Begonia Care Guide: Growing Winter-Blooming Begonias (Rieger Begonias) Indoors

Botanical Name: Begonia x hiemalis

Meet their needs, and these begonias will reward you with months of spectacular flowers. Fortunately, they're quite easy to please.

These hybrids of B. socotrana and tuberous begonia varieties are often called winter-blooming begonias, though ongoing breeding has produced gorgeous new varieties available in bloom year-round.

Rieger begonias are full, bushy, and low-growing, with thick, reddish stems rising from tuberous roots. Big, soft, dark-green leaves create a beautiful backdrop for abundant clusters of delightful flowers in orange, white, yellow, red, and pink.

Tuberous begonias go dormant after flowering, but you can bring them back into bloom. See "After-Blooming Care" below.

Growing Begonias Year-Round

Keep Soil Moist Allowing it to dry out leaves the plant vulnerable to disease. But soggy soil is equally harmful—overwatering causes leaves to wilt and yellow. Remove affected leaves immediately; they'll likely rot and attract botrytis fungus.

Provide Bright Light Give your begonia plenty of bright light while blooming, but keep it out of direct sun, which scorches the leaves.

Deadhead Spent Flowers Remove faded blooms to keep the plant tidy and encourage more flowers.

After-Blooming Begonia Care They're challenging to maintain and regrow, so they're often treated as temporary houseplants. However, reblooming is possible. After flowering, cut back watering so the plant is barely moist but not bone-dry. Keep it in darkness during this dormant period. In 6–8 weeks, foliage will die back. Cut off all leaves, leaving 3 in (7.5 cm) stems. When new growth appears, remove these stems from the parent plant and pot them in fresh mix. The parent plant can be discarded.

Begonia Care Quick Reference

Origin: Hybrids of Begonia socotrana (discovered on Socotra Island, off East Africa) and tuberous hybrids (South American origins)

Height: 12–18 in (30–45 cm)

Light: Bright light

Water: Keep soil evenly moist, not soggy. Allow top inch to dry between waterings.

Humidity: Medium to high. Set pot on a tray of wet pebbles.

Temperature: Cool nights (55–60°F / 13–16°C) and warm days (65–75°F / 18–24°C) trigger flower buds.

Soil: Peat-based soilless mix (African violet mix works well). Ensure good drainage.

Fertilizer: Feed every 3 weeks with a high-phosphorus liquid fertilizer diluted by half while blooming.

Propagation: Take 3–4 in (7–10 cm) stem tip cuttings at the start of the growing season and root in fresh potting mix.