Many people have a fondness for begonias, and for good reason. Any indoor or outdoor garden area can be transformed by their exquisite blossoms and resilient character.
Some of the best begonia cultivars for your indoor or outdoor garden are included in this article.
1. Olympia Pink
Plant Size: 8 inches tall
Olympia pink is a gorgeous low-growing wax begonia with succulent green leaves covered in light pink flowers with yellow eyes. These begonias make a stunning pink border for a garden bed, or you can combine them with other begonias from the Olympia series (you can actually buy them mixed) to make a vibrant yearly show.
They also look great in containers as a low-growing filler plant. A significant amount of these begonias is required to make an impression on your garden. Yet from seed, they are really rather simple to grow.
2. Fiona Red
Plant Size: 8-10 inch
Fiona Red wax begonia leaves are big and circular, with delicate blushing semi-double blooms. These wax begonias have such fluffy flowers that I adore them. Wax begonias often have single flowers, but this one produces big flower balls.
However, they still retain the large, rounded wax begonia leaves resembling lily pads. These work well as borders, masses, and containers in annual beds.
3. On Top Fandango
Plant Size: 12 inches tall
This begonia’s name is very adorable! A stunning bicolour begonia with pale pink blushing edges is called On Top Fandango. The flowers resemble roses and are big and fluffy. This graceful cultivar looks very good on planters.
For a stunning bouquet, balance the blossoms with other white or light pink flowers. It looks like a tropical punch when combined with purple lobelia and wizard mix coleus.
4. Nonstop Yellow
Plant Size: 8 – 12 Inches
A bright, vivid yellow begonia is called Nonstop Yellow. Their enormous, occasionally bicoloured blooms drape over and dangle from the tidy, verdant begonia. This one’s brilliant, cheerful colour certainly lifts the gloomiest spots.
In a garden with deep shadows, plants pop up to bring some light. It would pair rather well with hostas that have variations in chartreuse, such as guacamole. Or, for a really straightforward, joyful arrangement, place these in a container with a palm and some ivy.
5. Amstel Clara
Plant Size: 12– 16 Inches
Amstel begonias resemble wax begonias in size and appearance, but they have the upright, rosette flowers and glossy green foliage of a tuberous begonia. These are my favourites to plant in garden beds. White Amstel Clara is a great cultivar to add some brightness to the hue.
When planted in beds, the huge, drippy white tuberous begonias occasionally get splattered with dirt and water, giving the appearance of translucent leaves that are dripping with moisture.
However, Amstel Clara’s flowers have more structure and have an erect style, so even when water is sprayed on them, they still look lovely on the ground. Additionally, they don’t need a lot of dead headings.
6. Elatior Borias
Plant Size: 1– 3 Inches
This delicate begonia resembles a dusty pink rose bouquet. This begonia is bushy and upright, covered in light salmon pink rosettes of blossoms. This colour is so pretty and classic that I adore it.
It would look fantastic in a pot with a dusty green variegated creeping Charlie. Or in a bed with a border of white alyssum. I adore a flower-filled, romantic garden with a theme.
7. Hanging Begonia
Plant Size: 12 Inches
Scientifically speaking, hanging begonias are primarily categorized as tuberous begonias. But as a gardener, I believe that sometimes it’s better to categories based on appearance and use rather than the minute minutiae that a botanist would pay attention to.
As a result, I am creating a separate category for hanging begonias. Their blooms dangle on the branches below.
These begonias work well as spillers or fillers hanging out of containers, as well as in hanging baskets. Wax begonias are a better option for this; they aren’t as good for borders in garden beds because the blossoms would drag on the ground.
They are available in an array of hues, sizes, and shapes of flowers. For hanging variants, look for Begonia boliviensis.
8. Summer wings Dark Elegance
Plant Size: 12 Inches tall
Summer wings’ dark elegance makes for a lovely hanging style. Its magnificent dark foliage is adorned with vivid red blossoms that dangle down. Use this to fill a pot or store it in a hanging basket.
I once created a container using this begonia, a geranium called “Brocade Fire and a palm in the centre. The chartreuse geranium, with its vibrant red centre, looked amazing against the black leaves of the begonia, which was dripping with fiery red blooms.
9. Bossa Nova Rose
Plant Size: 14 Inches tall
Another begonia that hangs is called Bossa Nova Rose. It has slender leaves and a profusion of tiny, vivid pink flowers that dangle from arching stalks. This one looks best in a hanging basket, where it will yield a single ball with gorgeous petals cascading down.
