Johanna Kitson of Wellington manages a polite smile when you ask about wax begonias.
“They have their place,” she says, “but there are so many other varieties out there with a lot more pizazz.”
Kitson should know. As past president of the Begonia Society of the Palm Beaches and present curator of the Society of the Four Arts Garden in Palm Beach, beautiful begonias top her list of those who have it made in the shade.
“Begonias are godsends for shady gardens,” she says.
Most people don’t think past bedding varieties. Their lack of knowledge is easy to understand. A visit to any large garden center in South Florida invariably turns up rows of wax begonias but little else. Don’t even bother with those tuberous ones found in the houseplant section unless you’re prepared to treat them as cool-season annuals.
But take heart. Wax begonias and tuberous begonias are only two members of a diverse family that includes about 2,500 different species and cultivars.
There are five groups of begonias that perform beautifully in South Florida, and one more that will grow here with special care.
Kitson says cane or “angelwing” begonias are some of the easiest to grow. They also take the most light and bloom most of the year. Resembling stalks of bamboo with clusters of flowers at their ends, some can reach heights of 8 feet or more. ‘Honeysuckle’ is a tall variety that is also quite fragrant. Kitson also likes ‘Sophie Cecile,’ a pink bloomer with extremely attractive foliage, and ‘Orange Rubra,’ which blooms year-round.
Cane begonias are especially good for small gardens because they grow up instead of out. This can be a distinct advantage to collectors like Kitson, who is always coming home with “just one more.” Since getting bitten by the begonia bug six years ago, she has accumulated some 150 varieties. Many are in pots, but most flourish in the ground under the dappled shade of live oaks, red maples and cypress trees scattered throughout her property.
Kitson also recommends shrublike begonias for beginners. These behave the opposite of canes, branching freely and usually topping out at 3 to 4 feet. Their flowers generally appear in sprays instead of clusters. She especially likes B. odorata var. alba, the most popular shrub begonia used by local landscape designers. Blooming nearly year-round, its beautiful sprays of white flowers have a slight scent. B. odorata var. rosea is a pink variety. She also likes B. luxurians, a species of begonia discovered in 1848. They are capable of growing to 10 feet under ideal conditions, it sports white flowers and unusual straplike foliage.
Rhizomatous varieties are also easy to grow. But because they grow from rhizomes that are at or under the surface of the soil, they can rot out easily if their feet stay wet. These begonias have some of the most spectacular foliage of all. B. ‘Black Cauldron,’ and B. ‘Marmaduke’ are two of Kitson’s favorites. Many rhizomatous varieties, she notes, are grown more for their leaves than their flowers.
Rex begonias are another group also known for their outstanding foliage. But because they like a dormant period due to summer heat, they can be extremely tricky to grow here. Kitson recommends leaving these varieties to the experts. She buys them in pots each winter and treats them as cool-season annuals.
Thick-stemmed begonias are an odd-looking group grown more for their form than their flowers. Mostly grown by collectors, many can attain heights of 6 feet or more. Since they can appear “leggy,” they look best in natural settings. Kitson particularly likes ‘Chuck Jaros’ because of its maplelike foliage, and ‘Rudy’ because of its pale pink flowers. B. valida is a species thick-stemmed variety popular among collectors.
The great thing about begonias is that you can find an infinite number of variables within any particular group. Even thick-stemmed begonias come in dwarf and miniature varieties, some of which are even trained as bonsai.
Kitson saves the most intriguing group for last. Trailing scandents are a relatively small group of climbing begonias normally relegated to hanging baskets. But as she accidentally discovered, some species also work well as groundcovers here in South Florida.
“One day a piece of one fell out of its basket,” she says, “and the next thing I knew it was crawling on the ground.” Named ‘Manaus,’ after a city in Brazil, this natural hybrid has round, red leaves.
Some varieties look better climbing than creeping. She points to a species variety (B. convolvulacea) already eight feet up the trunk of a cypress tree in her front yard. It produces white flowers on and off throughout the year and is extremely easy to grow.
Except for canes, which require at least six hours of bright light each day to produce sturdy stems and flower well, all begonias have the same growing requirements. They all like filtered light, slightly acidic soil that drains well and sufficient drying time between waterings. A good rule is to water only when the soil feels dry to the touch.
Kitson recommends using a soil-less mixture such as Lambert’s, Fafard 2S or Promix at planting. She also advises using a time-release, balanced fertilizer such as Dynamite when plants are actively growing. Begonias have few natural pests or diseases, unless they’re put under stress.
“Giving them the right light and letting them dry out between waterings,” she says, “will go a long way towards avoiding most problems.”
Thomas C. Hewitt is a freelance writer and master gardener. He lives in West Palm Beach.
BEGONIAS FROM THE GROUND UP
TO LEARN MORE
The Begonia Society of the Palm Beaches meets on the second Monday of every month in the auditorium of the Mounts Botanical Garden, 531 N. Military Trail, West Palm Beach. Call 561-737-1691 for details.
Mounts Botanical Garden has a display garden maintained by members of the Begonia Society with more than 50 kinds of begonias. Gardens are open 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1-5 p.m. Sunday. Call 561-233-1751.
The Society of the Four Arts Garden at 2 Four Arts Plaza in Palm Beach has many begonias and other shade-loving plants. Open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. Call 561-655-7227 for directions.
American Begonia Society Web site is
WHERE TO BUY
Palm Hammock Orchid Estate: 9995 SW 66th St., Miami. Call 305-274-9813.
Alberts and Merkel: 11580 Hagen Ranch Road, Boynton Beach. Call 561-732-2071.
Tropical World: 1 Tropical World Way (next door to Albert’s and Merkel). Call 561-732-8813.
Excelsa Gardens: 12839 25th St. N., Loxahatchee. Call 561-790-3789.
–Thomas C. Hewitt
