Begonia: 25 species and varieties with descriptions and characteristics + photo

Flower growers and gardeners around the world have long included begonia in the list of the most beautiful plants. After all, the flower has more than 1000 varieties and varieties. Florists, gardeners and designers use decorative varieties of the begonia family to create flower beds, rock gardens and garden decorations. Begonia can be bushy, in the form of creepers and semi-shrubs crawling along the ground, ampelous.

How to choose a begonia?

When choosing species and varieties of begonias, you need to decide where it will be grown. Tuberous plant varieties are grown in household plots and gardens, but begonia with a fibrous and branched root system feels better in room, home and greenhouse conditions.

Decorative properties are not only beautiful begonia flowers. Different varieties and types of plants have multi-colored or multi-colored foliage, which also has high decorative performance.

The most popular varieties of culture: characteristics and description of varieties

To choose the right plant for planting, you need to imagine what this or that variety of begonia looks like. Know its size, the color scheme of inflorescences and foliage, the rules for planting and further care for this particular flower variety.

Eternally Blooming

With the help of many years of work of breeders, many hybrid flower varieties have been bred. The ever-flowering begonia differs from its congeners in its long flowering period, beautiful inflorescences and decorative foliage.

Small size begonia is planted to decorate flower beds and borders in parks and squares of large cities. A flower bushes are most often found in home gardens and gardens.

This type of culture is unpretentious to climatic conditions, therefore it grows well in open ground. At home and with proper care, this plant variety blooms all year round.

Lianova

Historical roots of the plant are in the rainforests of South America, therefore, it is not surprising that there are varieties of creeper begonia.

The shoots of such a flower develop rapidly and stretch upwards, clinging and weaving around any obstacles in their path. Liana begonia grows up to 3 meters, so the plant needs a lot of space and air. Inflorescences are large, various shades.

Decorative foliage

Diversity of varieties differ leafy and decorative leafy begonias. The plant has a well-developed root system, so it does not have aboveground sprouts, and the leaves of the flower grow directly from the roots.

The main advantage of this species is beautiful leaves that differ in various shapes, sizes and colors.

Royal Rex

A plant in the form of a bush with large multi-colored leaves. It is the leaf cover that gives this species special decorative properties.

Leaf length up to 30cm, width up to 20cm, the main color is green, with a metallic or silver tint. Along the edges there is a burgundy or purple border, the jagged edging of the sheet is white, burgundy or red. The inflorescences are small, bloom with pink flowers.

The variety is propagated by cuttings or by dividing adult bushes.

Royal Escargot

Variety with decorative, multicolored leaves. The extreme and central areas of the leaves are painted in olive and brown shades. A wide strip of a silvery hue runs along the middle part of the leaf plate. From above, the leaves are covered with burgundy pile, and at the base they twist into unusual spirals. Plant height rarely exceeds 30cm.

Metal or Metallica

Shrub with oval leaves of greenish and olive hues. Along the edges on the leaf plates there is a frame in the form of teeth, and the leaves themselves are covered with pollen on top, which shimmers with metallic highlights in the light.

Bauer or brindle

Small bushes with evergreen leaves of unusual color. Leaf plate in the upper part of light green shades, along the edges of which brown, gray or black spots are clearly expressed in a chaotic manner. The lower part of the leaves is covered with a small, white pile. The inflorescences are loose, blooming with white and pink small flowers.

Mason

Highly ornamental plant with thick stems and multicolored leaves. The sheet plates are corrugated, elongated oval in shape, bright green shades with dark spots that form fancy patterns on them. Inflorescences loose with small white and greenish flowers.

Cleopatra

Cleopatra begonia bushes grow up to 50cm. The leaves of the plant are large, similar in shape to maple. The outer part of the foliage plate of different green and olive shades, the inner burgundy and red colors. The cuttings are high, covered with small white villi.

Inflorescences are small, bloom with pink flowers. The active phase of flowering in this begonia variety falls on the winter months. With proper care, the plant blooms several times a year.

Imperial

Mexico is the birthplace of the variety. Small bushes up to 25 cm with unusual leaves, have high decorative properties.

Leaf plate up to 10cm, with small pimples, bright green and olive hues with silvery splashes. It enters the phase of active flowering several times a year. Flowering time is in January, and continues until the beginning of spring. Re-begonia blooms at the end of August.

