Begonias by Peter Szilagyi The begonia is a frost tender plant found on every continent between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Tropic of Cancer, with the exception of Australia. Begonias are by far the largest genus in the plant kingdom. Since begonias were first discovered in the 1600s, hundreds and hundreds of them have been collected and identified with that discovery process continuing to this day. New begonia species plants are constantly being found in South America, in the Far East, and in the islands of the South China and Coral Seas, i.e. Indonesia, Sumatra, Borneo, etc. At least fifteen hundred specie plants have been brought back to the temperate climate zones to be raised as houseplants. These specie plants have been successfully manipulated by plant hybridizers to create hundreds upon hundreds of additional plants. Although Begonias share a common genus, there are and can be extraordinary differences between them. Begonias are raised either for their flowers ( the tuberous type ) which do not have particularly interesting leaves or for their engaging and unusual leaves ( most of the remaining classes ). In the later case, the plant’s simple, small flowers provide an interesting compliment to it. The begonias which are raised for their leaves, share a common visual feature in that their pendulous flowers are clustered together on top of a tall flower stalk, and are all very similar looking, although their leaves can and do vary greatly in shape, color, size and texture. Most begonias in the United States are grown for their extraordinary and unusual looking leaves rather than their flowers. However, every time a blanket statement such as the former is made, an exception to it does occur. It is not an exaggeration to say that a begonia’s leaves exist, literally, in every conceivable description. You name a characteristic and a begonia exists to match it. Begonias are currently categorized and placed in 8 classifications, although many begonias defy being placed in those classifications. The 8 classifications, recognized by the American Begonia Society are a part of the American Horticultural Classification System. They are: Semperflorens Begonias, commonly known as wax begonias. These are most widely grown as outdoor bedding plants. Although a perennial ( begonias are perennials ), they are treated as annuals in areas that experience freeze. Their leaves are round, and come in a green, bronze, or variegation. They are ‘ever blooming’( hence the name ), and have either white, pink or red flowers in either single or double blooms. --- photo by Peter Szilagyi Shrub-like Begonias get their name from the way they grow, shrub-like, sending up shoots from the soil. They come in an incredible variety of leaf shapes, sizes and textures. Their small flowers compliment their respective plants, by adding color and interest to them. Shrub begonias can grow up to 12 feet tall, but most are much shorter, around 2 to 3 feet tall. -- photo from ABS Web site Cane-like ( Angel Wing ) Begonias all have long stems with regularly spaced nodes, making them bamboo or cane-like in appearance. Some of these plants can also grow up to 12 feet high. Their leaves, which are usually green and elongated have either silver spots or streaks on them. Their flowers are characteristically clustered and fragrant. --- photo from ABS Web site Rhizomatous Begonias are grown primarily for their leaves. They don’t reach great heights because they grow from rhizomes, which creep along the ground. It is not an exaggeration to say that there is a rhizomatous begonia for every taste. The number of variations in leaf size, color, texture or pattern are staggering. --- photo by Peter Szilagyi Trailing-Scandent Begonias are grown because of their trailing / climbing habit. In their natural habitat, they climb up the trunks of adjacent trees. As with most other begonias, the variation in and variety of leaf size, color, texture and pattern is seemingly limitless. --- photo by Peter Szilagyi Rex Coltorum Begonias These begonias are grown for their spectacular and showy leaves. Although a rhizomatous begonia, its unusual and stunning leaves, coming in every color size, shape, etc., qualify it for its own class. --- photo from ABS Web site Thick-stemmed Begonias show off their thick stems by dropping their lower leaves and restricting their leaf growth to the plant’s tips. They can be quite spectacular and unusual looking. --- photo by Peter Szilagyi and … Tuberous Begonias: It is this last class of Begonias, the tuberous, which are grown primarily for their flowers, and come in all sorts of colors and types ( except blue ) and which are distinct from the other classes in that they grow from a tuber in the spring and die back to it again in the fall. Some tuberous begonias have been known to re-bloom for a decade. This begonia is more popular in other parts of the world, where it is also used as a bedding plant, than it is in the United States. --- photo by Peter Szilagyi Growing begonias in Colorado can be daunting. They require a constant humidity level of about 60 percent, and although they do not like ‘ wet legs ’, they do require some moisture. The region’s very low humidity and extremely high evaporation rate are not helpful in meeting those requirements. The American Begonia Society, is a national organization formed in 1932 dedicated to informing the public about this plant and maintains a wonderful and informative website (www.begonias.org). It is an extremely helpful resource for information about the truly amazing begonia. When one joins the ABS, one automatically receives its bi-monthly magazine, the Begonian, which is an indispensable guide to everything begonia.

