Wait for the foliage of the tuberous begonia to die in the fall. Martha Stewart and her guest Byron Martin discuss how to prune and propagate the begonia plant. This is what you'll use for propagation. Rieger Begonia, also known as begonia x hiemalis are beautiful winter-flowering plants that have bright, creamy, and beautiful blooms. This begonia flower varies in several colors like bright yellow, red, pink, salmon, orange, and even white. You can grow begonias from seed, but it’s much easier to propagate them from cuttings instead, and you can do this with most kinds of begonias. Prune and Propagate Begonia Plants . The Elatior Begonia [ee-LAY-tee-or] [be-GON-yuh] aka Rieger begonia belong to the Begoniaceae genus, the sixth-largest flowering plant genus in the world. Watch More Videos From Cooking Fundamentals. The tubers which are somewhat similar to bulbs store water to keep it alive during rest periods. Just give them basic “annual flower” care and avoid overwatering. Rex begonias are striking known as painted-leaf begonias or fancy-leaf begonias because of their stunning leaf coloration. It is also sometimes called elatior begonia, although it is the same plant as the Rieger begonia. Propagating Tuberous Begonias. Twitter Google+. It is wise to water it occasionally during rest periods so that it doesn't completely dry out. Summer is the ideal time to take leaf cuttings from your houseplants and begonias propagate well from leaf cuttings. Then you simply separate each new plant from the mother leaf and pot it on. The foliage of this type of begonia dies in the fall. It seems there are a lot of people looking for information and instructions on how to care for them, so I found this short video that gives you some helpful care tips and advice for rieger begonias. The plant (begonia x hiemalis), a hybrid created by English plant breeder James Veitch in 1883. GARDENING GUIDE: RIEGER BEGONIA CARE /THE ELATIOR WINTER BEGONIA Become one of My Awesome subscribers! They thrive as indoor plants, can bloom for weeks and are popular as floral gifts. Starting tuberous begonias from seed is certainly an option, but will take time and expertise to bring the seedlings to flowering plant size. At this time, the plant will produce new, small tubers which shoot out of the main tuber. You can grow Rieger begonias in pots or in the ground. A young plant will erupt from tissue along the leaf veins and then root into the compost. Facebook Comment MORE. Turn the leaves upside down, and slice them into wedges with a sharp, clean knife. A very successful way of propagating Begonias - and ensuring a true to type plant - is by stem cuttings. Now Playing. How to Season with Salt . Stem Cuttings of Tuberous Begonias. Rieger Begonia Plant Care Tips. Remove one of the main tubers from the begonia. The Rieger begonia is a tuberous begonia that needs to rest for a few months every year, usually early fall to mid-winter. Photo: NetPS Plant Finder. And these are no longer the delicate “winter begonias” your grandfather grew, but are, in fact, tough, easy-to-grow plants. More Less. How to Propagate a Rex Begonia Leaf. Rieger Begonia: How To Grow Elaitor Begonia Plants. A popular indoor blooming plant that gets a lot of searches on this site is the rieger begonia. Rieger begonias are an improved hybrid begonia variety with a more compact habit and a wide variety of bloom colors with some having double blooms. To make babies from cuttings, start by snipping a few healthy leaves from your favorite begonia. Rieger begonia back outdoors again.