There
is a wide variety of begonias grown today, the biggest
percentage being hybrids bred over the years from species
found in the wild. They come from the tropics and subtropics
of the world, the largest number from central, and South
America. The American begonia society classifies begonias
into eight groups with these divided again into several
types. There is quite a bit of overlapping of the types
and groups especially when they have been hybridized.
CANE-LIKE
these begonias are sometimes called tree begonias;
some are called angel wing begonias after the shape
of the leaf. They are generally upright growing with
smooth bamboo like stems and swollen nodes; the distance
between the nodes can vary quite a bit. New growth comes
from the base of the plant generally in spring and summer
and may need staking on taller plants. The older growth
can be pruned off when it looks untidy and does not
flower. The canes can grow from 25 cm in some of the
low growing varieties to over 4 meters in the taller
ones. There is wide variety of leaf shapes and colours
some have white spots others have almost black leaves
with red on the underside. The flowers come in quite
a few colours pink, white, orange, rose, red, and all
those in between they usually hang in bunches from nodes
near the top of the plant, they can flower from spring
until autumn some will flower on and off all year. They
are a good garden plant for a lightly shaded area and
like a little morning sun.
SHRUB-LIKE
as the name suggests these begonias are generally
a more compact shape than the canes, their stems branch
more to form a bushier plant. Sometimes a little pruning
is needed with some plants to shape them. There is a
large range of leaf shapes and sizes in this group of
plants, some have fern like foliage while others have
large hairy leaves one variety has bright pink stripes
on its leaves. These plants are mainly grown in pots
in the shade house. A few of the hardier types are suitable
for the garden.
THICK-STEM
this is a small group of begonias with upright stems;
they vary in height from 50cm to over 1 meter. Some
types are good garden plants given light shade and a
good water supply in the growing season. In the shade
house these make a good background plant as the leaves
and flowers come from the top of the plant, smaller
different types of plants can put in front them to hide
their bare stems. On some plants, the older stems will
die after a couple of years to be replaced with new
growth, which comes from the base of the plant. A large
percentage of these plants have a dormant period of
growth in the winter and lose most of their leaves,
they need very little water at this time of year, as
they put on new growth in the spring.
SEMPERFLORENS
These plants are usually known as bedding begonias;
they are used for borders and massed planting in the
garden. The flowers come in white, pink, and red with
foliage of green or bronze. Propagation is mainly by
seed; the variegated types are grown from stem cuttings.
RHIZOMATOUS
this is the largest group of begonias; they are generally
grown for their interesting foliage, which comes in
many different shapes colours and sizes. They have a
thickened stem, which grows on top of the soil; there
is one small group that has their rhizome under the
surface of the soil. The leaves can be as small as 1cm,
up to 30cm across they can have short, or long stems,
some plants are happy in a 7cm pot while others will
fill a 70cm pot. There is a large range of leaf colours
green pink silver red some with spots others with splashes
of colour, some have patterns of dark brown or black,
others have curled leaves or crested edges. The flowers
are usually pink or white on long stems well above the
leaves; they flower in the winter and spring. They are
a good plant for the shade house or the garden in a
lightly shaded position.
REX
HYBRIDS these begonias have brightly
coloured leaves some with curls and spots, they are
a little harder to grow than the rhizomatous group needing
higher temperatures and more humidity. Their leaves
tend to be thin and papery and powdery mildew can be
a problem in the winter months. They are mainly rhizomatous
type of growth.
TUBEROUS
and SEMITUBEROUS
semituberous begonias do not have a proper tuber; they
have swelling of the stem at or just below the soil
level. These plants are sometimes called maple leaf
begonias because of the leaf shape of most of these
plants. The tuberous or the tuberhybrida are grown for
their large single or double flowers, these can be white
yellow pink or red, some with ruffled petals and different
coloured edges. These plants are suitable for cold climates;
they become dormant in the winter months. A good show
of these plants can be seen at the Ballarat gardens
in the summer months.
TRAILING-CLIMBING
as the name suggests they either trail or climb depending
on where they are, they do well in hanging baskets or
trained up totem poles, in the garden the will crawl
around among other plants or climb up trees or shrubs.