Alternatively, as a cascading flower in a pot that might be complemented by some erect begonias, these types with cascading flowers is my favourites since they resemble fuchsias, but they’re far more dependable and less temperamental.
10. Waterfall Encanto Red
Plant Size: 12-14 Inches tall
Now that their name incorporates the newest Disney smash, I will definitely be planting more of these this year. However, as they are a gorgeous hanging type, that is not an issue. The foliage of Waterfall Encanto Red is black, slim, and pointy, with little red tinges on the sharp points.
Then there are the vivid red tulip-shaped flowers that dangle from scarlet stems. Hummingbirds are drawn to the flowers in a deep vase shape. Use this type to spill out of containers or to hang baskets. When paired with a plant with chartreuse foliage, like golden lysimachia, it would truly stand out.
11. Belleconia Rose
Plant Size: 10 Inches tall
Belleconia roses are a show-stopping begonia with their large plumes of vibrant, vivid pink blooms drooping downward on thin stems. In a hanging basket, this begonia will grow huge and trail elegantly downward.
Place several baskets of them on a porch to create a striking and eye-catching display. These look great in a shady garden with continuous deep rose begonias for a consistent hot pink bloom display.
12. T Rex Painter’s Palette
Plant Size: 16 Inches tall
Such a pretty begonia. Where I live, they’re always in the garden centre come springtime. I always carry one or two home, scoop one or two, and watch them slowly wither away in my dry abode. I took the decision to move it outside one year, and it worked amazingly.
The big leaves had a fantastic summertime appearance. It’s a piece of art, the centre dark pink fading to a brighter pink and finally to a frosted white. Subsequently, there are bursts of green running out from the centre of the leaf.
13. Ring of Fire
Plant Size: 120cm tall
The leaves of the Ring of Fire are big and spiky, like begonias. Its centre is a vibrant pink colour, and its inner leaf is a lovely frosted silver colour with dark green veins. Finally, it culminates in the characteristic that gave rise to its name: a vivid magenta-pink ring of fire encircling its edges.
To truly bring out the fire in the begonia, this one would look fantastic in pots with other vivid pink foliage plants, such as a caladium or pink coleus.
14. Jurassic Silver Swirl
Plant Size: 16 inch tall
Jurassic silver swirl wire appears to be a remnant of prehistoric times. Its leaves resemble the traditional begonia heart form, although they are more angular and uneven. The leaf has a swirl of frosted green through the centre, and it is a dark black colour overall.
The leaves have a colocasia quality to them, as if they were lightly floating off the petiole. Make sure you put these in a well-sheltered spot. They can be put in a mixed pot with some flowers and other foliage plants.
Planting them with some endless white begonias would give a contemporary black and white pot a distinctive look. Or they would look fantastic by themselves in a large pot.
15. Heron’s Pirouette
Plant Size: 18-24 inch tall
Heron’s Pirouette is a well-liked hardy begonia cultivar. Throughout the spring and early summer, it boasts stunning heart-shaped begonia leaves. They then burst into sprays of pale pink blooms with golden centers as late summer approaches.
On stems of dark pink, they hang softly. Long-lasting and a wonderful complement to any shade garden, these blooms would look fantastic nestled up next to a hosta. Perennials in flower in shadow gardens can be particularly hard to come by in late summer and early autumn. To close the gap in late summer bloomers, include a heron’s pirouette.
16. Angelique
Plant Size: 3-7 inch tall
The hanging type of angelique begonias is really beautiful! Huge double-white flower balls adorn them. As the petals and stems open up, they have a soft, flushing pink colour. Large double blossoms dangle from the shrub in some places, while others hang down like ballerinas in fluffy gowns.
This one should go in a container or hanging basket. With the flowers’ lovely neutral shades of pink and white, you can add more plants. Either a pink and white caladium or a wizard rose coleus would look fantastic with it. However, this begonia is so exquisite that it looks great by itself as well.
17. Amstel Batik
Plant Size: 12-18 inch tall
The traditional rosettes of blooms that all rieger begonias have perched on succulent plants are present in Amstel Batik begonias. These are such a striking coral-orange colour—such an unexpected hue. In a shaded pot, they look fantastic.
A majestic palm in the middle, tropical orange amstel batik surrounding it, and trailing purple lobelia overflowing out make for an eye-catching mix. It’s a surprising colour to use for ground planting in a shady garden as well. In shaded gardens, purple flowers abound. Monkshood and hostas, for example, contrast beautifully with coral orange.
