The genus Begonia is huge with over 900 mostly tropical species of summer-flowering perennials. While most recognizable as annual bedding plants, more and more begonia species have been discovered to be winter-hardy perennials...at least from Zone 8 south. We think you will enjoy our ever-increasing hardy begonia selections to add color to your woodland garden.
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Begonia species all prefer a lightly shaded environment and a well-drained, consistently moist soil. Established begonia plants are also fairly drought-tolerant. Our begonia selections produce charming flowers in shades of white, pink or red and provide interesting foliage in a variety of shapes. Once they start blooming in early summer, begonia plants continue producing until fall. We find that hummingbirds love to visit begonia flowers. The long arching stems on some of our begonia selections make them ideal flowering perennials for hanging baskets or containers. Begonia looks good when combined with hosta, heuchera, ferns and ornamental grasses. When you're ready to buy hardy begonias for your perennial woodland garden, we hope you'll check out our on-line list of hardy begonias for sale below.
Since 1988, Plant Delights Nursery has been the choice of serious gardeners and plant collectors looking for the best and rarest perennial plants. We are pleased to have received the Perennial Plant Association Retail Award in 2011, the American Horticulture Society Commercial Award in 2002, and to have been selected as one of the Best Mail Order Plant Sources - Garden Design Magazine 2010. Welcome to our family of plant lovers!
Thanks to begoniaphile Rekha Morris for sharing this begonia that she found in the garden of...yes, Barbara Rogers of Anderson, South Carolina. Barbara has tracked this back to Norfolk, Virginia, but the trail runs cold there. The dark green foliage adorns the upright stems to 3' tall, although Rekha tells me they can reach 5' tall. From early summer until fall, the 3' wide clumps are adorned with large white flowers that attract hummingbirds. We have been unable to determine the parentage, although it undoubtedly shares some Begonia x semperflorens parentage...very cool! Pot Size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml)
Seeing these great tuberous begonias hanging from the cliffs in northern Argentina as we drove along in 2002 was, indeed, an incredible experience. The arching stems form a 2' wide clump and are clothed in pointed angel-wing type leaves. At the end of each stem are amazing 2" long bright orange-red bells...a hummingbird delight. In our shaded garden, these have performed wonderfully, drawing raves from all who pass by. These do not emerge from dormancy until June, so chill out. In colder zones, this is an amazing pot or basket plant. Pot Size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml)
This 1999 Dan Hinkley Taiwan begonia collection hails from 6,000' in the Taipingshan region. In the garden, Begonia x chungii makes a small 1' tall x 1' wide clump of narrowly-lobed, pointed, rough green leaves, topped from early summer until fall with small spikes of light pink flowers...very quaint and attractive to hummingbirds. Pot Size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml)
This Heronswood introduction was made from wild-collected seed from Dan's 1997 expedition to Japan. While the triangular green foliage on the 15" clump is similar to the species, it is the huge and excessively large flower clusters of deep pink that set this selection apart. For us, Begonia 'Heron's Pirouette' begins flowering in June and continues treating hummingbirds non-stop until fall. As with the species, it reproduces true from axillary bulbils, so you'll soon have plenty to share. Very easy and very nice! Pot Size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml)
This wonderful begonia was first discovered in Mexico in the 1830s, with the specific epithet referring to the leaves resembling the genus heracleum. Each 2' tall x 4' wide tightly rhizomatous clump is composed of 15" wide x 1' long maple-shaped leaves of medium green surrounded by a contrasting wide black-green border and held at the end of red-speckled leaf petioles. The common variety name "nigricans" should be used instead as a cultivar, since this represents a single clone and not a distinct natural variety. So far this has proved reliably hardy to 15 degrees F...a stunning garden specimen! Pot Size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml)
We are in love with this amazing hardy begonia, which hails from up to 5,000' elevation in the Chinese provinces of Guizhou, Hubei, Hunan, and Sichuan. Our oldest clumps of the rhizomatous Begonia pedatifida are now 18" tall x 3' wide. Each clump is composed of large 1' long deeply-lobed leaves. The stalks of large pink flowers from summer through fall are obscured by the foliage. We have found this to grow best in fairly moist, but well-drained organically rich soils. Pot Size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml)
What a great plant! Begonia 'Shaanxi White' was collected in 1996 at 3,500' elevation in the Yueba Forest Station in China's Shaanxi Province where it was growing in a moist rock crevice. Each 10" tall x 10" wide clump has small, light green leaves and is topped with masses of pure white flowers from midsummer until fall. Like Begonia grandis, Begonia sinensis reproduces by small axillary bulbils which form in late summer and fall. Pot Size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml)
.jpg "Epimedium wushanense (Wushan Fairy Wings)")
