Begonia Chanson Flamingo F1 Seeds

Begonia Chanson Flamingo F1 Seeds

(Begonia tuberhybrida — Chanson Trailing Series — Thompson & Morgan)

Begonia tuberhybrida cultivars originate from wild begonia species of the Andes Mountains of South America. In the 1860s, British plant collector Richard Pearce journeyed to the Andes, discovered several begonia species in Bolivia and Peru, and subsequently returned to Europe with specimens. Some of these were used to hybridize the first tuberhybrida cultivars. By the turn of the 20th century the cultivation and sale of Begonia x tuberhybrida specimens had well and truly begun in Europe and North America.

Tuberhybrida begonias were developed by propagation and hybridization in the 1850s Victorian era specifically for their large flowers. Parent tubers were discovered in forests of Bolivia and Peru and the Andes of South America.

The genus Begonia is vast, encompassing over 1,800 species — one of the largest genera in the plant kingdom. The genus was named after Michel Bégon, a French governor of the Caribbean island of Santo Domingo in the 17th century, who was instrumental in gathering the first specimens of the plant. From those first Andean wild species with their open, modest flowers, two centuries of European breeding — principally in Belgium, France, and England — produced the dramatic large-flowered, fully double, cascading varieties that define the modern tuberous begonia.

The Chanson series is a group of popular hybrid spreading begonias with double and semi-double flowers, offering the complete range of colors that begonias can produce. Plants grown from seed start flowering early and continue until the season ends. Plants usually create 5 to 8 main shoots where regular camellia-form flowers on long peduncles appear behind every leaf. Flower size is 6–8 cm and plants create a cascade of 30–50 cm. Ideal for flower boxes, hanging baskets, and higher spots to show its spreading cascading character.

Chanson Flamingo is the bicolor variety within the Chanson series — its large double flowers in soft pink and white combine two tones within a single bloom, with the inner petals carrying the deepest rose-pink and the outer guard petals fading progressively to soft white at their margins, creating the layered, luminous bicolor effect that gives the variety its flamingo name. The two bicolor varieties in the Chanson range are unique within the series — the bicolor pattern is more complex and visually richer than the solid-color varieties and is not replicated in any other trailing begonia series at this flower size.

An important characteristic for Kuwait growers: tuberous begonias are light accumulators — long days of 14–16 hours are required to keep plants from producing tubers and to initiate flowering. In Kuwait, the naturally long days of the October–March growing period provide sufficient light duration for continuous flowering without supplemental lighting. The cool temperatures of the Gulf winter align closely with the Andean mountain origins of the species — tuberous begonias perform their best between 15–22°C, precisely the temperature range of Kuwait’s cool season.

Variety Details

• Botanical Name: Begonia tuberhybrida (Begonia x tuberhybrida)
• Series: Chanson
• Variety: Chanson Flamingo
• Breeder: Thompson & Morgan (UK)
• Flower Type: Double, camellia-form — bicolor pink and white
• Series Character: Trailing / cascading — 30–50 cm cascade
• Seed Type: F1 Hybrid — extremely fine dust-like seeds
• Plant Type: Tender perennial grown as a cool-season annual (develops tubers)
• Family: Begoniaceae
• Origin of species parents: Andes Mountains, Bolivia and Peru

Key Features

• Thompson & Morgan Chanson series — trailing tuberous begonia with 30–50 cm cascading spread
• Large double camellia-form bicolor blooms up to 8 cm — soft pink deepening to white at petal margins
• Continuous flowering throughout the cool season — 5–8 main stems each carrying multiple blooms
• Shade and partial shade tolerant — the only major flowering group that performs brilliantly in low light
• Resistant to rain and wind — holds its display in adverse weather conditions
• Develops tubers during the growing season — can be lifted, stored, and replanted next season
• Perfect for hanging baskets, window boxes, tall containers, and shaded balcony positions
• Extremely fine seeds — require surface sowing without covering and careful moisture management
• Long days required to initiate flowering — Kuwait’s cool season provides ideal day length naturally
• Requires warm germination at 24–27°C — air-conditioned indoor sowing essential for Kuwait

Plant Information

• Height: 30 cm
• Cascade Spread: 30–50 cm
• Plant Type: Tender perennial grown as a cool-season annual
• Habit: Trailing, cascading — 5–8 main stems per plant
• Flower Size: Up to 8 cm across
• Flower Form: Double, camellia-form
• Flower Color: Bicolor — soft rose-pink with white margins
• Light Requirement: Partial shade to full shade — avoids direct midday sun
• Days to Germination: 14–21 days at 24–27°C

