Flowers in every colour imaginable, carried over leaves that may be emerald green, purple red or mottled with both: begonia is as much at home indoors as in a garden bed, where some kinds flower all year and others quietly clean pollution from the air. Give it bright light without direct sun, and it hardly stops.
Semperflorens, or annual begonia, is the most famous in the category: abundant blooming from January to December (yup, year-round!) and excellent for growing in garden beds. Indoors, it also serves a more virtuous purpose: it cleanses air pollution from the air we breathe.
Begonia loves bright light, but doesn’t really appreciate direct sun, especially from March to October: its leaves will fall due to sunburn. Moderate watering is best, so that you might avoid stagnant water. On average, you should water about twice a week. Take note if you have toddlers and pets: begonias are toxic plants (roots especially). When you handle them, wear gloves.
Native to South America and to the Caribbean, begonia comes in dozens of species and hybrids with flowers of every color and leafage that can be emerald green, purple red, and mottled combinations of both. Some begonia are truly flower begonias: they’ll bloom all year round. Others might be considered for their noteworthy year-round foliage, though they might only bloom in Spring and Summer.
For instance, you might want to try these few perennial begonia out:
The begonias named above are not interchangeable: some are grown for flowers, others for their leaves, and only one of them shrugs off a hard frost. Here is how they compare.
| Begonia | Grown mainly for | Hardiness |
|---|---|---|
| Semperflorens (annual begonia) | Flowers in garden beds; air-cleansing indoors | Down to 23°F (-5°C) |
| Begonia maculata | Year-round foliage, indoors | — |
| Mrs Evans’ begonia (Begonia grandis) | Perennial planting outdoors | Down to 0°F (-18°C) |
| Begonia grandiflora | Double flowers over 2 inches (6 cm) across | — |
Whichever you choose, bright light without direct sun is the common requirement.
Begonia is the national flower for North Korea. It’s their symbol for peace, justice and love. In India and in the Himalayas, this flower is connected to the solar plexus and root plexus chakras, two pillars of vital energy that can bring you peace and serenity in life.
Claire Lelong-Lehoang
