B. ‘Cool Breeze series’

The Cool Breeze series was designed to bring Rex-like foliage into the outdoor garden. The plants in the series should be more cold hardy and tolerant of outdoor conditions than traditional Rex types but note they are not described as winter-hardy. Currently the cultivars in the series include: Emerald, Glacier, Pewter, and Rouge.

• Classification: Cultivar
• Plant Type: Rhizomatous
• Origin: USA
• Originator: Dan Heims

Growing Conditions: Light: Bright, indirect light year-round. Because they are not aggressive bloomers, they can tolerate less light than other begonias and will thrive under fluorescent lights. Water: Rex begonias like even water, but hate being overwatered, and they thrive on humidity, but don't like direct misting, which encourages powdery mildew. Temperature: Average to warm (and humid). They cannot tolerate freezing, and some types of Rex begonias go into a dormant period during the fall. Soil: Airy, light, fast-draining soil. Fertilizer: Use liquid fertilizer weekly at quarter strength or biweekly at half strength. Propagation: The vast majority of begonias offered in the trade are hybrids and thus cannot be accurately propagated from seed. Rhizomatous begonias can be easily propagated by rhizome division during repotting, while almost all begonia species will readily sprout from leaf-tip cuttings. A rooting hormone can help the cuttings sprout. Rex begonias can also be propagated by pinning a leaf bright shade