger Begonia that I bought at Lowe’s last fall. It bloomed beautifully for a few months, but has since stopped blooming all together. The leaves are still beautiful, I have it by my kitchen window – sorry, no idea which way it faces :)and I live in crazy hot South Carolina. I read in this article that you should cut it back, etc. Would now be a good time to do that? It hasn’t bloomed for quite a few months. This is the ONLY plant that has EVER grown for me… ever, so I really don’t want to screw it up :). Thanks so much!!

    Hi Meghan
    You can cut your begonia back to encourage new growth. Rieger begonia responds to short days and cool night temperatures (fall/winter) which stimulates it to bloom again. Give the plant some fertilizer, when new growth starts.

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21. Jessie girl - July 10, 2012 at 9:36 am

    I live in Virginia. I have enjoyed begonias for years. Recently planted a few pots and my dog kept hitting them with his tail. Two where pretty damaged. However think one will do great. My question is about this beautiful orange one that i find to be rare…. Of course!

    Stem/root rot
    The stem has turned darker and shriveled up. I cut it off two inches from the ground. In your experience does trauma kill it all the way back. Should I keep hope? Suggestion on supportive care for now!? Thanks

    Hi Jessie
    Begonias can get a fungal root or stem rot from keeping the soil to wet or general stressful growing conditions. It’s best to remove the diseased stem as it will not recover. A fungicide treatment may help the rest of the plant. Here’s more info http://www.ehow.com/how_7373127_treat-tuberous-begonia-rot.html

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22. Janet - February 2, 2013 at 5:41 am

    I have a begonia that I think is a Begonia Rieger but I’m not sure. It got a bit of frost in Autumn but I brought it inside, pruned it back and it started growing again quite happily. Then we left it with my mother in law over Christmas and when I picked it up all but one of the stems had fallen off! She had kept it in a draft and it was drastically over watered. The final stem is on its way out too now. On top of that, there seems to be some rot on the base of one of the stems and I can see the fleshy red/orange inside of the (what I think might be the) tuber. Is there any hope? Should I cut off the final stalk and try to brush off the earth and let it hibernate? I am not sure if it is a tubourous or other breed. How can I tell apart from digging it up? Thanks a lot.

    Hi Janet
    Digging up the tuber is the only way to see if there’s anything left to save. It sounds as if the plant was overwatered making it susceptible to rot. If you find a tuber, it should be firm and free from blemishes.

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23. Nadine - May 1, 2013 at 2:13 pm

    Fungus gnats
    I have gnats that stay on my rieger begonias, is there anything I can spray on them to get rid of them without harming my plants?

    Hi Nadine
    I have several suggestion for treating fungus gnats. See http://hortchat.com/info/fungus-gnats

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24. Mary - February 18, 2015 at 10:10 am

    I just bought red rieger begonias. I love these plants, but I live in Tampa FL. Should I grow it indoors or can it be outside?

    Hi Mary
    I love rieger begonians as well. They can be grown outside in late winter/early spring in Florida but once the hot weather comes, they will die back.

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25. Stefano - February 4, 2021 at 1:04 pm

    Even people who keep Rieger begonias frequently don t repot the parent plant. Instead, after the dormant period is over and the plant has begun to regrow, you can cut off the new leaves and propagate them as leaf-tip cuttings, then discard the parent plant. Alternatively, you can only take some of the new growth for propagation and let the parent plant grow out again (its bloom the following year might not be as spectacular). When repotting a Rieger begonia, only increase the pot size as much as necessary. These plants like to be slightly pot-bound .

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