During the flowering period, the plant produces a peduncle, on which a racemose inflorescence with white and green shades of small flowers is located.

Collar or cuffed

Collar begonia bushes grow up to 50cm. Decorative properties, endowed with large leaves of the plant. The upper part of the leaf plate is green, with small villi along the edges. The inner part of the leaves has unusual hairy outgrowths, because of which this variety got its name. Also, there are hairy outgrowths on the bases of the cuttings.

The period of the active phase of flowering falls in the middle of winter, and lasts until March. At this time, the plant produces a peduncle with a bunch-shaped loose inflorescence that blooms with bright pink flowers.

The variety loves lighted places and abundant watering in the summer.

Shrub

The variety of varieties of bush begonia allows you to use its decorative properties, both in the open ground of personal plots and for indoor cultivation. Bushes are miniature, only 10-15cm, and tall varieties up to 1.5-2m come across. Plants are distinguished by a variety of foliage and a large range of colors during flowering.

Coral

Tall shrub from 50 to 100cm with straight stems and oval leaf blades. The outer side of the leaves has a rich green color with multiple silver patches. The inner side of the leaf plate is red or brown. Inflorescences are large and dense. During the period of active flowering, small coral flowers open.

Fuchsia

Shrub up to 1m high. with branched branches. Green leaf blades are oval, medium in size and glossy. Inflorescences hang in clusters, and bloom with small flowers of red and pink hues.

Tuber

Cultivars of tuberous begonias are characterized by a long flowering period and large inflorescences of various shades and colors. Sheet plates are glossy, matte, corrugated and pile, green and olive colors. The active phase of various varieties of tuberous begonias begins in spring and continues until late autumn.

Blossoming begonia

Plants belonging to this species are undemanding to climatic conditions. Therefore, temperature changes or hot days will not affect the development and abundant flowering of begonias. Many varieties of this species are able to bloom several times a year, both in the summer and in the winter months.

Cowweed

This variety of begonia is characterized by a creeping stem, up to 50cm. The leaves are large, similar to maple, with a large finger-shaped dissection. The leaf plate is green with olive or brown hues, silvery stripes cut through the middle of the leaf plate.

During the vegetative period, a long arrow of the peduncle grows, on which a cluster-shaped inflorescence appears with small pinkish and white flowers.

Yellow

The yellow begonia variety is often used by breeders to create new plant species. Bushes of yellow begonia grow up to 0.5 m. Twigs are flexible, with large leaf plates up to 20 cm along the edges with small teeth. When the flowering phase comes, inflorescences with yellow flowers appear.

Gryphon

Hybrid variety derived from royal begonia. The plant is suitable for cultivation in house conditions and winter gardens. In the summer, it is taken out to the gardens, where it is used to decorate flower beds, alpine landscapes and arbors.

High stems with large leaves of rich green shades with a black sheen and silvery splashes. The underside of the leaf plate is red or burgundy.

During the flowering period it is covered with small pink flowers.

Room Bover

Begonia of this variety is bred at home. A miniature plant with large leaves of dark green shades, similar to maple, with deep cuts. Inflorescences in the form of small panicles, bloom with white and pink small flowers. Flowering is long, comes in the spring.

Double Pink

Small begonia, bushes grow up to 20cm, with green foliage and large, double flowers. Active flowering begins in mid-summer and ends in late autumn.

Bindweed

In its natural environment, the variety grows in the tropical forests of Brazil. A plant with flexible branches up to 2 meters. Foliage is sparse, deep green. The size of the leaf plate is medium, from 9 to 12 cm. The inflorescences are cluster-shaped, blooming with small, white flowers.The flowering period begins in winter and ends in mid-spring.

Ampelous

The ampelous variety of the flower has long, flexible stems pointing down. When the plant enters the flowering phase, they are covered with inflorescences with large flowers of various shades. Ampelous begonias with double flowers bloom especially beautifully. This variety of plant is used for hanging flowerpots and planters, decorate garden plots and gazebos.

Red leaf

The plant got its name because of the color of the foliage. The upper part of the leaves of rich green shades with a waxy sheen. But the inside of the leaf plate is red. Leaves are wide and round. Small inflorescences bloom with delicate, pink flowers.

Small bushes look great in hanging flowerpots and planters.