The Vibrant and Beautiful World of Begonia Colors

Begonias are a huge group of plants that include houseplants and garden flowers. I’m a gardener, and while I like the weird and wonderful leaves that begonias grow on collectors’ and plant lovers’ homes, I love begonias in the garden. The flowers, the foliage, the drama, they rule the shade.

Begonias are also surprisingly easy and low maintenance to grow. Their flowers and/or complicated leaves look so dramatic that it seems like they would be diva nightmares to take care of. But quite the opposite, they require hardly any deadheading, and they don’t even mind small periods of drought.

There are many types of begonias that can be used in garden beds, containers, hanging baskets, and even as hardy perennials. There is a begonia for your garden. Here is a list of our favorite varieties of begonias for your garden. You will find one you love and that will suit your garden’s needs.

Begonias are split into 4 major categories. Fibrous or wax, tuberous, rhizomatous, and hardy. To be clear, I’m not a scientist or botanist. But I am a gardener, and I can tell the difference between groups of plants that are useful in different ways in the garden.

So within those 4 major groupings I’ve broken them down further into six sub groupings. Tuberous begonias that grow in hanging types are very different from the regular tuberous types, as you will see.

A different kind of begonia is called a rieger begonia. It is a cross between fibrous and tuberous begonias. For this article’s sake of organization and ease of use, I have split the list of begonias into 6 different groups: wax, tuberous, rieger, rhizomatous, and hardy. Within each type of begonia there are many, many varieties. Let’s take a look at some of my absolute favorites!.

Fibrous, more commonly known as wax begonias, are the classic garden variety of begonia. They are lower lying annuals that have smaller flowers and thick waxy leaves. I think they have fallen out of vogue over the years, being thought of as old fashion.

But there is a reason they are planted year after year in gardens. They look great planted in large masses and borders in garden beds. They also look good as a filler plant in containers.

Wax begonias can also handle more sun than other types of begonias and don’t mind getting a little dry. This makes them a versatile flower that can grow in a lot of different conditions. No wonder our parents and grandparents loved them so much.

Let’s bring these sweet flowers back into our gardens. There have also been some new introductions that put a modern twist on this garden staple. Look for begonia semperflorens for wax varieties.

Many small red flowers with yellow centers grow on Olympia red begonias. The flowers sit on top of waxy green, oval-shaped leaves. These begonias can take sunny conditions as long as they are getting enough water. They are often sold at garden centers in six packs.

They look great planted in borders and masses in garden beds. The blooms last a long time so hardly any deadheading is required.

The entire Cocktail series of wax begonia has dark reddish maroon leaves. They tolerate more sun than the green varieties. I love how the dark leaves stand out against the soft white flowers with yellow centers and a light pink edge.

If you plant a bunch of cocktail rum next to or behind light pink flowers like rocket orchid snapdragons, it will look great. Or near a real chartreuse leaf plant, like a wasabi coleus. Or try using it in a pot with various pink flowers and chartreuse foliage. It’s a great little flower to play with and create eye-catching combinations.

Bada Boom Pink begonias have darker leaves (but not as dark as the cocktail series) and lots of bright pink flowers. This variety can handle periods of drought, and more sun, than a lot of the tuberous varieties.

It’s low maintenance with long lasting blooms that don’t require much deadheading. Great for mass planting in a bed, creating a formal border, or as a container plant.

Double up white has huge balls of fluffy double flowers on top of dark bronze waxy leaves. This variety forms a nice mound and would fill a small container perfectly. Or it works in borders and masses. They don’t need deadheading and bloom all season long.

I love the bright white flower on the dark bronze colored leaf, it really pops. It would look good in a pot with a rex begonia, like Jurassic silver swirl (find out more about that type of begonia below).

Olympia pink is a beautiful wax begonia that grows slowly and has light pink flowers with yellow eyes that cover its succulent green leaves. You can put these around a garden bed to make a pretty pink border, or you can mix them with other Olympia series begonias (you can buy them mixed) to make a colorful display that lasts all year.

