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Begoniaceae FAMILY

Begonia grandis

Begonia grandis

Edibility
0/5
Medicinal
2/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Cultivation Details

HabitPerennial
Growth—

Begonia grandis is a surprisingly hardy plant for a Begonia, able to tolerate occasional temperatures below -15°c, especially when grown in the shade of other plants or given a protective mulch in winter[1, 2]. Grows best in a moist, organically rich, well-drained soil in part shade to full shade[2]. Soils should not be allowed to dry out[2]. .Requires a well-drained soil[1]. Does not require high light intensities[1]. Prefers a pH between 6 and 7[1]. There are some named varieties selected for their ornamental value[1]. In regions towards the edge of the plant's hardiness it is best to protect the tubers by applying a heavy mulch over the winter[2]. The plant produces small bulblets in the leaf axils - these fall to the ground in the autumn and can develop into new plants. They can be harvested and used for propagation[2]. The plant can be quite slow to commence growth in the spring[3].

Propagation

Seed - surface sow in a greenhouse and keep the compost moist in a light position. The seed can be very slow to germinate, sometimes taking a year or more[4]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Division. Basal cuttings from tubers in spring. Bulblets, formed in the leaf axils. Harvest in the autumn and store overwinter in a cool frost-free place, plant out in spring[1]. Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2026-02-20. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Begonia+grandis>

Pollinators

Data unavailable

References

  1. [1]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
  2. [2]KemperCentreForHomeGardeningPlantFinder — Missouri Botanical Garden · http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/ ↩︎Basic cultivation details, plant uses, habitat etc for several thousand species of plants, mainly from the temperate zone.
  3. [3]Flowers of India — http://www.flowersofindia.net/ ↩︎A wed site of native Indian plants, plus cultivated and naturalized species. It has good quality photos and terse details on more than 3,000 species and cultivars.
  4. [4]Growing from Seed. Volume 2. — Rice. G. (Editor) · Thompson and Morgan. · 1988 · ISBN - ↩︎Very readable magazine with lots of information on propagation. An interesting article on Ensete ventricosum.
  5. [5]Flora of China — Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis. · 1994 · http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/ ↩︎An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
  6. [6]A Barefoot Doctors Manual. — ? · Running Press; Philadelphica. · 1977 · ISBN 0-914294-92-X ↩︎A very readable herbal from China, combining some modern methods with traditional chinese methods.
  7. [7]Plants for Ground Cover — Thomas. G. S. · J. M. Dent & Sons · 1990 · ISBN 0-460-12609-1 ↩︎An excellent detailled book on the subject, very comprehensive.