Why begonias have been the backbone of gardens

Added on 13 April 2022

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Why begonias have been the backbone of gardens

As one of the largest plant genera in the world, with more than 2,000 named species not to mention hundreds of hybrids begonias are a study in contrasts. They flower in nearly every color and can grow in full sun or full shade. They can be upright, with structured cane-like stems, or pendulous, hanging over the edge of baskets. Begonia seeds are exceedingly tiny, and they are the most valuable material in the world. One gram of 100,000 begonia seeds is worth $8,000 more than plutonium, caviar, and gold. Yet, consumers can buy a begonia plant for just a few dollars.

The diversity of the genus means a large gene pool for breeders to work with. And work with them they have! For more than 100 years, breeders have hybridized begonia species from around the world (none are native to North America) to bring gardeners beautiful, dependable plants for pots, baskets, and landscape beds. For a brief history of begonia breeding and a look at what breeders are working on now, Greenhouse Grower turned to some well-known industry experts.

When most home gardeners think of begonias, it's the wax begonia, hybrids of Begonia semperflorens.

"Wax begonias were really big in the 1980s and 1990s and they still are now," says Allan Armitage, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Horticulture at the University of Georgia and Greenhouse Grower Contributing Editor. "They are a landscaper's dream, because they're tough. They're what I call bread-and-butter plants. Of course, breeders have been developing varieties with bigger flowers and bigger leaves, such as the Big series (Benary), the Whopper series (Ball Seed), the Viking series (Sakata Ornamentals), and the Top Hat series (Syngenta Flowers)."

NonStop Begonias Put Begonias into Pots

NonStop begonias were a major breakthrough, Armitage says, likening them a bit to a tuberous begonia, but much easier to grow outdoors. Introduced by Benary in the 1980s, NonStops came in not only the traditional white, pink, and red like wax begonias; they also came in orange and yellow. Rieger begonias, introduced in 1955 by breeder Otto Rieger, were similar to NonStops, but had a longer bloom time. Both did well in pots and as gift plants.