Germination Instructions

• Begonia seeds are among the smallest and most demanding of any commonly grown garden plant — and require very specific conditions for reliable germination.
• Sow begonia seeds from the surface of good quality seed compost and gently firm down.
• Do not cover — begonia seeds require light to germinate.
• Maintain 24–27°C until germination occurs.
• Higher temperatures exceeding 27°C will inhibit germination.
• Use warm water above 18°C for all irrigation during the germination period.
• Begin with a saturated media moisture level from day 1 to 11.
• Expect root emergence in 7–10 days.
• Once cotyledons appear, maintain at 20–21°C and begin very light feeding nitrogen from day 14. Long days of 14–16 hours are required to keep plants from producing tubers and to initiate flowering — light will improve quality and hasten flowering.
• Transplant to final container position when seedlings have 4–6 true leaves — approximately 10–12 weeks from sowing.
• Practical note for home growers: begonia seeds are so fine that they are best handled by tapping the seed packet gently over the moistened compost surface rather than attempting to pick up individual seeds.
• A light misting after sowing helps settle the seeds into contact with the compost surface.
• Cover the tray with clear plastic film to maintain constant humidity and place on a heat mat or warm surface to maintain the required 24–27°C.
• For Kuwait: sow indoors in air-conditioned conditions in August–September, maintaining 24–27°C until germination.
• The long natural days of September–October in Kuwait provide the light duration needed to initiate flowering without supplemental lighting.
• Transplant to final outdoor shaded position in October–November when temperatures moderate.

Growing Tips

• Grow in partial shade to full shade — Chanson Flamingo adds uplifting color to drab, shady corners that few other flowering plants can reach.
• Avoid direct midday sun which bleaches the flower color and scorches the foliage.
• Use a well-drained, peat-based or coir-based compost in containers with excellent drainage — begonias are sensitive to high salt levels and prefer a pH of 5.5–5.8.
• Water consistently but carefully — allow the compost to approach dryness between waterings rather than keeping it constantly saturated, as waterlogged conditions cause rapid tuber rot.
• Always use warm water above 18°C.
• Feed every two weeks with a balanced liquid fertilizer at low concentration.
• Deadhead spent blooms by snapping them cleanly from the peduncle to maintain continuous flowering.
• At the end of the cool season as temperatures rise, reduce watering progressively to allow the plant to enter dormancy.
• Lift the tubers before the soil becomes too warm, store in a dark cool place in a cardboard box filled with barely moist sand or peat and replant the following cool season.

Gulf Planting Season

• Indoor sowing (air-conditioned, surface sow on heat mat): August to mid-September
• Grow on indoors in air-conditioned conditions: September to October
• Transplant outdoors to final shaded container position: October to November
• Peak flowering season: November to March
• Tuber lift and storage: March–April as temperatures rise
• Note: Chanson Flamingo is one of the most valuable cool-season ornamentals for Kuwait’s shaded positions — balcony walls, north-facing spots, areas under eaves, and positions shaded by larger plants where most other flowering ornamentals will not perform.
• The combination of Kuwait’s naturally long autumn and winter days, cool temperatures, and the species’ preference for dappled light makes the Gulf cool season almost ideal growing conditions for tuberous begonias.
• The critical requirement is the indoor germination stage — begonia seeds will not germinate reliably above 27°C and must be started in air-conditioned conditions in August.
• The 10–12-week indoor growing period from August sowing aligns the plants for October–November outdoor transplanting, providing peak flowering through the coolest and most pleasant months of Kuwait’s garden calendar.

Garden Uses

• Chanson Flamingo is a trailing begonia that delivers a stunning garden performance for months on end, ideal for hanging baskets, window boxes, tall containers, and any elevated position where its cascading habit can be displayed to full effect.
• It is the primary flowering ornamental recommendation for Kuwait’s shaded positions — areas that receive fewer than four hours of direct sun daily and where most cool-season ornamentals in this catalogue will underperform or fail entirely.
• Ideal for flower boxes, hanging baskets, and higher spots to show its spreading cascading character — plants create 5 to 8 main shoots that cascade 30–50 cm, each shoot carrying multiple large camellia-form blooms simultaneously.
• In mixed shaded container plantings, Chanson Flamingo’s soft pink and white bicolor provides a romantic, delicate color accent that complements the green foliage of shade-loving companion plants such as ferns, coleus, and impatiens.
• The 8 cm bloom size is sufficiently large to be the clear focal flower in any arrangement, while the trailing habit fills the container visually without the upright stiffness of bedding begonia types.
• The tubers that develop during the season can be lifted at the end of the cool season, stored over summer, and replanted each October — establishing an increasing collection of larger, more vigorous tubers from a single initial seed sowing.