‘Big™ bronze-leaf begonias with sun coleus in Johnson City, TN

Wax begonias (Begonia x semperflorens) continue to be dependable a summer flowering annual for gardens and container use. They also hold up to summer’s heat, humidity, and dry spells and foliage remains mostly pest and disease free. Begonia benariensis are a relatively new introduction by the Benary Seed Co. and are trademarked as Big™ begonias at garden centers. They boast larger showy flowers than traditional wax begonias.

Big™ begonias bloom non-stop for almost six months (mid-May thru October) in the Southern Appalachian region (USDA hardiness zones 6 and 7). Big begonias are available in bronze-leaf (full sun) and green leaf (part sun) forms. Currently, flower colors are limited to bright red (Big™ Red Bronze-leaf and Big™ Red Green-leaf), and rose colored (Big™ Rose bronze).

Flower sizes vary from 2 to 3 inches in diameter. The brightly colored blooms are visited by many kinds of butterflies thru the spring and summer months. Flowers are self-cleaning and do not require deadheading. Plants grow compact and well-branched at 18 to 24 inches high and wide. At planting Big™ begonias can be minimally spaced 12-14 inches apart in garden beds or in containers.

Big™ begonias, particularly bronze-leaf grow best in full sun, and green leaf cultivars thrive in partial shade. Choose a site with well-drained soil and with lots of well-rotted compost added. Green leaf types tend to scorch in zones 7-b and further south in intense sunlight.

Big™ begonias perform best with moderate fertility and are not heavy feeders. Add 2 to 3 inches of mulch to improve soil organic matter and to conserve soil moisture. Irrigate during extreme dry spells to maintain health, vigor, and flower numbers. At spring planting, feed with a slow-release fertilizer such as Osmocote™ 14-14-14 or Nutricote™ 13-13-13. One additional feeding in mid-summer with a water-soluble fertilizer (such as Miracle-Gro®, Schultz®, or Jacks®) is often needed in southern climates (zones 7-9).

Wax and Big™ begonias are used for front bed edging, look awesome planted in front of evergreen shrubs.