White Begonia pendula Tuberhybrida

The Begonia pendula White, with its gracefully trailing habit, offers a long and abundant white flowering on its long flexible stems, from summer until the first frosts. They are perfectly highlighted on a toothed foliage of a very dark green veined with lighter green. Essential for hanging baskets and flowering pots, the trailing begonia also has a great effect at the front of borders. It is easy to grow in partial shade, in a moist but well-drained soil. Continuous flowering from June to October.

The Begonia pendula White belongs to the Begoniaceae family, it is part of the tuberous begonias hybrids whose parents are mainly from the Andean tropical forests. It is a trailing cultivar, reaching approximately 25-30cm (10-12in) in height at maturity. Its deciduous foliage consists of shiny, thick, alternate leaves with finely cut edges, dark green in colour and traversed by apparent veins of lighter colour. The laminae are always asymmetrical and the petioles have stipules at their base. The stems of this begonia are thick, fleshy, and brittle. Its male flowers are single, cup-shaped with 4 white petals around a cluster of yellow stamens, while the female flowers are fully double, 3-4cm (1-2in) wide, composed of pleated petals, ranging from very pale pink to pure white. They hang on long reddish petioles that emerge from the axils of the leaves. After the flowering, which lasts from June to October without interruption, the plant enters a period of dormancy. The tubers will be cultivated like those of Dahlias.

Begonias are unrivalled in bringing colour to shaded areas. They are also at ease in well-kept borders, in the company of lighter flowers such as lobelias or forget-me-nots, whether grown in pots on the terrace or in hanging baskets. This pendula variety will be perfectly highlighted by the small silver foliage of Dichondra 'Silver Falls', the tiny white flowers of 'Diamond Frost' euphorbia, in large pots in the winter garden or in the conservatory. Finally, it is good to know that there are hardy begonias, such as Begonia grandis.