Dragonwing Red is a Wax Begonia hybrid PanAmerican developed for large blooms. This cultivar offers angel-wing bronze foliage with an upright arching habit of 12-15" tall and 15-18" wide and excellent branching and vigor in hanging baskets. Red flowers bloom from spring through summer, attracting hummingbirds to the garden. This unique Wax Begonia is versatile in the landscape, tolerating sunny or shady conditions in containers or landscape beds. Create stunning combinations by pairing Dragonwing Red with Dragonwing Pink.
Dragonwing Red Selling Tips
Sell Dragonwing Red to customers looking for a low-maintenance annual to bring color to a landscape or container. It offers many benefits, including versatility in full sun or shade, profuse and long-lasting vibrant flowers, heat and drought tolerance, and little need for maintenance in the garden. Dragonwing Red flourishes with minimal water in full shade or sun, bringing hummingbirds to the landscape. Bring cheer to patios, porches, and borders from spring through summer with Begonia's colorful flowers and unique foliage. Create a stunning combination by growing this plant alongside Lamium, Brunnera, Hosta, Alyssum, and Lobelia.
Coach Your Customer
1. Space plants 15-18" apart in well-drained soil in full sun or shade.
2. Be gentle with seedlings, planting them at the same depth as in the original container and taking care not to damage the roots.
3. Water Dragonwing Red regularly, once a week, or more often in drought.
4. Fertilize once a month during the growing season with a balanced, all-purpose fertilizer.
General Growing Tips For Your Seedling Tray
For best results with Dragonwing Red, use one seedling plug per 4-inch or three to five per 10-inch container. Use well-drained soil with a pH of 5.4-6.0, EC of 1.0 mS/cm (2:1), temperatures of 65-70 daytime and 60-65 nighttime, and medium feed (175-225 ppm N). Provide light at 4,000-6,000 fc, and don't pinch. This cultivar requires short days to bloom and will respond to Bonzi as needed. Be careful not to expose other Wax Begonia cultivars to Paclobutrazol. Watch for aphids, thrips, and botrytis.
Flowering
Red flowers bloom from spring through summer.
Pinching
This plant doesn't require pinching.
Spacing
Space containers to allow for airflow and sunlight penetration around the base and foliage of each plant. Dragonwing Red does well with 6-8" between containers; adjust spacing as the plants grow. Proper spacing helps prevent the spread of pests and diseases, encouraging healthy roots and foliage.
Height Control
Dragonwing Red will respond to Bonzi at 3-5 ppm if needed. Provide sufficient light, warm temperatures, and appropriate spacing to prevent plants from becoming leggy and encourage healthy roots and strong starter seedling plugs.
Pests
You may see aphids and thrips. Carefully scout for pests regularly in your greenhouse and implement an Integrated Pest Management plan.
Aphids are small, soft-bodied insects that cause damage by sucking sap from plant tissue. They reproduce quickly. Curling and yellowed leaves, stunted growth, and stickiness on leaves are signs of an infestation. Use biological controls or horticultural oils to discourage and kill aphids.
Thrips are tiny insects that eat plant tissue and can transmit viruses. Watch for silvery-white streaks or black spots on foliage and distorted growth. Use natural predators (like predatory mites), insecticidal soap, neem oil, and sticky traps to control infestations and prevent spread.
Follow label instructions with any insecticides or pest control products.
Disease
Watch for Botrytis with Dragonwing Red seedling plugs. Use preventative care and an Integrated Pest Management plan to stop the spread of disease in your greenhouse.
Botrytis is a common fungal disease that causes brown spots on stems, leaves, and flowers. Remove and destroy affected plants, maintain appropriate humidity levels, and apply fungicides with boscalid, fenhexamid, or iprodione to control the spread.
With any disease, take action at the first sign to prevent irrevocable damage. Carefully follow all label instructions for any fungicide or chemical control in your greenhouse and consider every factor when choosing a treatment option as part of IPM.
Planting Dragonwing Red Liners
We recommend planting one seedling plug per 4-inch container, or three to five per 10-inch container. Use well-drained soil and completely bury the ellepot in the center or evenly-spaced in the container.
Rooted Cuttings
Cuttings vary in size between different plant families. These rooted starter plants will arrive ready to be transplanted in to your final container. If they are to be used in a landscape application, you will need to establish them in a 4 inch pot or an 1801 before planting outside.
Begonia Dragonwing Red Quick Reference Guide
| 4 Inch crop time | 7-9 Weeks |
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| 10 Inch crop time | 8-10 Weeks |
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| Bloom Period | Spring, Summer |
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| Color | Red |
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| Habit | Upright |
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| Height | 12-15 Inches |
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| Light | Full Shade, Full Sun, Partial Sun |
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| Minimum Temp | 60 |
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| Water Needs | Light |
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| Patented Plant | No |
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