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Hardy begonias
a.pattison46
Posts: 12
in Plants
l am looking to plant some hardy begonias which will not need lifting in the winter, these will be in a semi sheltered border, could anyone recommend a strain please. Colour wise would love dark reds through to orange and perhaps purple, thank you for suggestions
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I don't believe there is such thing in this country, the winter wet will rot the tubers. They are classed as half hardy perennials.
Last edited: 14 February 2018 14:51:43
It all depends on where you are. Many of the hardier Begonias are mainly grown for their striking foliage and small flowers. They need a very sheltered position in shade and soil that is free draining on the neutral to acidic side. Temperatures dipping into the minus for a few days will not be for them, so you will need a micro climate area that gets barely any frost. They will not be the tuber types. Mainly Grandis and Garden Angels. Why not part sink them into the soil with the pot and take them out in the winter months, it's easier to control with winter wet and protection. Obviously a bit of work to do, if you don't mind.
Thank you for this will certainly think more about it. I do not believe l could create the micro climate but love the idea of partially sinking pots, have done this with my camelias and they are thriving.
There are some hardy begonias. I am very partial to begonias so I've been looking too!
The only one which reliably survives in my heavy clay is Begonia grandis subsp. evansiana. This is a bit difficult to get hold of. It does have a red form: 'Claret Jug' but the red is in the leaves not the flowers.
http://www.swinesmeadowfarmnursery.co.uk/begonia-grandis-ssp-evansiana-claret-jug-929-p.asp
There are also pink-flowered and white-flowered forms. It is very slow to get going, you won't see anything above ground until early June. But it is spectacular in September with fuchsias and Asters, and it propagates rather easily too.
I had a wonderful one called 'Glowing Embers' which was billed as hardy and survived for several years in a pot unprotected, including when the temperature went down to minus 12 one winter. Just when I was feeling more relaxed about it, my plant suddenly died--I think I had let it get water-stressed the previous summer and it was weakened. But I'd grow it again. It had purple foliage and orange flowers. But like the other one, it only showed above the soil by the second half of May.
https://www.thompson-morgan.com/p/begonia-glowing-embers/t47357TM
I also tried out Begonia 'Garden Angels'. These did come up the following year, but after that were never seen again, although I thought mice might have had a paw in their disappearance too:
https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/plants-blogs/plants/march-2015/begonia-garden-angels
Anyway they are definitely worth a try. The form I have not tried is 'Bonfire' which is a hanging form with blazing orange flowers. My grandmother grew it and it was spectacular. It's billed as hardy but again...
The foliage ones are best though because they come up so late and flower even later, you need something to look at in the meantime!
http://www.suttons.co.uk/Home/Product+Detail/Begonia+Bonfire+Plants_MH2908.htm