18. Rieger Begonias
Plant Size: 8-12 inch tall
A hybrid of wax and tuberous begonias, Rieger begonias are a unique species. Truly, they embody the finest aspects of both realms. Riegers possess both the huge flower rosettes of tuberous begonias and the fleshy leaves of wax begonias.
Because of their vivid, long-lasting blooms that require little deadheading, Rieger Begonias are another excellent option for annual containers. Their original classification was as a poinsettia-like winter bloomer. Shorter, colder nights were necessary for them to blossom.
The new additions, however, flourish throughout the summer. Begonias are my favourite garden plants because they provide both structure and colour.
19. Nonstop Deep Rose
Plant Size: 12 inch tall
This begonia is perfect for those who adore pink! It has a strikingly hot pink hue. Not your dainty baby pink. In the shade, it makes an impression. I love pairing it with coleus, including chocolate-covered cherry, wizard rose, and French quarter that have similar pink foliage.
Or combine nonstop white begonias with hot pink, nonstop deep rose begonias for a very lovely, girlie mix. They also look amazing with blue or purple lobelia. It is surprising to see this bright pink colour introduced in spurts throughout a shade bed or in a container arrangement because, in my experience, not many flowers in a shadow garden have it.
20. Cocktail Rum
Plant Size: 8-10 Inch
The wax begonia in the Cocktail series as a whole features dark reddish-maroon leaves. More than the green types, they can withstand more sun. The gentle white blooms with yellow centers and a pale pink blushing edge contrast beautifully with the dark leaves.
Light pink flowers like rocket orchid snapdragons would look fantastic with cocktail rum planted as a mass next to or behind them. Or next to a real wasabi coleus, which is a plant with purple leaves. Another option is to place it in a container with other pink flowers and chartreuse foliage. It’s a fun little flower to experiment with and make striking arrangements with.
21. Whopper Rose with Bronze Leaf
Plant Size: 30 inches tall
Wax begonias are more than just border annuals with slow growth. The Whopper rose series has tall, thick plants that mature to a maximum height of two feet. Tiny light pink blooms abound on dark bronze-coloured foliage in the Whopper Rose with Bronze Leaf cultivar.
This can be used to fill a container or planted in large quantities along a garden border. Its bronze leaves contrast beautifully with silver-leafed plants like licorice or dusty miller.
22. Nonstop Orange
Plant Size: 8-12 in. tall
You’ll see a few more on this list because I adore the endless series. They have big, eye-catching blossoms. Some fluffy doubles dangle alongside single flowers on the same stems. Continuous orange is a vivid shade of orange. Orange is a much underappreciated flower colour, in my opinion.
The most frequent notation I see in the margin of my customer list is: no orange flowers. I understand that it’s harsh and brilliant, so it’s not for everyone. However, it is also daring and unanticipated, particularly in the shade.
Lobelia and this striking orange bloom make a really potent combo. Maybe sprinkle it over the shadow garden in small amounts. It’s unexpected and lovely because bright orange blooms are uncommon in shady plants.
23. Escargot
Plant Size: 6-12 inches
This is my all-time favourite begonia; the flawless swirl, evoking the appearance of a snail shell, looks amazing when arranged in a container. Its big, dark green leaf features a swirl of frosted white, resembling a snail shell.
Combine this with Santa Cruz Sunset hanging begonias for a gorgeous flower and foliage arrangement. If the escargot is placed in a protected and shaded region of the garden, it can also create a funky, swirly border along a shady path.
24. T Rex Ruby Slippers
Plant Size: 16 inches tall
Ruby slippers have big, jagged begonia leaves. Surrounded by a gorgeous ruby pink hue, the centre is a slightly dark, almost black, eruption. It would be stunning in a container beside or adjacent to other T Rex Series begonias, such as Painter’s Palette.
Additionally, it would look fantastic with white begonias, like endless white tuberous begonias. This begonia has incredibly large, gorgeous leaves. Make sure you place it near people so they can appreciate its exquisite foliage.
25. Masoniana
Plant Size: 8-14 inch
The broad, spherical leaves of this rhizomatous begonia have a spongy texture. It’s the begonia I listed as non-rex on the rhizomatous list. Because of the striking cross-shaped marking that runs through the middle of its green leaf, it is also known as an iron cross begonia.
This begonia’s foliage is so fascinating that it looks amazing by itself in a hanging basket or other container. Green foliage house plants transported outdoors and set on a covered porch provide a really nice appearance. Create a tiny outdoor jungle refuge by combining pots of rhizomatous begonias, spider plants, and Boston ferns.
