Begonias are definitely one of America’s all time favorite flowers. They’re extremely popular and abundant at garden centers, especially the most common variety Semperflorens, known as the wax begonia. The begonia’s popularity might be less about their indisputable beauty and more about how easy they are to grow, even for beginners. These tender annuals are almost foolproof and provide nonstop color from early spring to the first frost, even when other annuals have almost perished in summer’s extreme heat.
The heat-tolerant wax begonia’s foliage is bright green, bronze or varigated with double or single flowers in red, white and shades of pinks. The blooms are fairly small but cover the entire plant almost nonstop. The delicate green leaf wax begonia needs more shade than the tough bronze leaf variety. This is the reason the bronze leaf begonia is frequently used by commercial landscape companies. They are often seen planted in large groups at office buildings and apartments. If a plant is used frequently in commercial applications, then you know it’s tough!
Another popular begonia is the shade loving tuberous begonia. It will give bounteous blooms in the same colors as the Semperflorens but with the addition of bright yellows and oranges. The tuberous begonia blooms in masses of large flowers that resemble roses. There are also several other beautiful varieties of begonias that just aren’t quite as readily available. The wonderfully old fashioned angel wing begonia is still a favorite. The rex begonias are grown more for their colorful and unusual foliage than their flowers.
Although most types of begonias are tender annuals that are hardy only to USDA Zone 10 and higher, they’re still worth every penny spent on them. Their uses are almost as endless as the gardener’s imagination. These versatile flowers can be used in containers, hanging baskets and grown directly in the garden. Wax begonias also make a great edger for the flower garden. Wax begonias only grow 6 to 12 inches tall and form neat little mounds. They’re so compact and tidy that they can easily be placed in rows 8 to 10 inches apart in the front of the garden beds, almost like miniature flowering hedges!
The most economical way to purchase wax begonias in large quantities is flats of seedlings at the start of the gardening season. This is especially true for mass planting in the ground. The size and amount of plants per flat can vary somewhat, but usually there are 18 to 36 little plants in each flat. Begonias are also readily available at garden centers in larger pots and in mixed containers with other annuals for an instant show of colorful blooms.
Growing begonias from their extremely tiny seeds is a long and slow process and seldom used by the home gardener. Wax begonias are easily propogated from stem cuttings. Just cut several tips of fresh new growth from the healthiest plants and place in water or moist growing medium. Keep them in the shade and wait for their small fibrous roots to develop. All types of begonias can be potted up and kept indoors over the winter in a sunny place. Begonias are very tender, so be sure to do it before a frost. Give them extra humidity and enjoy their blooms for even longer.
Begonias will reward the gardener with flowers all season without a lot of effort. Even the foliage on begonias looks pretty all season with minimal effort. For the most part, begonias are shade lovers, but some thrive in sun. They like moist soil with good drainage for the best performance. There’s no need to walk around the flower garden constantly removing spent flowers on begonias to keep them in bloom either. Most begonias keep on delivering beautiful flowers all season without deadheading. With so many positive reasons to grow begonias, there’s no excuse to not give them a try.