Begonias

by Peter Szilagyi

The begonia is a frost tender plant found on every continent between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Tropic of Cancer, with the exception of Australia. Begonias are by far the largest genus in the plant kingdom.

Since begonias were first discovered in the 1600s, hundreds and hundreds of them have been collected and identified with that discovery process continuing to this day. New begonia species plants are constantly being found in South America, in the Far East, and in the islands of the South China and Coral Seas, i.e. Indonesia, Sumatra, Borneo, etc.

At least fifteen hundred specie plants have been brought back to the temperate climate zones to be raised as houseplants. These specie plants have been successfully manipulated by plant hybridizers to create hundreds upon hundreds of additional plants.

Although Begonias share a common genus, there are and can be extraordinary differences between them. Begonias are raised either for their flowers ( the tuberous type ) which do not have particularly interesting leaves or for their engaging and unusual leaves ( most of the remaining classes ). In the later case, the plant’s simple, small flowers provide an interesting compliment to it.

The begonias which are raised for their leaves, share a common visual feature in that their pendulous flowers are clustered together on top of a tall flower stalk, and are all very similar looking, although their leaves can and do vary greatly in shape, color, size and texture. Most begonias in the United States are grown for their extraordinary and unusual looking leaves rather than their flowers. However, every time a blanket statement such as the former is made, an exception to it does occur.

It is not an exaggeration to say that a begonia’s leaves exist, literally, in every conceivable description. You name a characteristic and a begonia exists to match it.

Begonias are currently categorized and placed in 8 classifications, although many begonias defy being placed in those classifications. The 8 classifications, recognized by the American Begonia Society are a part of the American Horticultural Classification System. They are:

Semperflorens Begonias, commonly known as wax begonias. These are most widely grown as outdoor bedding plants. Although a perennial ( begonias are perennials ), they are treated as annuals in areas that experience freeze. Their leaves are round, and come in a green, bronze, or variegation. They are ‘ever blooming’( hence the name ), and have either white, pink or red flowers in either single or double blooms.

--- photo by Peter Szilagyi

Shrub-like Begonias get their name from the way they grow, shrub-like, sending up shoots from the soil. They come in an incredible variety of leaf shapes, sizes and textures. Their small flowers compliment their respective plants, by adding color and interest to them. Shrub begonias can grow up to 12 feet tall, but most are much shorter, around 2 to 3 feet tall.

-- photo from ABS Web site

Cane-like ( Angel Wing ) Begonias all have long stems with regularly spaced nodes, making them bamboo or cane-like in appearance. Some of these plants can also grow up to 12 feet high. Their leaves, which are usually green and elongated have either silver spots or streaks on them. Their flowers are characteristically clustered and fragrant.

--- photo from ABS Web site

Rhizomatous Begonias are grown primarily for their leaves. They don’t reach great heights because they grow from rhizomes, which creep along the ground.

It is not an exaggeration to say that there is a rhizomatous begonia for every taste. The number of variations in leaf size, color, texture or pattern are staggering.

--- photo by Peter Szilagyi

Trailing-Scandent Begonias are grown because of their trailing / climbing habit. In their natural habitat, they climb up the trunks of adjacent trees. As with most other begonias, the variation in and variety of leaf size, color, texture and pattern is seemingly limitless.

--- photo by Peter Szilagyi

Rex Coltorum Begonias These begonias are grown for their spectacular and showy leaves. Although a rhizomatous begonia, its unusual and stunning leaves, coming in every color size, shape, etc., qualify it for its own class.

--- photo from ABS Web site

Thick-stemmed Begonias show off their thick stems by dropping their lower leaves and restricting their leaf growth to the plant’s tips. They can be quite spectacular and unusual looking.

--- photo by Peter Szilagyi

and …

Tuberous Begonias: It is this last class of Begonias, the tuberous, which are grown primarily for their flowers, and come in all sorts of colors and types ( except blue ) and which are distinct from the other classes in that they grow from a tuber in the spring and die back to it again in the fall. Some tuberous begonias have been known to re-bloom for a decade.

This begonia is more popular in other parts of the world, where it is also used as a bedding plant, than it is in the United States.

--- photo by Peter Szilagyi

Growing begonias in Colorado can be daunting. They require a constant humidity level of about 60 percent, and although they do not like ‘ wet legs ’, they do require some moisture. The region’s very low humidity and extremely high evaporation rate are not helpful in meeting those requirements.

The American Begonia Society, is a national organization formed in 1932 dedicated to informing the public about this plant and maintains a wonderful and informative website (www.begonias.org). It is an extremely helpful resource for information about the truly amazing begonia.

When one joins the ABS, one automatically receives its bi-monthly magazine, the Begonian, which is an indispensable guide to everything begonia.