Begonia Guide, Part 1 of 9: Biology, Care and Fun Facts
Begonias are one of the largest groups of flowering plants on Earth, with roughly 2,000 species, plus thousands of hybrids and cultivars. Before we introduce the begonias in our collection, this first part covers what makes a begonia a begonia, how to keep one happy at home, and a few fun facts.
What is a begonia?
A name with a story. The genus was named by the French monk and botanist Charles Plumier, who found six new species in the Antilles and honoured Michel Bégon, a former governor of the French colony of Saint-Domingue (now Haiti). The name appeared in print in 1700 (Wikipedia).
Lopsided leaves. Begonia leaves are usually asymmetric, with one side bigger than the other. That is where the family’s common name, “skew-leaved plants”, comes from.
Two kinds of flowers on one plant. Begonias are monoecious: separate male and female flowers grow on the same plant.
Three main plant types. Following American Begonia Society standards, begonias fall into fibrous-rooted, rhizomatous and tuberous groups. Fibrous-rooted begonias include the cane types, often called “angel wings”. Rhizomatous begonias, including the famous Rex group, are grown mainly for their foliage (University of Florida IFAS).
Basic begonia care
These tips suit the foliage begonias we grow (Rex, rhizomatous and cane types). Every home is different, so adjust to what you see.
Light: growers generally recommend bright light without hot, direct sun.
Water: let the top inch or so of potting mix dry before watering. Slight underwatering is safer than overwatering, because too much water invites root rot (UConn Extension).
Humidity: Rex begonias like relatively high humidity. Group plants together or use a pebble tray with the pot sitting on the pebbles, not in the water. Brown leaf tips often point to dry air. University of Maryland Extension questions whether misting really raises humidity (UMD Extension).
Pot and mix: a light, free-draining mix and a shallow pot with drainage holes suit rhizomes, which rot if they sit in soggy soil (Longfield Gardens).
Keep leaves dry: wet foliage and poor airflow make powdery mildew, a white mealy growth on leaves, more likely (Penn State Extension).
Making more begonias
Many begonias grow easily from leaf cuttings or rhizome sections. Rhizome pieces with one or two nodes are left to dry for a few hours, then rooted in lightly moist mix. Roots usually take about 3 to 6 weeks (Longfield Gardens). Discard any cutting with a soft, blackened base.
Fun facts
In 1753, Linnaeus merged Plumier’s six original species into a single one, Begonia obliqua.
Wild Begonia rex comes from northeastern India. It reached England from Assam in the 1850s, and today’s Rex hybrids are a cultivated group built on it (Wikipedia).
Iron Cross begonia (Begonia masoniana) is named for the dark cross on its leaves and has won the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.
The Tiger Paw begonia (Begonia bowerae) is also called ‘Eyelash begonia’ for the fine hairs along its leaf edges.
The Scotsman reported that a Scottish botanic garden recorded the 2,000th Begonia species (The Scotsman).
Pets
The ASPCA lists Begonia as toxic to dogs and cats, mostly in the underground parts (ASPCA). See our pet-safe plants guide for alternatives.
A first look at our collection
In the next parts we walk through the whole collection, group by group. Browse everything now in our Begonia collection.
This is part 1 of our 9-part Begonia series. Next: Part 2.
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