Bedding Begonia (Wax Begonia)
Begonia X semperflorens-cultorum hybrids. BEGONIACEAE.
Planting and Growing Bedding Begonia
You’ll find everything you need to know to plant and grow bedding begonia in the accompanying table’s tabs:
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- Flowers, foliage, and root structure of bedding begonia
- Plant hardiness and growing conditions for bedding begonia
- Season of bloom and planting time for bedding begonia
- When, how deep, and where to plant bedding begonia
- How to plant bedding begonia
- Watering, fertilizing, care, and pests or diseases of bedding begonia
- Landscape and container uses of bedding begonia
- Comments about bedding begonia and its features
Growing Bedding Begonia
Many cultivars of fast-growing, bushy, upright, succulent, fibrous-rooted, half-hardy perennial herbs, 8–12 in. (20–30 cm) tall. Smooth, shiny, bronze, green, red, white, variegated leaves, to 1 in. (25 mm) wide.
Angel-wing begonia, Begonia coccinea, is a closely related species with many attractive cultivars and similar care requirements.
See also Hardy Begonia, Begonia grandis, a summer tuber with wing-shaped leaves, and Tuberous Begonia, Begonia tuberhybrida, a summer-to-autumn tuber with very showy flowers often grown indoors as a houseplant.
Planting and Care Guide
Blooms
Waxy, pink, red, white single flowers, to 1 in. (25 mm) wide, in spring–autumn.
Best Climates
Tender. Plant as annual, zones 2–7; ground-hardy, zones 8–10.
Soil Type and Fertility
Moist, well-drained humus. Fertility: Rich. 6.5–7.5 pH.
Where and How to Plant
Spring in filtered sun to partial shade, 8–10 in. (20–25 cm) apart.
Proper Care
Easy. Keep evenly moist. Fertilize monthly spring–autumn. Mulch. Pinch to promote fullness. Protect from frost. Propagate by cuttings, seed.
About This Plant
Good choice for hanging baskets, beds, borders, containers, foregrounds, window boxes in formal, shade gardens. Mealybug, whitefly and leaf spot susceptible.