They also make a cute low growing filler plant in containers. You will need quite a few of these begonias to create impact in your garden. But they are actually easy to grow from seed.

These cute little begonias have small flowers that are white on the inside and turn pink around the edges. The eye is yellow. It’s a very pretty bedding out plant that would look great planted in a mass.

Maybe alongside some white flowers to really let their blushing colors shine. As with all the wax begonias, these ones are low maintenance and require almost no deadheading.

Whopper Rose with Bronze Leaf

Height: 30” Width: 22”

Wax begonias are not just low growing border annuals. The whopper rose series has tall, very dense plants that can grow to be 2 feet tall when fully grown. A lot of small light pink flowers grow on dark bronze-colored leaves on the whopper rose with bronze leaves variety.

Plant this in masses in a garden border, or it can fill a whole container. Its bronze foliage pairs really well with silver foliage plants such as dusty miller or licorice plant.

Height: 12” Width: 10”

Fiona Red are delicate blushing semi double flowers on large fleshy round wax begonia leaves. I love the fluffy blossoms on these wax begonias. Normally wax begonias feature single flowers, but this one has large balls of flowers.

But they still have the big round, lily pad leaf, leaves of a wax begonia. These are great in containers and as borders and masses in annual beds.

Credit: Penn State Agricultural Sciences ( Use Allowed With Attribution)

These drought tolerant flowers are often seen along paths and walkways.

Height: 8” Width: 12”

This is a classic begonia variety. Lovely small single white flowers with yellow eyes adorn the small fleshy leaves on this wax begonia. It may seem old fashioned, but I think it really serves its purpose.

Brightening up garden paths and borders, or as a filler in a container. They are low maintenance, drought tolerant, and can survive in the shade, although they prefer partial sunlight .

The bulk of this list will be tuberous begonias. These are the begonias that made me fall in love with begonias. They have large blossoms, some are double blossoms and are dripping heavy with large rose like blossoms. They are spectacular.

These look great in shady garden beds because they add big, bright pops of color. I mostly use them in pots. You can find a tuberous begonia for your garden because they come in so many colors and flower types.

Tuberous varieties prefer part shade-shady conditions. They will get crispy in full sun. Look for begonia x tuberhybrida for tuberous varieties.

These will pair well with a lower growing companion plant, adding height and impact.

Height: 12” Width: 14”

I am starting the tuberous list with one of my absolute favorites. I am sure the scarlet begonias that The Grateful Dead sang about were nonstop red begonias. The huge scarlet rose-like blossoms would tuck into her curls perfectly. They have large, irregular flowers.

Some are fluffy doubles, some are single blooms with intricate yellow stamens. The blossoms are large and showy, like red roses in the shade. When I garden, I’ll put a few of these in with the hostas and other low-growing shade plants to add beautiful pops of bright red color.

You don’t need very many to create an impact since the flowers are so big and showy. It looks classy when I put these in shady pots with a white filler plant like bacopa and a majesty palm in the middle.

These light and airy blooms have a striking resemblance to a rose.

Height: 12” Width 12”

I love the name of this begonia! On Top Fandango is a pretty two-toned begonia that is white with light pink edges. The blossoms are large, fluffy, and rose-like. This elegant variety looks great in pots.

Complement the blossoms with other white and/or light pink flowers for a beautiful arrangement. I like putting it with purple lobelia and some wizard mix coleus, it looks like tropical punch.

This orange variety will pack a punch in the darker, shadier areas of you garden.

Height: 12” Width: 14”

I love the nonstop series, so you will see a few more on this list. They feature the large showy flowers. Some fluffy doubles hang on the same stems as single flowers. Nonstop Orange is a vibrant orange color. I think orange is a highly underrated flower color in a garden.

