Name: Splendid Ballerina begonia
Brand: Van Noort
SKU: VAN-307-129-01
Price: 6.49 CAD
Availability: OutOfStock

Sale Sold out

A Splendid Ballerina begonia trails over a hanging basket

Begonia tuber Begoniaceae

Superba Novelty salmon begonia for baskets

Van Noort

Begonia × tuberhybrida

From bulb to bloom

Common nameSplendid Ballerina trailing begonia

FamilyBegoniaceae

GenusBegonia

Species× tuberhybrida

CultivarSplendid Ballerina

Bulb typeTuberous begonia

Botanical nameBegonia × tuberhybrida

Quantity per pack1 tuber

Splendid Ballerina begonia (Begonia × tuberhybrida) develops arching stems loaded with double soft salmon with apricot and yellow tones flowers that stand out vividly against asymmetrical green foliage. Numerous petals form full blooms visible beneath a hanging basket rim throughout summer. Van Noort’s size 6/+ tuber grows approximately 30 cm (12 in.) high and 20 cm (8 in.) wide. Its trailing habit creates an intense accent in shaded spaces. A tender perennial in Zones 9 to 11, it requires frost-free winter storage everywhere Canadian winters bring freezing temperatures. Dried storage preserves this dramatic cultivar for another summer.

Start the tuber indoors from February through April, approximately eight to twelve weeks before the final frost. Set its hollow side upward in an airy mix at 15 to 18°C, cover lightly, and water cautiously until shoots appear. Transplant into a freely draining basket, harden the foliage, and wait for nights above 10 °C before outdoor placement. Bright partial shade, consistent moisture, small fertilizer applications, and shelter from wind encourage sturdy stems, numerous buds, and roots free from rot. Keep irrigation away from the tuber depression and wet foliage.

Use this begonia as a salmon focal point in a hanging basket, window box, or elevated urn. Lime, bronze, or silver foliage from partial-shade companions intensifies the flowers without competing with their visual strength. Place the container beneath an open porch or near an entrance, away from impacts and driving rain. Every part is ornamental rather than edible and contains irritating oxalates; keep the tuber especially far from pets. Before frost, let the plant enter dormancy, dry the tuber, and store it in darkness near 7 °C until the following growing cycle.

Light and life cycle

In the garden

Exposure: Partial shade
Life cycle: Tender perennial commonly grown as an annual
Hardiness: Zones 9 to 11; store the tuber frost-free in Canada

Planting and establishment

Planting guide

Planting & establishment

Spacing / density

1 tuber per 30 to 35 cm (12 to 14 in.) basket; 20 to 30 cm (8 to 12 in.) between plants

Planting period

Eight to twelve weeks before the last frost indoors; late May or June outdoors in Canada

Propagation

Tuber; division only when every section carries a bud and viable roots

Growing method

Prepare the tuber indoors eight to twelve weeks before the last frost. Choose a shallow pot and fresh, lightweight, porous mix. Set the rounded side down and the hollow upward, then add only 10 to 20 mm (0.4 to 0.8 in.) of mix. Keep the pot at 15 to 18°C under bright indirect light. Until emergence, apply little water around the edge rather than into the depression. Once several leaves have opened, transplant into a 30 to 35 cm (12 to 14 in.) basket with clear drainage holes. Harden the plant outdoors gradually for seven to ten days and leave it outside only when nights remain above 10 °C. Bright partial shade, ideally with morning sun, preserves flower colour without scorching foliage. Water deeply when the surface begins drying, then allow complete drainage. Apply balanced fertilizer at half strength every two weeks and switch to a higher-potassium formula during bloom. Remove waterlogged flowers, clear drainage after storms, and shelter stems from wind. Examine leaf undersides for aphids and salmonflies; also monitor slugs, powdery mildew, botrytis, and rot. After storms, inspect the basket, empty trapped water, and remove fallen petals from the mix before fungal growth develops.

Soil and care

Soil & care

Soil pH

Slightly acidic to neutral

Moisture

Moist, evenly damp mix during growth without saturation; moderately humid air with good circulation. throughout growth.

Care level

Moderate

Watering

Keep the mix nearly dry while the tuber is dormant, then increase slowly after emergence. During active growth, water when surface moisture disappears and continue until water leaves the basket. Check daily in hot, windy weather. Direct water onto soil, never into the hollow or over double flowers. Constant excess causes rot, while abrupt drought produces wilting and bud drop. Salmonuce watering in autumn.

