Do You Remove The Female Flowers From Begonias?

In this article, we will explore what female flowers are, why they may need to be removed from certain types of begonias, and how to remove them safely and effectively. We’ll also discuss some additional tips for growing tuberous begonias so that your gardening experience is as successful as possible!

What Are Begonias?

Begonias are a genus of flowering plants in the family Begoniaceae that includes over 1,000 species! They come in a variety of shapes and sizes, from small bedding plants to large shrubs with colorful blooms in shades of red, pink, orange, yellow, white and even bicolored varieties! Some species have foliage that is variegated or even scented! Begonia plants can be grown both indoors and outdoors in mild climates or with protection from frosty weather in colder climates.

Types of Begonias

There are four main categories of begonias: fibrous root (or rhizomatous), tuberous root (or tuberhybrida), semperflorens (or wax) and rex-cultorum (or fancy-leaf). Fibrous root begonias have long stems with fibrous roots at the nodes, they can be either upright or trailing plants with small flowers that come in a variety of colors or white. Tuberous root begonias have thick fleshy stems with underground tubers at their nodes, these can grow into large showy plants with big brightly colored flowers.

Semperflorens (or wax) begonias have waxy green succulent foliage with clusters of small flowers, these are often used as bedding plants or greenhouse crops due to their prolific blooming habits! Rex-cultorum (or fancy-leaf) begonias have brightly colored ornamental foliage that comes in a variety of patterns, they generally produce fewer flowers than the other types but make up for it with stunning foliage displays!

How to Identify the Sex of a Begonia Plant

Although all begonia varieties produce both male and female flowers on the same plant, it is important to know which type you are growing if you want to remove female flowers from tuberous begonias specifically.

To identify the sex of your plant you will need to take a closer look at its blooms, male flowers have four stamens while female flowers have an ovary at their base instead! Male flowers tend to be smaller than females as well so if your blooms look larger than usual then you probably have female flowers on your hands!

What Are Female Flowers?

Female flowers are those that contain an ovary at the base which holds reproductive cells known as ovules, these will eventually develop into seeds after fertilization by male pollen grains which come from male stamen-bearing blossoms on the same plant or other nearby plants depending on its pollination type! Female flowers usually appear larger than their male counterparts due to their ovary structure which gives them extra bulk compared to males without this reproductive organ present.

Why Remove Female Flowers From Tuberous Begonias?

Tuberous begonias are known for their huge showy blooms which come in all sorts of shapes, sizes and colors, however these beautiful blossoms require a lot more energy than other types due to their larger size so if not managed properly they can quickly exhaust the plant’s energy reserves causing it to become weak and unproductive over time!

Removing female flowers helps keep growth steady by redirecting energy towards more productive blooms such as those found on male stamen-bearing blossoms instead! This will also help prevent accidental self-pollination which can occur when multiple female flower buds mature simultaneously leading them all fall off without producing any viable seeds afterwards…not ideal if you’re looking for new plants next season!

How To Remove Female Flowers From Tuberous Begonias?

Removing female flowers from tuberous begonias is fairly straightforward but requires careful attention since these plants tend to have brittle stems that can easily break off if handled too roughly! Start by using pruning shears or scissors to snip off any visible buds before they open up into full-blown flower heads (this is usually done around mid-spring).

Make sure not cut too deeply into the stem itself otherwise this could cause damage which could negatively affect overall growth later down the line so only remove buds where practicality allows it – no more than two at once should be fine though try not avoid cutting back too much either as this could stress out your plant unnecessarily too!

Pros And Cons Of Removing Female Flowers From Tuberous Begonias

The main benefit of removing female flower buds from tuberous begonias is maintaining steady growth throughout its flowering season as mentioned earlier – this helps ensure your plant has enough energy reserves left over afterwards so it can rest well during colder months before starting again next season without any problems !

Another upside is preventing accidental self-pollination which can lead wasted resources since no viable seeds would be produced afterwards – this makes sure every bud counts when it comes time for new seedlings down the line too so your efforts don’t go waste either way!

The only downside really is having less showy blooms overall since some potential flower heads will never reach maturity due being trimmed back early but this isn’t really an issue unless you’re growing for show specifically since most gardeners just enjoy seeing lots colorful blossoms regardless – plus this won’t affect overall health or vigour either so there’s nothing majorly wrong here either way !

Additional Tips For Growing Tuberous Begonia

Tuberous begonias tend to be quite delicate due their brittle stems so make sure offer plenty support by placing sturdy stakes around them while they grow – this helps reduce damage caused by wind gusts while also providing something solid for branches cling onto as they reach upwards towards sunnier spots !

Additionally make sure water regularly during summer months especially during hot spells otherwise wilting may occur due insufficient hydration levels – try avoid over watering though since excess moisture can cause fungal diseases like powdery mildew appear later down line too ! Finally don’t forget feed regularly throughout growing season using liquid fertilizers specifically designed flowering plants such those containing high levels nitrogen phosphorus potassium balance – these help encourage strong healthy growth plenty attractive blossoms come harvest time !

Conclusion

In conclusion caring for tuberous begoniasisn’t always easy but understanding why removing female budsmay sometimes necessary certainly helps make job easier overall ! Knowing what look out formale versus female flowers the importance offering ample support while they grow ensures successfull results every time hopefully leading many years enjoyment out these beautiful ornamental plants ! Hopefully this article has shed light various aspects caring forgarden displays begonia species covered today happy harvesting everyone !

FAQs

Do I need remove female flowers tube rous beg on if I am growing for show purposes ?

Yesif you want maintain steady growth throughout flowering season then removal female buds essential otherwise plant may become exhausted eventually leading weaker results later down line. Additionally removal female buds prevents self pollination which can lead wasted resources eventhough seeds may never reach maturity .