26. Hardy
Plant Size: 12 inch
Since hardy begonias don’t grow in my zone, I must admit that I don’t have a lot of practical experience with them. However, I chose to include a couple lovely kinds because I see them in shadowy garden magazines.
Many are turning their gardens into perennial-only designs in order to reduce the annual cost of bedding annuals. Being able to grow begonias as perennials is excellent. In zones 6 or 7, these resilient cultivars are perennial. Large and luxuriant are hardy begonias.
They lack the enormous flower balls that tuberous begonias have to offer. Additionally, they lack the abundance of blossoms found in wax begonias.
27. Red Undies
Plant Size: 40cm tall
Whoever is in charge of naming varieties—I’m not sure—made me laugh at this one. However, it makes sense. Red underpants have a red underside with a green begonia leaf fashioned like a heart. It grows delightful little pink blooms in little sprays on the plant and makes a wonderful mound. It blooms for a long time, from midsummer to autumn. Red plants have a lovely, thick, deep aspect.
28. Grandis Alba
Plant Size: 2’tall
The heart-shaped, green begonia leaves on this resilient cultivar have a crimson underside. Late summer brings delicate sprays of white blooms with golden centers on pink stems. This variety’s double-sided foliage and brilliant white flowers provide intrigue. It’s ideal for adding colour to plants in shadow.
29. China Curl
Plant Size: 12 Inch
The China Curl begonia is an artistic creation. They resemble escargot in their swirling appearance. They do, however, have more pointed and sharper leaf shapes. The frosty silver centre is infiltrated by the thick black border.
Plant this begonia alone in a shaded container or combine it with a few other annuals, but make sure China curl is the focal point of the arrangement so that all eyes will be drawn to its exquisitely detailed leaf.
30. Sun Dancer Apricot
Plant Size: 2-5 Inch
The best of both worlds is included in the Sun Dancer series. It trails and drapes softly downward, yet it possesses the huge, ruffled double flowers of a tuberous begonia. I adore the apricot variety’s peach-coloured flush. It would look fantastic by itself, in a hanging basket, or paired with a deep purple lobelia.
31. Santa Cruz Sunset
Plant Size: 12 Inch tall
Hanging Santa Cruz Sunset is a striking variety. It has long, pointed leaves that are covered in a profusion of vivid orange-red blossoms that hang down and drip off. Use Santa Cruz Sunset as a wonderful pot spiller by draping it down or using it in hanging baskets. The vivid orange or red blooms contrast strikingly with chartreuse plants such as electric lime coleus or golden Lysimachia.
32. Amstel Blitz
Plant Size: 12 Inch
I’m sure you’ve noticed that a large number of begonias from the Amstel series are on my list. The erect rosettes of blooms on their fleshy green leaves are so beautiful to me. They add colour all season and require little upkeep.
I love all the colours; therefore, it was difficult for me to pick just one. The bright, clear yellow variation is called Blitz. In shade gardens and shadowy containers, it adds a bright splash of colour.
33. Elatior Valentino Pink
Plant Size: 20-30cm
This rich begonia variation is distinct from others. Eletor Valentino pink begonias feel almost exactly like peonies. They seem like bowl-sized beauties—peonies that thrive in bright gardens. Large pink blooms surround fluffy double blooms with creamy yellow booms in the centre. Use these blooms to add a peony blossom to a shadow garden, either in the garden or in containers.
34. Cascade Florence
Plant Size: 6-8cm
This begonia is somewhat dangling and rather tuberculate. It features gorgeous, big, huge blooms with a white centre that flushes a wonderful light pink. These are big, fluffy, double blossoms with a slight downward-facing angle. These would look lovely in a container or hanging basket.
35. Nonstop Red
Plant Size: 8-12 inches tall
Here’s one of my all-time favourites to start the list of tuberous objects. Those were definitely the scarlet begonias, not the crimson ones that the Grateful Dead sang about. Huge, rose-coloured blossoms would fit well into her hair.
They have large, asymmetrical blooms. There are puffy doubles and gorgeous yellow stamens on some single blooms. The blooms are big and eye-catching, like shaded red roses. To produce eye-catching bursts of vivid red colour, I plan to include a few of these in my garden with lower-growing shade plants like hostas.
You don’t need many to leave an impression because the blossoms are so big and striking. I also plant these in shady pots with a Majesty palm in the centre and white filler, like bacopa, for a beautiful container design.
