Begonia fimbriata 6 colour mix - Fringed tuberous begonia in scarlet, pink, orange, yellow, white, salmon

This collection of Begonia Fimbriata, or the fringed tuberous begonia, comes in a mix of 6 different colours. Their large, double, rounded corollas, with finely cut petals, resemble scarlet, pink, orange, yellow, white, and salmon carnations. Ideal for pots, shaded planters, and borders, they flower generously from June until the first frosts.

Belonging to the Begoniaceae family, these cultivars are part of the Begonia × tuberhybrida complex, a group of hybrids created in the 19th century from Andean species.
Fimbriata corresponds to a line that produces fringed flowers. Each plant has a bushy, compact, upright habit; it regrows each year from a flattened tuber that stores reserves. It develops a small clump 30–35 cm tall and 30–40 cm wide. The stems are fleshy and brittle, green to reddish. The asymmetrical, dark green, heart-shaped to ovate leaves with a dentate margin measure 8 to 12 cm long. The flowers, male and female on the same plant (monoecious plant), are borne in cymes: the very double and fringed males reach between 10 and 12 cm in diameter, smaller and more single females have an inferior winged ovary; the flowering period extends from early summer to autumn. The foliage is destroyed by frost; the tubers enter dormancy and must be stored frost-free, dry, and cool during winter.

Begonia Fimbriata is often grown in containers, making it easy to bring into a greenhouse or conservatory from autumn onwards. If planted in the ground, lift the tubers and store them under cover until the following spring. Plant it in a damp border, sheltered from scorching sun and wind. You can pair Fimbriata with Hosta ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ which forms a bluish cushion, Heuchera ‘Caramel’ for its warm tones, Fuchsia ‘Genii’ for its lightness, or Impatiens ‘Beacon Mix'. In a 25–30 cm diameter pot, use a rich, moist but not waterlogged compost, and remove spent flowers to prolong flowering.

It was in the 1870s that the first tuberous hybrids were explicitly described, continuing the enthusiasm sparked in the 19th century for these Andean species introduced by collectors like Richard Pearce for the Veitch nursery.