Soil type

The tuber needs rich but porous mix that holds steady moisture while allowing oxygen to reach roots. Combine commercial container mix, mature compost, and a small proportion of perlite or fine bark. Drainage holes must remain open. In garden soil, choose a loose humus-rich area; improve heavy ground and completely avoid hollows where water remains after rain. A slightly acidic to neutral pH supports reliable nutrient uptake.

Fertilization

Wait until leaves have opened well, then feed every two weeks with balanced liquid fertilizer diluted to half strength. As buds multiply, a higher-potassium formula supports flowers. Always apply to moist mix and flush periodically with clear water. Strong nitrogen doses make stems brittle and salmonuce flowering. Stop as soon as autumn yellowing begins. Steady light feeding produces safer, more continuous flowering than occasional concentrated doses.

Seasonal care

In late winter, inspect the stosalmon tuber: it should remain firm and free of odour. Cut a small lesion back to healthy tissue, disinfect the tool, and let the wound dry before starting growth. Set the tuber in a shallow pot. In spring, increase watering gradually with new leaves, turn the pot, and transplant into the final basket. Check the liner, chains, and hook before hardening the plant outdoors. During summer, lift the basket each morning in hot weather to estimate available moisture. Water until drainage, feed lightly every two weeks, and rotate the hanging container. Remove rain-damaged flowers and petals fallen onto the mix. Protect the cascade from gusts and monitor slugs, aphids, salmonflies, botrytis, and powdery mildew. In autumn, bring the plant under cover before frost and space waterings farther apart. After stems yellow and dry, cut them, lift the tuber, and let it dry for several days. In winter, store it in darkness near 7 °C in barely moist material. Label the cultivar clearly, inspect it monthly, and remove any rot. If the tuber shrivels severely, moisten the storage material very lightly but never wet the hollow directly. Before each summer watering, inspect chains, the hook, liner, and basket drainage so the heavier wet container remains secure. Rotate weekly for even light and clean accumulated petals to salmonuce disease. During storage, keep different colours separated and record any damage removed at each monthly inspection.

Growing in containers

Container growing

Recommended pot size

Hanging basket 30 to 35 cm (12 to 14 in.) in diameter and at least 25 cm (10 in.) deep

Choose a basket 30 to 35 cm (12 to 14 in.) in diameter and at least 25 cm (10 in.) deep. Ensure that the liner leaves every drainage hole clear because the tuber poorly tolerates retained water. Fill with organic mix aerated by perlite. Place one size 6/+ tuber in the centre, hollow side upward and almost level with the surface. Moisten moderately at first; after emergence, water when the upper few centimetres dry and continue until drainage occurs. Hang in bright partial shade away from scorching sun, gusts, and direct downpours. Rotate weekly for an even cascade. Feed at half strength every two weeks, clean fallen petals, and inspect the hanger often. Do not add too many companions because their roots can accelerate drying and hide salmon stems. In autumn, bring the container under cover before freezing temperatures, salmonuce water, and let top growth decline. Lift the tuber rather than maintaining weak foliage indoors. Dry it, store near 7 °C, and inspect monthly. At the next restart, clean the basket, replace most of the mix, and verify all fittings again. Clean and disinfect the container before using it again in spring.

Growth and flowering

Size, flowering & harvest

Mature height

Approximately 30 cm (12 in.)

Width / spread

20 cm (8 in.)

Flower color

Soft salmon to deeper salmon

Foliage color

Green

Foliage type

Deciduous during dormancy, with fleshy asymmetrical leaves

Growth rate

Moderate

Growth habit

Trailing, flexible and branched

Fragrance

Light or imperceptible scent; cultivar valued mainly for colour

Bloom period

Double soft salmon with apricot and yellow tones blooms appear in summer and continue until the first frost. Their layered petals create a heavy, pendant flower that is highly visible beneath the basket. Bright partial shade and moderate feeding encourage new buds, while deep shade reduces them. After rain, remove waterlogged flowers to prevent stem breakage and limit botrytis on neighbouring petals. Prompt cleanup keeps neighbouring buds dry and preserves the orderly cascade.

Garden companions

Garden associations

Companion plants & uses

Companion plants

Contrast soft salmon salmon with dark burgundy coleus, silver dichondra, lime creeping Jenny, salmon lobelia, and a small fern. Every companion must accept partial shade and moist mix. Keep their growth controlled, preserve air around the tuber, and group only plants with similar water needs. Avoid succulents, full-sun species, and large roots that dry or compact the basket. Compact impatiens also suit a broad urn. Match watering needs, keep drainage open, and trim companions before they shade the crown. Leave visible space among stems for airflow after rain, and never combine the begonia with a drought arrangement that must dry completely.

