Expert: C.L. Fornari - 9/7/2008

Question
You wrote  Date: 9/17/2006
Subject: Betunia

Question
Early this summer I bought a potted plant for my patio called a Betunia which I suspect is a mixture of a petunia and a begonia.  It had beautiful red flowers all summer which have now died back completely.  Do you know whether I should cut this back and whether it will grow again next year.  I live in York and as you can probably tell, I am completely new to gardening.

I have a young friend who lives in Betunia (near Ramallah)

Can you send me, please,some files of your Betunias ?

Thank you

Best regards
Jean-Marie GLÄNTZLEN
Palestinophile, 65 y.o
02410 SAINT-GOBAIN (France)  

Answer
Jean-Marie,
As far as I know there is no plant that is a cross between a petunia and a begonia. I think that you have one of the new begonias called 'Betulia' - it is a nice plant because it forms a good shape without much pinching and blooms continually. (Some begonias need a certain number of daylight hours to bloom, but this one blooms independent of hours of daylight.) You can over-winter begonias indoors very successfully by bringing them indoors now, and keeping them in an eastern or western facing window.  Water them when dry and start to fertilize again in January.  You might also want to put the plant in a larger pot with fresh soil in January when the hours of daylight are increasing.

I hope this helps!
C.L. Fornari