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Begonia
begonia

- Height 1/2-2 ft (15-60 cm)
- Planting distance 15 in (38 cm)
- Flowers early summer to early fall
- Rich, moist, well-drained soil
- Sun or partial shade
- Tubers available late winter or spring
- Hardy to zone 10

The tuberous begonia (Begonia x tuberhybrida), with its vibrant scarlet, orange, yellow, white, or pink blooms borne throughout summer, is often regarded as the queen of bedding plants. It is ideal for adding summer color to pots, window boxes, hanging baskets, and borders, in sun or partial shade. While too tender to tolerate even a light frost, it grows well outdoors in summer, provided it is planted in a rich, moist, but well-drained soil. The cultivars developed from this hybrid are divided into four groups.

Popular species and cultivars
Fimbriata cultivars are vigorous, weather-resistant plants in spite of their fragile appearance. They bear fully double flowers with frilled petals and come in white and shades of pink, orange, and yellow.
Camellia-flowered (large double) cultivars have blooms 3-6 in (7.5-15 cm) wide. The plants reach up to 1-2 ft (30-60 cm) high and grow well in containers. A very great number of cultivars are sold, offering almost every shade of orange, yellow, red, and pink.
Multiflora nonstop cultivars have clusters of small bright flowers carried well above the foliage. The plants grow 6 in (15 cm) high and have a compact, bushy habit that makes them excellent for bedding and containers. The cultivars come in a wide range of colors - some with unusual foliage colors as well.
Pendula types have a slender, trailing habit, making them particularly well-suited to hanging baskets and window boxes. From early summer to early fall they bear a myriad of semi-double white, yellow, orange, scarlet, salmon, or rose flowers, depending on the cultivar.

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