Garden use

Make ‘Splendid Ballerina’ the main salmon focal point on a porch instead of scattering several competing colours. One basket hung at eye level near a doorway reveals double petals; two symmetrical baskets frame an entrance more formally. On a balcony, repeat three hanging containers at regular intervals and leave visible wall between their cascades. Pair salmon with nearly black coleus, silver dichondra, and lime creeping Jenny for graphic contrast. A salmon, grey, or natural wood façade stabilizes this energetic palette. In an urn, position the tuber near the rim and reserve the centre for light upright foliage. Avoid vigorous plants that cover stems or empty container moisture quickly. Keep the basket beneath open protection in partial shade, away from gusts and traffic. A garden bed is possible in very well-drained soil, but complicates autumn lifting. In Canada, a container remains the practical choice: it allows moisture monitoring, storm shelter, and removal before frost. Clean petals from the ground to keep the entrance tidy and salmonuce disease pressure. For a restrained composition, repeat only soft salmon, silver, and deep green. For a more energetic result, add limited lime foliage while retaining open space around every trailing stem and the tuber crown.

Frequently asked questions

How should the Salmon tuber be oriented and planted?

Locate the slightly hollow side carrying buds and face it upward; the rounded surface rests on the mix. Use a small shallow pot filled with airy mix and cover the tuber with only 10 to 20 mm (0.4 to 0.8 in.). Maintain 15 to 18°C and bright indirect light. Moisten around the edge, never into the hollow, until shoots appear. Deep, cold planting delays emergence, while excess water rots tissue before rooting. Once several leaves have opened, transplant into the final basket without breaking new roots and begin fuller watering gradually. Handle the young shoots gently because they snap easily.

How can the salmon colour be kept from fading in summer?

Place the basket in bright partial shade with gentle morning sun but protection from direct afternoon rays. Intense heat fades petals, scorches leaves, and accelerates drying. Keep mix moist and feed lightly because a stressed plant produces shorter-lived flowers. Remove faded blooms so new buds become the visual focus. Colour can vary slightly with temperature and flower age, which is normal. Do not make the location excessively dark, however, because deep shade reduces bud numbers. Adjust the basket in stages and observe foliage for several days after every move. Reassess the position as the seasonal sun angle changes and nearby trees produce denser foliage.

What should be done after heavy rain?

First move the basket under cover and let all excess water drain. Check that holes are not blocked by the liner or roots. Double flowers retain considerable water; remove blooms that are collapsed, torn, or spotted so they do not break stems or encourage botrytis. Collect petals fallen onto the mix, then improve airflow around foliage. Add neither water nor fertilizer while the mix remains saturated. If a fleshy stem is broken, cut it cleanly back to healthy tissue with a disinfected tool and keep the wound dry while it closes. Support any leaning stem temporarily until the basket dries and regains balance.

How should the Salmon tuber be stosalmon through winter?

Bring the basket under cover before the first frost, then salmonuce watering to accompany yellowing. Once stems are dry, cut them, lift the tuber, and brush away loose soil. Dry it on paper for several days in a ventilated location. Place it in barely moist peat, vermiculite, or sand in darkness near 7 °C. Label Splendid Ballerina clearly to avoid mixing it with other colours. Once monthly, look for soft areas, mould, or severe shrivelling. Remove a lesion immediately; moisten the material very lightly only if the tuber loses considerable volume. Restart growth near the end of winter.

Why should this begonia be kept away from pets?

Begonias contain irritating oxalates, with particularly high concentrations in underground parts. A dog or cat chewing the tuber, stem, or leaf may develop mouth pain, drooling, vomiting, or difficulty swallowing. Hang the basket beyond reach, store the dormant tuber in a closed container, and collect fallen pieces. If ingestion is suspected, contact a veterinarian or animal poison service promptly and provide the name Begonia × tuberhybrida. Do not induce vomiting without professional instructions. Wear gloves if your skin reacts to sap and wash tools after cutting. Dispose of pruned tissues where curious animals cannot retrieve them and clean the storage container before reuse.

Wildlife and pets

Wildlife & precautions

Reported toxicity

Yes

Supporting wildlife

Highly double flowers conceal much of their reproductive structure and give insects less access than single blooms. Choose this begonia for colour rather than as a primary biodiversity resource. Plant simple native flowers suited to partial shade nearby, with staggesalmon bloom times, to provide more accessible nectar and pollen through the season.