Jorielle's Blog

by Brad Thompson

Cane begonias are a popular type of begonia and besides the various species canes, there are hundreds of cane hybrids. Cane begonias are distinguished from the other types by their bamboo like stems. Most are free blooming and have large clusters of flowers, many are even ever blooming. Many also have fragrance that can be smelled in the morning hours from female flower clusters.

There are four main types of begonias; Superba Canes, Intermediate type Canes, Rubra type Canes, and Mallet Canes. Previously the term angel wing was used to describe this type of begonia but that term has been replaced by the name cane, at least officially.

Cane Culture

Potting

Canes are one of the easier types of begonias to grow and will grow in all the different types of pots available. Plastic pots are the most commonly used type of pots for canes. They grow well as either hanging baskets or as potted plants. They also do well grown in the ground. Like nearly all begonias, canes require a well drained potting mix and resent soggy feet.

When repotting, canes should be placed as low in the new pot as possible. This may require removing extra mix from the bottom of the rootball to be able to have them sit lower. The reason for potting lower is to bury more stem buds which will encourage more basal growth and also cause more roots to form on the buried parts.

Pruning

Unless grown indoors, where pruning can be done any time of year, most canes should be pruned in the spring. Unless you’re purposely trying to grow a tall specimen plant, most varieties should be pruned fairly hard to encourage new basal shoots. Canes not pruned have tendency to become bare stemmed on their lower parts. Superba types should be pruned back fairly hard in Spring, then allowed to grow freely the rest of the year. The other types should be cut back the same but the smaller leaved varieties benefit from routinely pinching the tips to force side branching and fullness.

Canes routinely send up strong sturdy stems from the roots. This growth appears almost like some sucker type growth but this is the normal growth of the plant. On superbas, these can be left alone. For growing in baskets, or for the other types of canes, these stronger shoots should be pruned back as they appear, down to the lowest outward facing bud. This will force the plant to put out weaker side branching. This will fill in the plant and make it conform to the rest of the plant’s growth.

Watering and Fertilizing

Canes don’t like to be overwatered. Mature plants however are among the most tolerant of overwatering than any of the begonia types. A well draining mix is preferred. Extremely warm areas of the country made need a more water retentive mix though. Canes should be watered after the mix surface has become dry. Canes benefit from quarter strength fertilizer given weekly through out their active growing season. Over watered canes will drop lower leaves. Avoid getting water on the leaves of canes when they are in direct sun or the weather is overly hot to avoid causing leaves to burn. Under ordinary conditions getting water on the leaves doesn’t bother most canes. Any varieties that are prone to brown tips will be less prone to this problem if you avoid getting their leaves wet when watering though. An example is B. albo picta which is very prone to brown tips.

Light and Heat

Cane begonias do best when given good light all year. Most benefit from full early morning or late afternoon sun. Filtered sun all day is preferred. There are very few canes that will perform well in complete shade. Most won’t bloom in low light. Canes in hot climates may burn if given late afternoon direct sun. Most canes do well in 50% shade provided by shade cloth in coastal areas of California. Begonias in Texas or other hot climates may require more shade than other areas.

In frost free areas most canes will over winter outdoors with no protection. Many canes suffer from leaf drop during colder weather. This is normal unless caused by disease, overwatering, or pests. Some of the more tender canes such as B.’maculata’ and it’s hybrids, mallets, small stemmed and miniature canes, and especially mildew prone varieties may require winter protection. This can be provided by a temporary greenhouse or by bringing indoors if you don’t have a greenhouse to move them to. Even an unheated clear plastic shelter will usually be enough to carry them through.

Canes are prone to sudden leaf drop during sudden extreme temperature changes. Not sure of the cause, may be a genetic feature designed to protect the plant from extremes. It is normal but you should be aware of this problem when moving plants. It is common for plants taken to shows to drop leaves and all their flowers afterwards. They quickly recover when put back in their normal growing conditions however.