They usually grow to about 2 or 3 meters long; most
have small leaves and flower well in the spring.
CANE-LIKE
these begonias are sometimes called tree begonias;
some are called angel wing begonias after the shape
of the leaf. They are generally upright growing with
smooth bamboo like stems and swollen nodes; the distance
between the nodes can vary quite a bit. New growth comes
from the base of the plant generally in spring and summer
and may need staking on taller plants. The older growth
can be pruned off when it looks untidy and does not
flower. The canes can grow from 25 cm in some of the
low growing varieties to over 4 meters in the taller
ones. There is wide variety of leaf shapes and colours
some have white spots others have almost black leaves
with red on the underside. The flowers come in quite
a few colours pink, white, orange, rose, red, and all
those in between they usually hang in bunches from nodes
near the top of the plant, they can flower from spring
until autumn some will flower on and off all year. They
are a good garden plant for a lightly shaded area and
like a little morning sun.
SHRUB-LIKE
as the name suggests these begonias are generally
a more compact shape than the canes, their stems branch
more to form a bushier plant. Sometimes a little pruning
is needed with some plants to shape them. There is a
large range of leaf shapes and sizes in this group of
plants, some have fern like foliage while others have
large hairy leaves one variety has bright pink stripes
on its leaves. These plants are mainly grown in pots
in the shade house. A few of the hardier types are suitable
for the garden.
THICK-STEM
this is a small group of begonias with upright stems;
they vary in height from 50cm to over 1 meter. Some
types are good garden plants given light shade and a
good water supply in the growing season. In the shade
house these make a good background plant as the leaves
and flowers come from the top of the plant, smaller
different types of plants can put in front them to hide
their bare stems. On some plants, the older stems will
die after a couple of years to be replaced with new
growth, which comes from the base of the plant. A large
percentage of these plants have a dormant period of
growth in the winter and lose most of their leaves,
they need very little water at this time of year, as
they put on new growth in the spring.
SEMPERFLORENS
These plants are usually known as bedding begonias;
they are used for borders and massed planting in the
garden. The flowers come in white, pink, and red with
foliage of green or bronze. Propagation is mainly by
seed; the variegated types are grown from stem cuttings.
RHIZOMATOUS
this is the largest group of begonias; they are generally
grown for their interesting foliage, which comes in
many different shapes colours and sizes. They have a
thickened stem, which grows on top of the soil; there
is one small group that has their rhizome under the
surface of the soil. The leaves can be as small as 1cm,
up to 30cm across they can have short, or long stems,
some plants are happy in a 7cm pot while others will
fill a 70cm pot. There is a large range of leaf colours
green pink silver red some with spots others with splashes
of colour, some have patterns of dark brown or black,
others have curled leaves or crested edges. The flowers
are usually pink or white on long stems well above the
leaves; they flower in the winter and spring. They are
a good plant for the shade house or the garden in a
lightly shaded position.
REX
HYBRIDS these begonias have brightly
coloured leaves some with curls and spots, they are
a little harder to grow than the rhizomatous group needing
higher temperatures and more humidity. Their leaves
tend to be thin and papery and powdery mildew can be
a problem in the winter months. They are mainly rhizomatous
type of growth.
TUBEROUS
and SEMITUBEROUS
semituberous begonias do not have a proper tuber; they
have swelling of the stem at or just below the soil
level. These plants are sometimes called maple leaf
begonias because of the leaf shape of most of these
plants. The tuberous or the tuberhybrida are grown for
their large single or double flowers, these can be white
yellow pink or red, some with ruffled petals and different
coloured edges. These plants are suitable for cold climates;
they become dormant in the winter months. A good show
of these plants can be seen at the Ballarat gardens
in the summer months.
TRAILING-CLIMBING
as the name suggests they either trail or climb depending
on where they are, they do well in hanging baskets or
trained up totem poles, in the garden the will crawl
around among other plants or climb up trees or shrubs.
They usually grow to about 2 or 3 meters long; most
have small leaves and flower well in the spring.