Tuberous begonia

Types

The classification of begonias is not based on formal taxonomic groupings or phylogeny, but can still be useful for grouping species with similar characteristics. Brad Thompson lists five subdivisions in the group in his book Brad's Begonia World.

Species

There are a few dozen (non-hybrid) species of tuberous begonias, including Begonia grandis, Begonia boliviensis, Begonia sutherlandii, Begonia davisii, Begonia pearcei, Begonia socotrana and Begonia veitchii. These can be tender, and somewhat difficult to grow.

File:Botanischer Garten der Universität - Begonia grandis 2012-10-19 14-32-09.JPG|Begonia grandis File:Wall pot planter Begonia boliviensis Gibberd Garden Harlow Essex.jpg|Begonia boliviensis File:Sutherland's Begonia (Begonia sutherlandii) (32900023398).jpg|Begonia sutherlandii File:秋海棠屬 Begonia davisii -日本京都植物園 Kyoto Botanical Garden, Japan- (26818955337).jpg|Begonia davisii File:Begonia pearcei GotBot 2015 001.jpg|Begonia pearcei File:Begonia socotrana 470511781.jpg|Begonia socotrana

Tuberhybrida

Begonia × tuberhybrida is one of the most popular types of begonia grown worldwide. They are the complex result of decades of hybridizing for specific species traits, such as flowers and cold-hardiness. They are created primarily from high altitude Latin-American species. All tuberhybrida go dormant for the winter, and upright varieties benefit from staking to support the flowers.

Semi-Tuberous (Caudex Forming)

Also called Thick-Stemmed, and caudiciform would also be an apt designation. Instead of tubers, these plants grow a large caudex which store water and energy. If that plant is stressed, it might die back almost completely to the caudex. If the caudex hasn't rotted from too much water, it can grow back once conditions improve. The stems are stout and usually unbranched, and lower leaves drop as the stem grows. Nearly all of the begonias in this group are variations or hybrids of Begonia dregei. Caudiciform begonias do well in clay or shallow bonsai pots to avoid waterlogging and highlight the natural tree-like growth of the plant.

Hiemalis

While these types sometimes have tuberous parentage and/or tuberous qualities(such as a double flower), many of them lack actual tubers. They may tuberous x rhizomatous hybrids, for example, that look much like a tuberous begonia, but grow year-round. Rieger begonias is the most common type.

Cheimantha

Also called bulbous begonias, these are hybrids between B. dregei and B. socotrana.

References

References

1. "Classification of genera". Royal Horticultural Society.
2. (19 September 2013). "Tuberous Begonias".
3. (2019). "Brad's Begonia World". The American Begonia Society.
4. James Herbert Veitch. (2006). "[[Hortus Veitchii]]". [[Caradoc Doy]].
5. Bryan, John E.. (2002). "Bulbs". Timber Press.
6. ABS. (2021-07-02). "Tuberous {{!}} American Begonia Society".
7. (December 2023). "An Illustrated Book of Begonias". China Agricultural Press.