In the margin for notes on my client list, the most common note is: no orange flowers. I get that it’s not for everyone, it’s definitely harsh and bright. But, on the flipside, it is bold and unexpected, especially in the shade.

Pair this bold orange flower with lobelia for a real punchy combination. Or add pops of it throughout the shade garden. Not many shade plants bloom a vibrant orange, so it’s unexpected and beautiful.

While these dense blooms do best in the shade, they can also handle some sunny spots in your yard.

Height: 12” Spread: 12”

Solenia Salmon Coral is a beautiful orangey, pinkish shade flower. It creates a lovely mound with lots of fluffy blossoms. Pair it with lobelia and senecio ivy for a lovely container arrangement. Or use as pops of color through a shade garden.

You can play with the Solenia series begonias in more sunny parts of your garden because they can handle more sun than many of the other tuberous types. But remember, if the leaves get crispy, it is in too much sun. Also, more sun means more watering.

This flower has a unique look and will definitely add some flare to your flower bed.

Height: 12” Width: 12”

Nonstop fire is another one of my all time favorites. It has large, sometimes single, sometimes double blossoms that are big and rival a rose’s iconic blossom. This variety has a creamy yellow interior and blushes a reddish pink at the margins.

What I really like about this variety is that the flowers are not all uniformly the same color. Some have more yellow, some have darker reddish pink margins. It’s like you’re getting a few different flowers in one, but they all blend and match perfectly.

You can put these in pots by themselves or with a few simple plants, like white bacopa or green ivy. The flowers are beautiful on their own; they don’t need a lot of other colors. Their colors would look great together or spread out in a mass planting in an annual bed. It would look like you put a lot of thought into it, even though nature did it for you.

Tone down a busy area of your garden with this big beautiful white blooms.

Height: 12” Width: 12”

Nonstop white begonias are pure elegance. It is great for beds and containers because it has big double and single white flowers that stand tall on strong stems. I love a pure green and white garden.

Try combining white edge or center in hostas (e. g. patriot, or fire and ice) along with perennial white flowers (e. g. snowdrop anemone, or sweet woodruff), and then add in the big spectacular blooms of a nonstop white begonia.

It creates a bright magical shade garden. You can also put them in pots with plants that focus on leaves, like coleus, caladium, or different kinds of rex begonias. It brings a nice neutral flower into an arrangement without making everything seem too colorful and busy.

These vibrant pink blooms will add a pop of color to the shady corners of your yard.

Height: 12″ Width: 12″

Calling all pink lovers, this is the begonia for you! It is a bold hot pink color. Not a soft baby pink. It is a statement in the shade. It looks great with coleus whose leaves are the same shade of pink, like French Quarter, Chocolate Covered Cherry, or Wizard Rose.

Or plant hot pink nonstop deep rose begonias with nonstop white begonias for a very pretty, girly combination. They also look great with purple or blue lobelia. This bright pink flower doesn’t show up very often in a shade garden, so it’s a nice surprise when it’s added in bunches to a shade bed or in a container arrangement.

Height: 12″ Width: 12″

This is a dinner plate begonia, it has large ruffled edges. The flowers are yellow in the center and then explode into a red margin. These would look great in a container or straight into a garden bed. The flowers are large and striking and sure to be noticed. Plant with nonstop red begonias to really make that sharp red margin pop.

These beautiful blooms are perfect for patio gardens.

Height: 12” Width: 12”

Solenia dusty rose is a beautiful shade of pink. It is lighter on the inner petals and then darker around the margins. The flowers are all uniform ruffled flowers that sit upright. In a small pot, it makes a nice mound, and it would also look great as part of a mixed-shade container.

It would also add a romantic whimsy to a shade garden with its beautiful carnation-like ruffled flowers. Solenia is a variety that can take more sun, giving it more versatility in gardens.

One of the loviest yellow flowers out there, these will add a burst of sunshine into your garden.