Propagation

Nearly all canes can only be reproduced by stem cuttings except for the species which of course can be started from seed. Only a handful can be started from leaf cuttings and all of these are hybrids between canes and other types such as some of the mallets.

Special Uses and Tips

Cane begonias are very flexible and there are varieties for nearly every specific purpose. They also respond very well to training. If planted in the ground and allowed to grow in a semi wild state, most will be tall large plants. Many of the superbas and some of the others can attain eight or ten feet tall easily if allowed to. With the exception of a couple of the more vigorous superbas though, nearly all begonias can be kept to a small manageable size. There are very few that can’t be confined to an eight or ten inch pot and kept to two feet tall or less tall for many years. Most canes can also be grown as nice full hanging baskets with proper pinching and pruning. Some of the superbas would require large baskets however. Canes can also be easily trained as standards or grown on trellises.

Cane-like begonias: like bamboo with flowers

If you ever have seen an "angel wing" begonia, you know the cane-like group. So-called angel wings comprise a large portion of the classification.

Cane-like begonias have long stems with slightly swollen joints ("nodes")-they resemble bamboo. The leaves and flowers arise from the joints. With optimum care, some cultivars can reach six feet or more in height in a container, as much as 15 feet or so in the ground in mild winter areas. Others remain short enough for indoor culture.

Many people find them easier to grow than some other kinds, such as Rex Cultorum and tuberous types which have special needs.

Cane-like begonias are grown for both foliage, which sometimes is spotted or textured, and flowers, usually large, cascading clusters of white, pink, red, or orange, for a large part of the year. Timing varies from variety to variety.

The classification is subdivided into three types: Superba, with deeply cut foliage sometimes spotted; Mallet, with maroon or deep rose leaves; and all others. Among the cane-like begonias are B. albo-picta, B. 'Irene Nuss', B. 'Lenore Olivier', B. lubbersii, B. 'Lucerna', B. 'Sophie Cecile', and B. 'Tingley Mallet'.

The best place to grow a cane-type begonia is in bright light -- even sunny if the sun isn't intensely hot. It's best to use a standard-size pot to accommodate a large root system, making it a clay or wooden container to provide the weight necessary to keep a tall plant from falling over. If you use a plastic pot, take measures to keep it upright.

Plant in rich, humusy mix. Cane-type begonias tolerate a heavy mix to support tall growth. (Most other begonias require a coarser, more porous mix.) Water when the soil surface is nearly dry to the touch. Never overwater. A balanced fertilizer (one containing nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) may be applied at half-strength twice as often as recommended on the label whenever the plant is in growth.

Most cane-like begonias are not fussy about temperature or humidity. Any range that is comfortable for people is fine. If leaves brown and get crisp on the edges, the humidity is too low. If leaves yellow and fall off, you are watering too often. These begonias rarely need staking, but require pruning in winter or early spring: remove old, woody canes and shorten green ones to about four or five nodes, some canes longer and others shorter. (New canes just starting should be left alone.) Repot into fresh mix at the same time.

During the growing season, judicious tip pinching will keep overly vigorous canes in bounds and promote growth of new canes from the base. (Cane-type begonias rarely branch above soil level.)

As begonias go, canes are relatively free of insects and diseases when plants are healthy and tended properly. Many believe any apparent ailment should be diagnosed specifically, then treated with the least toxic product that will work. Often a water spray, hand picking, or an insecticide derived from natural ingredients (Dipel, pyrethrins, rotenone) will do the trick without endangering beneficial insects, animals, or humans. Always follow label directions exactly. Some collectors prefer to prevent infestations altogether through a more extensive chemical program. If you have questions, consult an experienced begonia grower, a competent nurseryman or nurserywoman, or a Cooperative Extension agent in your county.

The easiest and most reliable method of propagating cane-type begonias is from stem cuttings. Take a tip cutting with two to four nodes -- root it in a rooting medium such as perlite or sand. Species can be grown from seed, as can hybrids -- but hybrid seed produces plants not identical to the parent.