Planting DesignDiscover the right plants for your garden.
Double Up ™ Pink begonia . pic by : Proven Winners
If you could somehow combine a succulent with an impatiens flora , it would credibly look a fate like a wax begonia . But unlike mostimpatiens , wax begonias grow as well in full sunshine as they do in shade , making them one of the most versatile works in the garden . What ’s more , these tough little industrial plant are a breeze to care for and need little more than episodic lacrimation during dry atmospheric condition .
like you could love wax begonia year - round ? you may ! A wax begonia is fibrous - root , which means it does n’t go through a menses of dormancy like itstuberous - steady down cousins . In the fall , simply pot up your begonia and grow them as houseplants indoors , where they will blossom ceaselessly under the right condition . ( ascertain different types of begonias . )
On this page : Basics|Planting|Care and Maintenance|Pictures|FAQ ’s
On this page :
BASICS
Botanical name:
Begonia semperflorens(semperflorensmeans " always flowering " ) andBegoniaxbenariensis
Hardiness Zones:
9 - 11 , typically grow as an annual or houseplant
Growth habit:
mound
Height/spread:
6 to 24 column inch tall and wide
Exposure:
Shade to full sunlight
Bloom time:
previous spring until frost
Flowers:
individual or dual flowers up to 2 inches across derive in wraith of red , pink , or white . Most have prominent yellow stamens .
Foliage:
The rounded , waxy leaves are usually green or bronze , but you may also observe hybrids with variegated leafage .
Special attributes:
Ever - blooming , hotness patient of , rabbit and cervid resistant , self - cleaning , few insect or disease problems .
PLANTING WAX BEGONIAS
Surefire ® Red begonia ( center ) . Photo by : Proven Winners .
When to plant:
In recent spring , after all threat of frost has passed and when temperature remain above 50 degrees F at dark .
Where to plant:
A fix that receives partial shade is best , but plants will also permit full sunlight . In hot southerly climates , protect plants from abrasive afternoon sun .
How to plant:
Wax begonias are soft to grow from baby’s room - arise plants transplant into the garden in spring . Begonias can also be planted from seed , but because the seeds have a long sprouting period , you ’ll need to start them indoors about 12 week before the last expected rime date .
Soil:
uprise in fertile , well - draining soil meliorate with constitutional thing .
Spacing:
To insure unspoiled atmosphere circulation , infinite plants at least 8 to 12 column inch apart , depend on their sizing at maturity .
WAX BEGONIA CARE
Surefire ® Rose begonia . Photo by : Proven Winners .
Watering:
Because the leaves and stems of wax begonia are thick and succulent - like , established plants do n’t need constant moisture and can even withstand poor periods of drought .
As a worldwide rule of thumb , give plants about an inch of water supply per week and appropriate the soil to dry out slimly before water again . invalidate overwatering , which can lead to root rot and have the stems to turn mushy .
When growing plant life in containers , water when the top column inch or two of dirt feel teetotal to the feeling . check that the pot has drain holes so the filth does n’t become soggy .
Amendments and fertilizer:
use a balancedwater - soluble fertilizeronce a month during the growing season or aslow - release fertilizerat planting time . To help husband soil moisture , top dress the soil after institute with a level of organic mulch .
Pruning:
Pruning of wax begonia is rarely needed to maintain their nice , mound form . If necessary , pinch back plant lightly if they become too leggy . Wax begonias are also ego - cleaning , so there ’s no need to hit spent efflorescence to ensure continuous blooms .
Winter protection:
If you desire to bring your wax begonias indoors for overwintering , put them in a window with hopeful separate out Inner Light , avoiding unmediated sunlight if your plant were growing outdoors in the subtlety . Because wax begonias never go dormant , keep the land more or less moist and inseminate lightly throughout the wintertime months . Once warm temperatures return in spring , you’re able to move your flora back outside . Get more backsheesh foroverwintering begonia .
Pests and diseases:
Keep an middle out formealybugs , spider touch , thrips , andwhiteflies . plant may also be susceptible tobotrytis blightandpowdery mildew , which can be keep off by providing good air circulation around your flora .
WAX BEGONIA PICTURES
Photo by : Proven Winners
three-fold Up ™ White — Buy now from Proven WinnersBegonia semperflorens
Size:
8 to12 to 24 inches marvelous , 18 to 24 in wide
A stunning combination of double ashen bloom and dark bronze , almost black foliation on obtuse , globe - mold plants . Will bloom all summer without deadheading and can tolerate some drought . Other flower colors in the Double Up ™ series includepinkandred .
Surefire ® Rose — Buy now from Proven WinnersBegonia benariensis
8 to 12 inches tall , 18 to 24 inches encompassing
Pretty roseate - colored flowers copulate beautifully with bronze - tinted dark green leaf . A heat - tolerant variety suitable for full sun or shade . Also trySurefire ® Red , which has green leaf and vibrant ruby blooms .
photograph by : Blik Sergey / Shutterstock
Super Olympia ® WhiteBegonia’Super Olympia White '
8 to 10 in tall and all-embracing
The Super Olympia ® series offers classic colors of red , roseate , ashen , and pink blooms hold above calendered , sullen dark-green foliage . Boasts larger blossom than most variety . idealistic for adjoin , massing , or container .
photograph by : Nattanan Kloenprathom / Shutterstock
' Ambassador Pink’Begonia semperflorens
10 to 12 inch tall and wide
A beautiful green - foliage begonia with soft pink flowers . choose partial sunshine , but also get well in full sun and raging conditions if kept well - watered .
picture by : InfoFlowersPlant / Shutterstock
' Doublet Red’Begonia’Doublet Red '
A real show-stopper , with frilly rise - like peak accentuate by dark green foliage with mite of bronze . Covered by masses of flowers all time of year , from midspring to midfall .
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Do wax begonias like sun or shade?Wax begonias conform well to dissimilar light requirements and will thrive in both both sunny and shaded garden bed , making them a great unifying plant . form with bronze foliage tend to fare better in direct sun than those with fleeceable leaves . Although wax begonia can be mature in full shade , they may become scraggly and not blossom as smartly .
Is wax begonia an annual or a perennial?Like impatiens , wax begonias are affectionate perennial that are treated as annuals in climates where they might be endanger to frost .
Do wax begonias come back every year?Because wax begonias are not frost tolerant , they wo n’t come back each year unless they are overwinter indoors . You will need to commence novel plants in the spring .
Do wax begonias spread?No . Wax begonia are non - invasive , clod - forming plants and will not circulate like rhizomatous begonias .
Can wax begonias subsist winter?Only in the mildest clime ( zones 9 - 11 ) . Otherwise , pot them up in fall for indoor efflorescence . you could move your potted plants back outdoors once warm weather condition returns in natural spring .
Do wax begonia make skilful houseplants?Yes , they are beautiful and easy - to - grow indoor plant and will often bloom all yr long if grown in a bright , sunny window or under stilted ignitor . Learn begonia as houseplant .
Are wax begonia poisonous?Yes , all types of begonia are mildly toxic to khat and pawl if ingested , accord to theASPCA . Although the most toxic division of the plant are beneath the soil , it ’s still best to keep wax begonias out of reach of pets , particularly when grow plants indoors .