Height: 12’ Width: 12”

Nonstop yellow are a clear vibrant yellow begonia. They have huge, sometimes double flowers that cover and hang off the neat green leafed begonia. This one really brightens up shady areas with its bright sunny color.

Plant as pops in a dark shade garden to add brightness. It would plat really nicely off hostas with chartreuse variegations, like guacamole. Instead, put these in a vase with a palm tree and some ivy for a simple, bright, and happy vase.

On Top Sunset Shades

These begonias will come in a variety of different combinations of colors to choose form.

Height: 12” Width: 12”

I order a lot of begonias every season to plant in my clients gardens. I have rows upon rows of flats of begonias. Anyone who comes into my work space notices the on top sunset shades begonias immediately.

They have the large, double and some single flowers that are big and heavy and cover the plant. But the colors are not all uniform. There are ones that are pale yellow and pink at the edges, ones that are orange and yellow at the edges, and ones that are pure golden yellow.

They are like a floral sunset. I love using these in a mixed container. Each color is different, but they all go well with each other, so I don’t even have to think about how to match them. These are similar to nonstop fire begonias and can be used interchangeably.

Height: 12” Width: 12”

Pin up flame is a very striking and unique variety. A lot of the beautiful tuberous begonias have really big, fluffy double flowers, but pin up flame only has single flowers. They are almost pansy like in shape. But there are a lot of them jammed onto one plant.

The most striking feature is their flame color. The blossoms are yellow in the center with a blushing red margin. Some blooms will have just a hint of red around the edges, while others will be more than half red. There will also be all sorts of color combinations in between, even pure yellow.

All these color variations will appear on a single plant. Plant these together in a mass for a blur of beautiful variegated red and yellow flowers.

Height: 12” Width: 12”

This is a romantic variety of double ruffled flowers. They are pure white with a dark pink margin. They have large rose-like flowers that look great in containers and in the ground.

The extra pop of pink around the margins make this variety really special. Place next to white and pink caladiums, or coleus varieties for a beautiful match.

Height: 12” Width: 12”

This begonia is sort of hanging, sort of up right tuberous. It has beautiful white flowers that turn a lovely light pink around the edges. The flowers are big and heavy. They are large fluffy double flowers that face slightly downwards. These would look good in a hanging basket or a container.

Rieger begonias are a cross between wax begonias and tuberous begonias. They really are the best of both worlds. Riegers have the fleshy leaves of wax begonias, and the large rosettes of flowers that tuberous begonias have. Their flowers stand up straight in the garden, so they don’t get tangled up in the soil, and they’re big enough to see from far away.

With their big, bright flowers that last a long time and don’t need much deadheading, Rieger Begonias are also a good choice for annual containers. Originally they were considered a winter blooming flower, like a poinsettia. They required shorter cooler nights in order to bloom. However, the new introductions bloom all summer long. I love the look of these begonias in gardens, they add color as well as structure. Look for begonia x hiemalis for rieger begonias.

These flowers make great companion plants to hostas, who also love the shady side of the yard.

Height: 16” Width: 12”

The leaves and flowers of an amstel begonia are glossy green and stand upright, like a wax begonia. However, they are the size and shape of a tuberous begonia. I like planting these in garden beds. Amstel Clara is a white variety that is perfect for brightening up the shade.

When the drippy white large tuberous begonias are planted in beds, soil and water can get all over them, making the leaves look see-through like they are made of dripping tissues. Not a good garden look.

But Amstel Clara flowers stand up straight and have more structure, so they stay pretty on the ground even when water is sprayed on them. They also require very little dead heading. I pick out the flowers as they turn brown, but it’s not a huge task. Plant these in beds with hostas that have white margins (e. g. Hosta Patriot) for a real garden pop.

