| Description | Wax Begonia (Begonia semperflorens) A very popular group of annuals that can be grown in full sun or shade. Great in gardens or containers. Give it a bright window and it can be used as an indoor plant during the winter. They are very floriferous. |
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| Pronunciation | (be-GON-yuh) |
| Plant Type | Annuals |
| Sunlight | full sun to shade |
| Moisture | average |
| Soil & Site | average |
| Growing Media | normal outdoor |
| Temperature | Don't bed out the plants until the night temperature is at least 50 degrees. In zone #5 Memorial Day Weekend is a good starting point. In the fall light frosts won't always kill the entire plant but will blacken the tops. This destroys the flowering section and there usually isn't enough time in the fall for the plant to recover. |
| Flowers | Plants have separate male and female flowers on the same plant (monoecious). Colors are white, pink, red and some picotee types. |
| Fruit | very fine, dust size seeds |
| Leaves | Leaves are green or bronze with a waxy sheen. The bronze becomes darker in full sun. |
| Dimensions | 6"-12" tall depending on cultivar, space 8"-10" on center |
| Propagation | Seeds are very small, dust-like, over 2,000,000 per ounce. They are slow to germinate and slow to reach transplanting size. Pelleted Begonia seeds are much easier to handle. Rooting cuttings is another method to reproduce this plant. |
| Native Site | Eastern South America |
| Misc Facts | Named after Michel Begon a French patron of Botany and once Governor of Canada, in the 18th century. AKA: Begonia White Prelude, Begonia Deep Rose |
| Author's Notes | I had one raised circle garden that had hot afternoon sun on one side and some morning but mostly shaded on the other. I tried many plant in this garden and Begonias were the one that fit the bill. Plants that are lifted from the garden or grown from cuttings can be used in the house. They need a bright window and kept evenly moist. |
| Notes & Reference | #27-Rodale's Annual Gardens (Paul Loewer), #48-Harrowsmiths Annual Garden (Bennet and Forsyth) |
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