If you have previously grown begonias, you will recognize the family when you are growing your betulia. But what is the difference? Betulia vs Begonia – which is better?
The answer is basically, whichever you prefer! Let’s have little more of an in depth look at these different plants, so you can discover the similarities and differences.
What You'll Learn Today
Betulia Vs Begonia
It may or may not surprise you to know that these plants are actually very similar – they come from the same family, and betulia are a subspecies of the begonia genus.
As such, the growing conditions are very similar for the two! They like:
- Moist, well-draining soil
- A shady spot without direct sunlight
- Warm temperatures between 16-24 degrees C
- A fortnightly feed with a balanced fertilizer
- Frequent watering so the soil stays consistently moist
As long as you stick to this, you should be laughing all the way to the garden borders!
Begonia flowers come in just about any color of the rainbow, so you can base your choices on your favorite color.
Lots of people base their plant preferences on color, and if you like pinks and reds then betulia is the choice for you!
Both plants have similarly interesting foliage – the leaves are often variegated, and can come in interesting shapes too.
Because these plants are so similar, we are going to go out on a limb and say – choose your favorite based on your color preference.
What Is A Begonia?
Begonia are flowering plants with glossy green leaves and a huge variety of different colors – in fact, their genus contains over 2,000 variations!
Begonia are native to most tropical and subtropical climates, so they do like to be kept warmer than some other plants.
The flower colors are many and varied, and there are generally different colors for each subtype in the genus.
Many of the leaves of different begonia are interesting shapes, and can also be variegated.
These little plants like to be kept warm, but they will not tolerate direct sunlight as it can scorch their leaves.
Begonia are used as garden plants, as well as being perfect for keeping indoors in pots too.
They are pretty easy to keep; all they need is moist soil, an occasional feed and to be kept free of pests like caterpillars and weevils.
What Is A Betulia?
Betulia comes from the begonia family, so everything about these two plants is pretty similar, from their look to their growing preferences.
These plants are widespread in tropical areas like Brazil and central America, so they are used to warm conditions.
Betulia are happiest at 16-24 degrees C, and they will need to be kept out of bright sunlight or the leaves can get damaged.
The flowers of betulia tend to be shades of reds and pinks, in varying degrees of brightness – perfect for contrast, or for a whole garden of pink!
They like to be kept damp – not soggy enough that the roots get damaged, but moist, well draining soil is their ideal.
In the spring and summer, the main growing season, betulia will like a feed every fortnight or so – tomato feed is ideal for these plants.
Deadheading spent flowers will encourage more blooms, and the flowering season is a long one – all the way from late spring right into winter.
Betulia are perennial, which means that they will pop up again and again – a great investment for any garden, indoor or out!
However, they won’t survive the cold – you will have to dig them up and replant them if they are outdoor grown.
They generally have a series of thick, tube like roots, known as tubers – these can be dug up and stored to help your betulia survive the winter.
This (helpfully subtitled!) video will show you a huge range of different betulia growing, to show off their color range:
Do All Begonias Come Back Year After Year?
Although all begonia and betulia come from the same family, they are not all the same in terms of regrowth.
Some begonia are annual (they grow for one season and then die off) while others are perennial (they go dormant in the winter then regrow in the spring).
Whether or not your particular begonia is annual or perennial depends on the type that you have.
If you have inherited begonia and are not too sure which type it is – simply wait through the growing season and see if it pops its head back up the following year!
Most of the begonia family are perennials in their native habitat, but are generally treated as annuals because they do not like our cold winters.
If you can manage to keep yours alive over winter – either by growing indoors or by digging up and storing the roots – it should reward you with another showy flower display the following year.
Does Betulia Flower Every Year?
This wonderful little plant is generally grown for its proliferation of pretty flowers, which bloom for months at a time.
If your betulia is a perennial, it will definitely bloom every year, assuming its preferred conditions are met.
Although this plant is considered a perennial, it is definitely worth considering taking some extra measures to keep it safe in the winter.
These subtropical plants will struggle to survive if the temperature drops too far below 15 degrees C for prolonged periods, as they are used to warm conditions.
If you have your betulia planted outdoors, it is a good idea to dig up the tubers and store them over the winter indoors, to give the plant a fighting chance.
Indoor grown betulia will definitely have a dormant period where they stop flowering, but the main plant itself should happily survive until the following year.
Final Thoughts
Now that you know the subtle differences between these two plants, you can wow your gardening friends with your knowledge!
They are pretty similar, but of course they are not the exact same plant, so they will have different tastes and conditions. Try them both, then pick your favorite!