Height: 12″ Width: 12″

This variety of rieger begonia is like no other. Elatior Valentino pink begonias have almost a peony-like feel to them. They resemble bowl of beauty peonies that grow in sunny gardens. They have big pink blossoms and then fluffy double flowers creamy yellow booms in the center. Use these flowers in containers or in the garden to bring a peony flower into a shade garden.

These coral beauties love the shade and will work perfectly in a container garden.

Height: 16” Width: 12”

Amstel Batik begonias have the classic rosettes of flowers sitting atop succulent leaves that all rieger begonias have. These ones are such an unexpected color, a bright coral orange. They look great in a shady pot.

Put a majesty palm in the middle, tropical orange amstel batik all around it, and then purple lobelia that trail off into the room for a unique look. It is also an unexpected color for planting in the ground in a shade garden. In shady gardens, purple flowers like monkshood and hostas look great next to coral orange plants.

With the right care and maintenance these flowers will stay in bloom all season long.

Height: 16” Width: 12”

Amstel Veronica are an upright blooming rieger variety. Veronica has little rosettes of a pale reddish orange color. To add pops of color to a shady bed or as a filler plant in a pot, this plant is great.

They require minimal deadheading and stay in bloom throughout the season. When planted in groups of three or five, it makes a pretty mass of upright red flowers.

These lovely yellow blooms are easy to care for and require little maintenance.

Height: 16” Width: 12”

You’ve probably noticed a lot of begonias from the Amstel series on my list. I just love the upright rosettes of flowers on their fleshy green leaves. They are low maintenance and provide color throughout the season. I couldn’t narrow it down to one color as being my favorite since I use them all. Blitz is the bright clear yellow variety. It makes a sunny pop of color in shade gardens and shady pots.

These creamy colors will add a whimsical look to any garden.

Height: 12” Width” 12”

This rieger begonia is like a bouquet of dusty pink roses. It is a bushy upright blooming begonia with light salmon pink rosettes of blooms all over it. I love this color, it’s old fashioned and lovely.

It would look great with a dusty green variegated creeping charlie with it in a container. Or in a bed with some white alyssum surrounding it. I love a romantic themed garden with lots of flowers.

This begonia variety is perfect in in hanging baskets and will add lots of drama to your porch.

Hanging begonias are mostly scientifically classified as tuberous begonias. But as gardeners, I think it’s sometimes more important to group plants by how they look and what they’re used for than to focus on the small details that a botanist would look at. Therefore I am giving hanging begonias their own category. Their flowers dangle downwards on the stems.

You can put these begonias in hanging baskets or use them as filler plants that hang out of pots. The flowers would drag on the ground, so they’re not as good for garden bed borders. Wax begonias are better for this. They come in many different colors and flower shapes and sizes. Look for begonia boliviensis for hanging varieties.

These fluffy blooms come in a variety of soft, creamy colors to choose form.

Height: Width:

Angelique begonias are a stunning hanging variety! They feature huge balls of double white flowers. The stems and petals as they unfold are a light blushing pink. Not all of the big double flowers are on top of the plant; some hang down like dancers in fluffy dresses.

Put this one in a hanging basket or a container. You can add other plants since the flowers are a nice neutral white and pink color. It would look great with wizard rose coleus, or a pink and white caladium. But this begonia is so beautiful it also holds up well on its own.

These will add a vibrant pop of color to your hanging planters around your garden.

Height: 18” Width: 18”

The small dangling flowers of the dragon wing begonia makes it perfect for hanging baskets and containers. This type will grow a big ball of waxy green leaves dripping with red flowers in a hanging basket.

Because it is a hanging type of a fibrous begonia, it will need more sun than the tuberous types. I see big balls of these in hanging baskets on lamp posts along city pathways.

If reds your color, these are a must to splash around your yard.

Height: 12” Width: 12”

Summerwings dark elegance is a beautiful hanging variety. It has bright red flowers that hang down on gorgeous dark foliage. Use this one in a hanging basket, or to fill up a pot.

