Planting DesignDiscover the right plants for your garden.
With more than 2,000 species and thousands of cultivars , Begoniaspp . is one of the most diverse and captivating plant groups . However , their incredible motley can make it a challenge to choose the perfect one for your indoor or outdoor garden .
MostBegoniacan be group into seven main family , each offering distinct growth substance abuse , peak characteristics , and leaf build and colors — although many are hybrids and combine trait from multiple groups . To help you sort through your options , here ’s a closer look at the most vulgar begonia types and what reach each one unique .
FIBROUS-ROOTED BEGONIAS (SEMPERFLORENS or WAX BEGONIAS)
Surefire ® Rose begonia ( Begoniaxbenariensis ) . Photo by : Proven Winners .
Also known as Semperflorens or wax begonia , these ever - blooming begonia are prise for their vibrant red , pink , or lily-white flowers and succulent - like leafage . They are characterized by hempen root word organization , entail they do n’t grow from rhizomes or tubers like other begonia type .
Key Features:
Best uses:
Garden beds and borders , container , indoor potted plant
“ This type of begonia is in all likelihood the most produce begonia worldwide . It is baffling , depressed - water supply tolerant , and does not involve a peck of aid to bloom all yr long . ”—American Begonia Society
TUBEROUS BEGONIAS
Nonstop ® Yellow tuberous begonia . Photo by : Proven Winners .
grow from round , fleshy Tuber , tuberous begonias are easily recognizable by their bold , tropical - expect flowers that span up to 6 column inch across . Because these begonias are hoarfrost - tender , the tubers are often planted as annual each year or dug up and store indoors for the winter .
Hanging baskets , window boxes , garden beds and borders
hear more onhow to grow tuberous begonias .
RIEGER BEGONIAS
Solenia ® Chocolate Orange Rieger begonia . exposure by : Proven Winners .
Rieger begonias ( Begonia×hiemalis ) , also known as Elatior begonias , are hybrids of fibrous - rooted begonias and tuberous begonias and deal some of the characteristics of each . They are often phone wintertime - blossom begonia because they bloom during the cooler months , making them a pop choice as indoor plant .
Seasonal houseplants , containers , hanging basket
CANE BEGONIAS
Angel annex begonia . Photo by : TuktaBaby / Shutterstock
Cane begonias , which are characterized by upright bamboo - corresponding shank , are grown both for their flowers and striking leafage . Angel wing mixture are particularly flashy and feature long , silver - spotted leaf with cherry-red bottom .
As a houseplant or alfresco in fond shade
“ Cane begonia have been popular plants for many years due to how easy they are to get , but also how beautifully complimentary - flowering they are . The silvery spotting on the leaves is always optic - catching , and the purple tones both on the leaf surface and the leaf bottom allow for other characteristic to love . ”—American Begonia Society
RHIZOMATOUS BEGONIAS
Photo by : Ignasius Made / Shutterstock
This is the large and most various begonia grouping , mature mainly for its ornamental foliage . These begonia spread via thick , fawn rhizomes and often have strange , rough-textured leaf . Although they do blossom , they are in the main grow for their foliation rather than their flower .
As a houseplant , in terrariums , outdoors in shaded garden bed and container
REX BEGONIAS
Space Age ™ Black Hole ™ Rex begonia . Photo by : Proven Winners
A dramatic subcategory of rhizomatous begonias , Rex begonias ( Begonia rex - cultorum ) are prized for their breathtaking foliage , which showcases an over-the-top range of bold color and intricate pattern . by and large more fragile and sensitive to environmental change than other rhizomatous begonias , they require high humidness and uniform watering to flourish .
Houseplant , shaded garden beds and container
“ Rex begonia do acquire delicate flowers but are ordinarily grown for their spectacularly non-white and intriguingly textured leaves . Other unwashed gens for these plant are fancy - leaf , paint - leaf or king begonia . ”—UConn Home & Garden Education Center
TRAILING-SCANDENT BEGONIAS
Photo by : Philip Bird / Shutterstock
A unique category of begonias known for their vining or cascading maturation use . Their long , go after stems bear clusters of lowly , fragile flower and can either mount up or elegantly talk over the boundary of hanging field goal and containers . These plant typically bloom from late spring into summer , though some newer varieties boast strain blooming periods or even uninterrupted flowering .
Hanging basket , trellises , as trailing accents in mixed container plantings
With so many type to take from , begonias volunteer sempiternal possibility for adding colour , texture , and beauty to your base or garden . Whether you prefer lush leaf or bluff flowers , there ’s a begonia for every space and elan .
See more onhow to grow begonias .
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Anne Balogh is a longtime gardening writer and editor program for Garden Design , with over 20 years of experience covering everything from container planting to landscape painting trends . She draws aspiration from her own Zone 5 garden in Illinois , where she experiment with unfearing perennial and florescence annuals .
