The Rieger Begonias

This is why Rieger Begonias have such strong devotees

Riegers are famous for those blooms, so it is not hard to see why they have such a dedicated fan base. A display in its prime says it all—anything beside the flowers just becomes a detail. A blend of the tuberous and wax Begonia, Rieger pulls traits from both worlds. Like the tuberosas, Riegers have dramatic blooms in bright, vivid colors, usually in doubles that bear a striking resemblance to roses. Like the wax Begonia, they sit more upright on stiffer stems, hold up better in outdoor work, and bloom for a longer time. To play off their strengths, it is important to remember a few things about Riegers.

Brilliant red seedpods set Red Castor Bean apart

Many people know about the Castor Bean, but most people don’t know about the Red Castor Bean. It is different from its standard cousin in two ways. First, the spiky seedpods are brilliant red; as the plant matures, it raises those seedpods outside the leaves on bright red stems where they are highly visible. Second, this plant has bronze leaves that are about the size of dinner plates and as dark as Cocktail Begonias.

Seedpods on bright red stems are raised outside large, dark bronze leaves

Red Castor Bean grows over your head but it doesn’t top out as high as the standard Castor Bean. Both varieties definitely require full sun and plenty of overhead room. If you’re thinking of interplanting Red Castor Bean, we recommend Canna and Hibiscus. Fun Fact: Back in the beginning, Castrol motor oil was made from the oil of the Castor Bean. Castrol still manufactures its original formula for use on vintage machines.

A rare bloom on Ipomoea ‘Blackie’

Normally we plant Ipomoea ‘Blackie’ for its deeply dark foliage that spreads heavily—the vines of a single plant can quickly cover the soil in a 60-inch circle. We hardly ever see a flower on the plant, but we spotted one recently and this is what it looks like. It resembles a Morning Glory because Ipomoea, Sweet Potato, and Morning Glory are related to each other, but bred for entirely different purposes. ‘Blackie’ is bred for the foliage and no flowers, but occasionally a flower appears and this is what we get.