Wax Begonia (Begonia semperflorens-cultorum)
bah-GO-nyah semperflorens-cultorum

Deciduous Perennial (usually grown as an annual near you) in the Begoniaceae Family
 

About Wax Begonias

Often called “Wax Begonias,” for their shiny, waxy leaves, Begonia semperflorens are a bit “vertically challenged” which makes them a beautiful choice for borders and the outside edge of mixed containers. These plants will tolerate partial shade to full sun, depending on how hot and humid their growing environment is: they’ll grow taller but bloom less in shady areas, and will be shorter but have more blooms in sun, but are prone to burning in full-sun, dry, very hot conditions.

Pros

  • Will tolerate partial shade to full sun
  • Blooms from spring until first frost
  • Doesn’t require deadheading for continuous blooms
  • Beautiful along borders or in containers

Cons

  • Prefers consistently moist soil, which could mean daily watering during hot weather…
  • … But will wilt and/or rot if overwatered
  • Needs well-draining, loose soil to grow and thrive
  • Does best in humid conditions (only a con if you have curly hair and/or an aversion to feeling slightly sticky all the time)
  • Susceptible to botrytis blight, a fungal leaf disease / solution: water the soil, not the foliage
This plant is probably not winter-hardy outdoors where you live.
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 6 - 18 inches tall. 8 - 12 inches wide.
Sun Exposure Partial Shade - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Dry - Medium
Zones 8a - 11b (Usually hardy to 10° F)
Tags Annual in Chicago, Attracts Birds, Attracts Butterflies, Attracts Hummingbirds, Attracts Pollinators, Deciduous, Dry, Extended Bloom Time, Filler, Full Sun, Good for Bedding, Good for Mass Planting, Grown For Attractive Foliage, Medium, Partial Shade, Partial Sun, Perennial, Shade Tolerant, Showy Flowers, Tender Perennial
Bloom Period Spring - Fall
 

Rankings

 

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Pricing and Availability History

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Limited Availability

We try very hard to source exactly what you’d like, but sometimes growers run out of plants! While this variety is a great deal at the price shown, we know that it has limited availability. If you want the plant even if it might be more expensive, or in a different size or quantity -- after you place your order, just send us a quick note at help@northshoreplantclub.com. Then, we’ll try to get you some version of this from one of our growers. And if we can’t get it from anywhere, of course, we’ll send a refund!


Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


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To secure the best prices for club members and make sure we know the current plants available from each nursery, we take orders only a couple of times a month.

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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!