Begonia × tuberhybrida Red - Large-flowered tuberous begonia

Begonia x tuberhybrida Superba Red is a tuberous begonia with large double flowers from June to October on a compact plant, well-suited to partially shaded pots and planters. Its scarlet red corollas enliven balconies as well as flowerbed borders. Its care remains simple: it requires rich compost, regular but not excessive watering, and its tubers to be overwintered away from the cold. A reliable choice for summer and autumn displays!

Belonging to the Begoniaceae family, Superba Red is part of the horticultural group Begonia × tuberhybrida, resulting from hybridisations between Andean species, native to the cool mountainous regions of Bolivia and Peru; these plants have given rise to tuberous hybrids suited to temperate summers and cool nights. "Superba" refers to a line with large, upright flowers.
Superba Red forms an upright, compact clump in a few weeks, reaching about 30–40 cm in height with a 20–30 cm spread. The fleshy stems are fragile and brittle. The deciduous foliage consists of asymmetrical, medium glossy green, ovate leaves with finely toothed edges, sometimes finely edged with red on some specimens; each measures 8 to 15 cm long. The plant grows from a flattened tuber that stores reserves and sends up new shoots each spring. From June to October, it produces double flowers in the shape of open roses, 10–12 cm across, of a pure, uniform red. The inflorescences, which arise in the leaf axils, are held above the foliage. The vegetation is destroyed by the first frosts, and the tuber must be overwintered dry and frost-free (around 5–10 °C).

In partially shaded pots, you can pair the Superba Red begonia with purple or caramel heucheras and small Hart's Tongue Ferns to accentuate the red of its flowers. In a shaded flowerbed, plant it at the edge with New Guinea Impatiens Divine Orange Bronze Leaf, compact hardy fuchsias, or blue Hostas. In a large planter, alternate a few young plants of Superba Red with other cultivars from the Superba group (white, yellow, orange) to create a colourful ribbon in the shade.

The rise of tuberous begonias in the 19th century is linked to Andean introductions by Veitch's collectors and the subsequent hybridisations. This line quickly became a star of horticultural exhibitions from the 1870s onwards.