Begonias

Begonia: 2016’s Summer Bulb of the Year

iBulb, a company dedicated to promoting the flower bulb market, names an annual summer bulb – and this year’s winner isn’t a bulb at all! Begonias are actually tubers, which are considered a part of the bulbous plants group. But, true bulbs store their food reserves in underground leaves or scales, while tubers use their fleshy roots for this purpose.

However, the effervescent begonia wasn’t named the Bulb of the Year for its roots – it has become popular due to its flowers! The Begoniaceae family is large and diverse; begonias come in a number of shapes, sizes and colors. Breck’s carries both upright begonias – those flower-bed-ready varieties which grow and flower in an upward direction – and trailing begonias, which are popular picks for planters or hanging baskets. Trailing or hanging begonias produce delicate flowers that hang like tiny pendulums from the plant.

This year, gardeners are loving begonias with big personalities. One trend lies in the rise of ruffly, double-blooming begonias, such as Breck’s Samba begonias. Dinnerplate begonias, named for their gigantic flowers, are also popular. Another type of begonia rising to fame? Marginata begonias feature unique edging for a colorful garden. Of course, many of us love the classic look of those hanging begonias, and we’ll be sure to see them in pots and planters everywhere this year!

One of the loveliest aspect of this popular group of spring-planted bulbs lies in return on investment. With just a little care, you’ll get weeks of flowers from most begonia varieties. This year, Breck’s is proud to offer Superba begonias – these beautiful plants feature huge, double-blooming flowers, and thrive even in shady areas. They also bloom all season long!

Superba begonia
Our Superba Begonias offer the best of all the begonia’s characteristics – and they bloom for weeks!

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