How to Grow Begonia 'Soft Apricot'

Begonia 'Soft Apricot'

Begonia × tuberhybrida 'Soft Apricot'

flower

Begonia 'Soft Apricot' is a tuberous begonia cultivar prized for its full, ruffled double flowers in a soft peachy-apricot hue. This tender perennial produces showy blooms throughout the growing season and is typically grown as an annual or tender container plant in most climates. It combines elegant, rose-like flowers with lush green foliage, making it a favorite for shade gardens and mixed containers.

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Example Begonia 'Soft Apricot' timeline · Pittsburgh, PA (Zone 6b)

Plant Begonia 'Soft Apricot'
Around Apr 17

Near Pittsburgh's average last spring frost.
Tend & protect
Late spring–summer

Watering, feeding, and pest-watch reminders.
First Begonia 'Soft Apricot' blooms
Around Jun 16

≈ 60 days after planting

Sample dates for Pittsburgh, PA. Sign up to get exact Begonia 'Soft Apricot' dates for your own zip code.

Growing Conditions

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Sun: Partial shade, 3-4 hours of filtered light daily; avoid direct afternoon sun

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Water: Keep consistently moist but not waterlogged; water when top inch of soil is dry. Water at soil level to avoid wetting foliage. Reduce watering in fall as plant enters dormancy.

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Spacing: 12 inches

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Days to maturity: 60-90 days from tuber or transplant to first blooms

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Planting depth: Plant tubers with flat side down, concave side up, just at or slightly below soil surface; transplants at same depth as nursery pot

Soil

Type: Well-draining, rich, light, peat-based or soilless mix

pH: 6.0-6.5

Amendments:

Peat moss or coco coir Perlite or coarse sand for drainage Compost or aged bark Worm castings

Growing Zones

Find your zone →

Thrives outdoors year-round in zones 9b-11; grown as an annual or potted plant in cooler zones

9b 10a 10b 11a 11b

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Growth Stages

Tuber Sprout

2-3 weeks

Tuber awakens with small pink or white shoots emerging from the concave top; roots begin developing from the flat base.

Start tubers indoors 4-6 weeks before last frost. Keep soil warm (65-70°F), moist but not soggy. Provide bright indirect light once shoots appear.

Vegetative Growth

3-4 weeks

Leafy stems and branches develop with dark green, textured foliage; plant grows bushy and full but no flowers yet.

Maintain consistent moisture and partial shade. Feed weekly with diluted balanced fertilizer. Pinch growing tips to encourage bushiness. Monitor for pests.

Bud Formation

2-3 weeks

Flower buds begin forming in leaf axils; small round buds appear along stems, gradually enlarging and taking on apricot coloring.

Continue regular watering and feeding. Provide consistent conditions; avoid sudden temperature changes. Remove any lower dying leaves.

Flowering

8-12 weeks or until frost

Gorgeous full, ruffled double flowers in soft apricot open sequentially; blooms are large (2-4 inches) and rose-like with many layered petals.

Maintain steady moisture and partial shade. Deadhead spent flowers to encourage continuous blooming. Feed every 7-10 days with bloom-boosting fertilizer (higher phosphorus). Watch for powdery mildew.

Senescence & Dormancy

4-6 weeks into dormancy

As temperatures cool or days shorten, flowering slows, stems and leaves yellow and die back; tuber hardens for winter rest.

Gradually reduce watering as foliage dies. Stop fertilizing. Once foliage is fully dead, cut stems to 1-2 inches. Dig tuber, dry it, and store in cool (50-60°F), dry, dark place until spring.

Companion Planting

Plan your garden →

Plant with:

Hosta Fern Impatiens Coleus Caladium Fuchsia Brugmansia Torenia

Avoid planting near:

Tomato Potato Pepper Eggplant Walnut trees

Common Pests

Mist foliage regularly with water to increase humidity; spray with neem oil or insecticidal soap if severe. Remove heavily infested leaves.
Isolate infected plants. Spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil. Dab individual bugs with rubbing alcohol on cotton swab.
Improve air circulation with a small fan. Avoid wetting foliage. Spray with sulfur powder or potassium bicarbonate fungicide if needed.
Use yellow sticky traps. Spray with neem oil or insecticidal soap weekly until controlled.
and
Remove by hand, especially in evening. Use beer traps or copper barriers. Keep area dry and remove debris where they hide.

Uses

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Edible Flowers

Culinary

Begonia flowers are edible with a slightly tart, citrusy flavor and are used to garnish salads, desserts, and cocktails. They add elegant color and delicate flavor to fine dining presentations. [source]

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Cut Flowers & Floral Arrangements

Household

The full, ruffled double blooms in soft apricot are exceptional for fresh flower arrangements, wedding bouquets, and special event displays. Flowers last a week or more in water with proper care. [source]

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Flower Pressing & Dried Arrangements

Craft

Begonia petals can be dried and pressed for flower pressing crafts, card making, and botanical art projects. The delicate layered petals create beautiful pressed flower designs. [source]

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Ornamental Shade Gardening

Household

Begonia 'Soft Apricot' is a premier choice for shade gardens, shaded containers, and north-facing locations where many flowering plants struggle. It brings color and elegance to otherwise dark garden spaces. [source]

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Pollinator Support

Wildlife

While begonias are primarily bee-pollinated in their native habitats, cultivated double forms are less attractive to pollinators due to extra petals obscuring reproductive parts. Single-flowered begonias are better for supporting bees and hummingbirds. [source]

Harvest Tips

Cut flowers in early morning when stems are turgid. Place cut blooms immediately in cool water with floral preservative. Begonia flowers last 5-7 days in a vase. Deadhead spent blooms at the stem base to redirect energy into new flower production. To save tubers: After first frost kills foliage, dig tubers carefully, brush off soil, and cure in a warm, dry location for 2-3 weeks before storing.

Fun Facts

🌱 Begonias are named after Michel Bégon, a 17th-century French botanist and governor of French Canada; there are over 2,000 begonia species and countless hybrids worldwide.
🌱 Tuberous begonias were first hybridized in the 1880s-1890s in Europe by crossing South American species, and 'Soft Apricot' represents over a century of selective breeding for larger, more colorful, and more ornamental flowers.
🌱 Begonia tubers can live for decades if properly stored and are among the few frost-tender ornamentals that reliably return year after year, making them economical perennial investments in mild climates.

Gardening Terms

New to gardening? Learn about terms used in this guide:

Annual Cultivar Deadhead Partial Shade Perennial pH

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