36. Picotee White-Pink
Plant Size: 10-15 inch tall
This is a charming kind of flower with double ruffles. Their colour is pristine white, with a border of dark pink. Their huge rose-like blossoms look fantastic both in the ground and in pots.
This variety’s added pink flash around the edges adds a very unique touch. Arrange next to coleus kinds or white and pink caladiums for a striking combination.
37. Pin Up Flame
Plant Size: 10 to 12 inches
Pin-up flame is a really eye-catching and distinctive kind. Pin-up flame has just single blooms, while many gorgeous tuberous begonias have enormous, fluffy double blossoms. Their form is somewhat pansy-like. However, several of them are crammed onto a single plant.
Their flame colour is the most remarkable characteristic. The petals have a flushing red edge and a golden centre. The red edge of some blooms will be the thinnest, while that of others will be more than half red and all hues in between, including pure yellow.
One plant will have every colour variety possible. Plant these in a mass to create a blur of gorgeous red and yellow blossoms with variegation.
38. Solenia Dusty Rose
Plant Size: 10 to 12 inches
The dusty rose from Solenia has a stunning pink hue. The outer petals are darker than the interior petals, which are pale. All of the flowers are symmetrical, upright, and ruffled. It makes a tidy mound that would look wonderful in a mixed-shaded container, or it would fill a tiny pot perfectly.
With its lovely ruffled flowers that resemble carnations, it would also lend a romantic, whimsical touch to a shady garden. Because of its increased sun tolerance, the Solenia cultivar is more adaptable in gardens.
39. Nonstop White
Plant Size: 12 inches tall
White begonias never stop being elegant. It looks great in beds and in arrangements with containers because of its enormous white double and single blossoms that support themselves upright on strong stems. Pure white and green gardens are my favourites.
Consider putting white begonias with their large, showy blooms in between perennial white flowers like snowdrop anemone or sweet woodruff, and white hostas with their white edges or centers, like patriot or fire and ice.
It produces a vivid, enchanted shade garden. Additionally, they look fantastic in containers with plants that emphasise foliage, such as caladium, coleus, or several varieties of Rex Begonias. It adds a tasteful, muted flower to an arrangement without overpowering the eye with colour and pattern.
40. Tuberous
Plant Size: 6 inches
Tuberous begonias will make up the majority of this list. These are the begonias that first captured my heart. They are covered in enormous, very weightless rose-like flowers, some of which are double blossoms. They are amazing.
I use these largely in containers, but they also make fantastic additions to huge, dramatic flashes of colour in shaded garden beds. You’re sure to find a tuberous begonia for your yard because they come in so many different hues and flower variations!
41. Ambassador White
Plant Size: 12 inches tall
This begonia cultivar is traditional. The tiny fleshy leaves of this wax begonia are adorned with lovely, solitary white flowers that have yellow eyes. Although it might appear outdated, I believe it accomplishes its goal.
As a filler in a container or to provide colour to yard borders and pathways. Though they like partial sunlight, they may survive in the shadows and are low-maintenance and drought-tolerant.
42. Victory Rose
Plant Size: 12 feet tall
These adorable miniature begonias have yellow eyes and tiny, white inner blossoms that flush to pink around the edges. It’s a lovely bedding plant that looks fantastic when grouped together.
Perhaps placed next to white flowers to truly bring out their pink hues. These begonias require minimal maintenance and nearly never need to be deadheaded, just like any other wax begonia.
43. Bada Boom Pink
Plant Size: 8–10 in.
Bada Boom Pink begonias have abundant, brilliant pink blooms and a leaf with a darker shade than the Cocktail series. More sun and dry spells can be tolerated by this type than by many of the tuberous ones.
It requires little care and has long-lasting flowers that don’t need a lot of deadheading. Excellent as a container plant, for formal border creation, or for mass planting in a bed.
44. Amstel Veronica
Plant Size: 12 inches tall
The upright-blooming Rieger variety is called Amstel Veronica. Little rosettes of Veronica’s colour, mild reddish orange. It works well as a container filler plant or to add splashes of colour throughout a shaded bed.
They bloom all season long with little need for deadheading. It creates a lovely mass of upright red blooms when planted in small groups of three or five.
45. Dragon Wing Red
Plant Size: 15 inches tall
The dragon wing begonia is ideal for hanging baskets and containers because of its tiny hanging blossoms. This kind produces a huge ball of waxy green leaves dripping with red flowers when grown in a hanging basket.
It actually requires more sun than the tuberous variants because it is a hanging variety of the fibrous begonia plant. Along city sidewalks, I see large balls of them hanging in baskets atop lampposts.