Begonia
[bah-GO-nyah]

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

About Begonias

 

Begonias are a profusely-flowering, low maintenance option for the garden or containers that require very little care and pack a huge punch.

 

Keep begonias’ soil moist but not soaked, check on your variety’s light preferences (depending on the variety, begonias will produce spectacular blooms in full shade all the way to full sun), and watch out for botrytis blight, a fungal leaf infection that plagues these plants in the garden. 

 

Begonias will bloom from spring to your first frost without any deadheading needed, but you can always pinch off old blooms or do some light pruning of the stems to promote a more incredible show.

 

Some (tuberous) varieties can be dug up in the fall, stored, and replanted the following spring, which makes them a great investment, and all can be potted and brought inside to spend their winters as houseplants if you just can’t live without them between gardening seasons.

 

Begonias are members of a genus (Begonia!) containing about 1400 different subtropical and tropical perennial flowering plants often grown seasonally in cooler climates.

 

Those include fibrous-rooted begonias like the wax begonias; cane stem types (angelwing begonias), characterized by their tall stems; and hairy begonias, which have felt-like leaves. Rhizomatous begonias include the rex begonias, grown for their brightly coloured and patterned leaves.

 

Rieger begonias, tuberous begonias, and whopper begonias are also popular in nurseries.

 

Pros

  • Offer tons of color, height, and green or bronze foliage options
  • Low maintenance
  • Can tolerate full shade to full sun, depending on the variety
  • Do well in containers and planted in the ground

Cons

  • Needs extra water in extremely hot weather
  • Susceptible to botrytis, a fungal leaf disease - pick these leaves off and put in landscape waste collection (do not compost diseased plant material) / solution: water the soil, not the foliage
  • Cannot “overwinter” in the Chicago area (will need to be dug up and stored indoors or sacrificed to the snow gods in the fall)
  • Will drop their leaves if the soil is too wet or too dry for an extended length of time
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 8 - 24 inches tall.
Moisture Tolerance Dry - Medium: Let dry out a bit between waterings.
Tags Annual, Annual in Chicago, Attracts Birds, Attracts Butterflies, Attracts Hummingbirds, Attracts Pollinators, Deciduous, Dry, Filler, Grown For Attractive Foliage, Medium, Partial Shade, Shade Tolerant, Showy Flowers, Tender Perennial
Bloom Period June to First Frost
 

Rankings
 

Related Articles
 

More Info from Experts

Commonly Planted with...

Impatiens, Torenia, Caladium, Coleus, Fern, Black Mondo Grass, Silver Nickel Vine, Fiber Optic Grass.

Photos of This with...

Dusty Miller
 

Begonia Available Now

Surefire Rose Begonia
(Begonia x benariensis 'Surefire Rose')
From $33.75

Surefire Red Begonia
(Begonia x benariensis 'Surefire Red')
From $33.75

Double Up White Begonia
(Begonia semperflorens 'Double Up White')
From $60.30

Double Up Pink Begonia
(Begonia semperflorens 'Double Up Pink')
From $60.30

Double Up Red Begonia
(Begonia semperflorens 'Double Up Red')
From $60.30
Funky Orange Begonia
(Begonia 'Funky Orange')
From $60.30
Funky Pink Begonia
(Begonia 'Funky Pink')
From $60.30

Funky Red Begonia
(Begonia 'Funky Red')
From $60.30

Solenia Chocolate Orange Rieger Begonia
(Begonia x hiemalis 'Solenia Chocolate Orange')
From $60.30
Frivola Pink Begonia
(Begonia 'Frivola Pink')
From $60.30

Surefire Cherry Cordial Whopper Begonia
(Begonia x benariensis 'Surefire Cherry Cordial' )
From $33.75

Surefire White Whopper Begonia
(Begonia x benariensis 'Surefire White')
From $33.75

© North Shore Plant Club 2024. Privacy Policy, Terms & Conditions.

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.


Benefits of Membership

Want a better way to get great plants and make your yard look awesome? Create your account below and get:

  • The best plants… from the same sources the pros use, but at near wholesale prices
  • More plants in more sizes than anywhere else… whether you’re looking for classics or rarities; annuals, perennials or shrubs; one plant or a whole yardful!
  • "No Contact" delivery or easy pick-up at a site near you without fighting the retail crowds. You choose!

Membership is free, but — since we rely on delivery and local pick-up — you have to live near one of our hubs (or be willing to drive to a site to pick them up). If you live farther away, and would like to help us bring the club to your neighbors, please email helpusgrow@northshoreplantclub.com.

Already a member?

Login

About Ordering From The Plant Club

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.

Shoot us an email at help@northshoreplantclub.com, and we'll be happy to talk about plants or let you know when it's time to buy them!