I put this begonia, a “Brocade Fire” geranium, and a palm in the middle of a pot I made one year. It looked great. The chartreuse geranium with a red center went well with the dark leaves of the begonia that were dripping with hot red flowers.

In your own backyard, you can watch the sun go down over the water like you would at the beach.

Height: 16” Width: 16”

Santa Cruz Sunset is a flashy hanging variety. It has long pointed leaves with loads of bright orangey red flowers dripping off and dangling down. Use Santa Cruz Sunset in hanging baskets and draping down as a fabulous spiller in pots. The bright orange/red flowers really pop against chartreuse plants, like golden lysimachia, or an electric lime coleus.

The creamy orange color and fluffy, soft petals will add a unique touch to your hanging planters.

Height: 12” Width 12”

Fluffy soft orange flowers hang down like ballerinas in tutus in this beautiful begonia. You can put this one in a hanging basket or a pot where it can trail down slowly. The large downward facing flowers are gorgeous, and the creamy orange color is unexpected in a shade garden. It would pair nicely with lobelia or bacopa for a beautiful soft colored hanging basket.

Its bright, spiky, double blooms will definitely add some funkiness to your garden.

Height: 12” Width: 12”

The beautiful red flowers on this hanging variety are really, well, weird. They hang down like a normal hanging variety. But the flowers are these spiky double blooms that look like starbursts.

You can hang this plant from the ceiling or use it as a beautiful spiller plant in a pot. Or it can stand alone in a container because it is so unique and interesting.

These will pair nicely with just about any other flower in your hanging planters.

Height: 16” Width: 18”

Bossa Nova Rose is another hanging variety of begonia. It features narrow leaves and lots of small bright pink blossoms hanging downward on arching stems. This one should be in a hanging basket, where it will make a ball of these beautiful flowers that drip down.

Or in a pot as a spilling flower, maybe with some upright begonias to compliment it. These flower types that drip make me think of fuchsias, which I like, but I find them to be much less finicky and more reliable.

These breathtaking blooms will add a delicate touch to your garden.

Height: 12” Width: 16”

The sun dancer series is the best of both worlds. It has the large ruffled double blossoms of a tuberous begonia, but it drapes and trails delicately downwards. I love the blushing peach color of the apricot variety. It would look great in a hanging basket by itself or with a dark purple lobelia.

These beauties will attract hummingbirds and other different pollinators to your garden.

Height: 12” Width: 24”

I think I’ll plant more of these this year since their name includes the name of a new Disney hit. But that’s not a problem because they are a lovely hanging variety. The dark, thin, pointed leaves of waterfall encanto red have just a hint of red on the very tips.

Then the flowers are bright red tulip shaped flowers that hang down off of red stems. The deep vase shaped flowers are great for attracting hummingbirds. Use this variety in hanging baskets or spilling out of containers. It would really pop against a chartreuse foliage plant such as golden lysimachia.

Make a statement on your porch with these beautiful, eye catching, blooms.

Height: 12” Spread: 12”

The Belleconia rose is a show-stopping begonia with big loads of bright pink flowers hanging down from thin stems. This begonia will grow large and trail downwards beautifully in a hanging basket.

Add a few baskets of these along a porch for a gorgeous and bold statement. These pair well with nonstop deep rose begonias, for a uniform hot pink flower shade garden.

The most common variety of rhizomatous begonias are Rex begonias. While these are often thought of as house plants, they actually make really great garden plants. Especially in pots where their intricate and beautiful foliage can be on full display. All, except one, of the varieties I will be listing are rex begonias. Most other rhizomatous begonias are better suited as houseplants.

There are rex begonias in the greenhouse at the garden center, which is where you should look for them for your garden. Keep these in the shade; if you leave them out in the sun, the leaves will turn brown and crispy.

Also, put them somewhere safe where the wind won’t have a chance to whip them around and tear their leaves off. Look for begonia rex-cultorum for rex begonia varieties.

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