Late Summer Featured
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Begonia grandis ssp.
evansiana
Hardy Begonia
Begonia grandis ssp.
evansiana or Hardy Begonia, holds the distinction (along with B. octopetala,
a native of Peru) of being one of the only frost-hardy begonias. Hardy to USDA
zone 6, this begonia has fared well in our zone 5 Rhododendron Garden thanks
to continuous winter snow cover and the close proximity of a large building
which helps retain the heat.
A close look at the veins
of the Hardy Begonia.
Hardy Begonia
flowering in the
Cycad House of the Talcott Greenhouse.
Begonia grandis ssp. evansiana grows well in the shade, in free-draining,
moisture-retentive, slightly acidic (pH 6-7) soil, which has been enriched with
organic matter. Hardy Begonias will die back to the ground every year, but will
first produce an abundance of small bulbils in the leaf axils. These bulbils
may be collected and started indoors, for flowering the following summer. This
easy propagation method affords northern gardeners some insurance against the
complete loss of the Hardy Begonia during very harsh winters. For plants that
remain outdoors, some methods to "cheat the zone" include situating
plants near the walls of heated buildings or in other protected areas such as
courtyards. Mulching and an additional layer of snow will also help your plants
make it through the winter.
Blooms in the
Rhododendron Garden.
Begonia grandis ssp.
evansiana sporting deep
red stems and veining on leaf undersides.
Miraculous
over-wintering capabilities aside, Begonia grandis ssp. evansiana
presents a wonderful show in the shade garden from mid-summer on. Although
a late riser in the spring, once it gets going, this clump-forming tuberous
begonia is soon covered with large, pea-green to lime-green leaves with deep
red veining. The leaf petioles and the reverse sides of leaves are the same
wonderful red color. The stems eventually reach 15-18'' in height, with pink
½-1'' flowers produced from the leaf axils, starting in mid-August.
A large clump
of Begonia grandis ssp. evansiana
growing in the Rhododendron Garden.
Hardy begonia
growing indoors in
a pot 10 or 12'' in diameter.
Hardy Begonia is currently blooming outdoors in the Rhododendron Garden, and
indoors in the Cycad House of the Talcott Greenhouse. Interestingly, the bloom
progression for these two different plants is only about two weeks apart right
now, with the Begonia in the Cycad House farther along.
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