Trailing begonia Pink Cascade - Begonia Pendula

Begonia ‘Pink Cascade’ is a gracefully trailing, bright pink tuberous begonia, which makes a great impact in hanging baskets and other slightly shaded containers. In flower until the end of summer, this generous plant is suitable for terraces sheltered from wind and harsh sun.

A member of the Begoniaceae family, this cultivar belongs to the vast horticultural group Begonia × tuberhybrida, that of the tuberous begonias. Modern selections derive from work carried out in the 19th century by the Veitch & Sons establishments (London) and by the breeder John Seden. 'Pink Cascade’ is a trailing variety (from the Pendula Group), cultivated for its flexible stems and its floriferousness. The plant has a spreading and trailing habit. Its foliage reaches 25–35 cm in height, and its fleshy and brittle, green to reddish stems commonly trail over 45-50 cm. The foliage features alternate, asymmetrical, fairly dark green leaves, with finely toothed edges; it yellows then disappears at the end of the season. The male and female flowers are separate on the same plant (monoecious), borne in pendulous cymes; they are single, semi-double or double. 6 to 8 cm wide and bright pink. Flowering continues from June to October if faded flowers are removed. The plant enters dormancy in autumn, as soon as the foliage yellows; the tuber must be kept dry at 8–10 °C throughout the winter.

Place Begonia ‘Pink Cascade’ in a hanging basket or a large planter, in bright partial shade, in a rich, moist and well-drained compost. Pair it with other light shade plants with a soft texture: trailing fuchsia Bella Rosella, variegated dwarf ivy 'Kolibri' or Lysimachia nummularia Aurea. At the front of your window box, plant small lemon heucheras with anise-green foliage, for example. Among begonias, it can be associated with compact series like ‘Nonstop’, with B. Super Olympia white, or with white or red Pendula.

The botanical species at the origin of the "Pendula" comes from the cloud forests and humid cliffs of the Andes mountain range (Bolivia, Peru, north-west Argentina), where nights remain cool; these conditions explain its cultivation requirements.
The story of tuberous begonias began in the 1860s when the collector Richard Pearce introduced B. boliviensis and B. veitchii to Europe; these species, presented successfully in Paris in 1867, served as parents for the first major hybrid, B. × sedenii, paving the way for the pendula lines that decorate our hanging baskets and shaded windows today.