Begonias are pretty plants which grace many homes and gardens with their bright flowers and lovely leaves. They are just as popular for the foliage they provide as for their bright, showy flowers. Begonia flowers come in a wide range of colors including many shades of red, pink, fuchsia, mauve, white and yellow. The blooms are beautiful bursts of color and vary from species to species, differing greatly between cultivars and hybrids. Some have wide oval shaped petals at the base, with smaller clusters of petals on top. Others look more like roses, with tightly packed petals which form more of a dome shape. The begonia foliage is dynamic as well. The leaves are usually asymmetrical and can be dappled with yellow or cream spots or various other markings.
Begonias belong to the Begoniaceae family. Interestingly enough, there is only one other genus within this family. The other genus, Hillebrandia, has one individual species which is native to the Hawaiian Islands. However, the genus Begonia is extremely large. It is, in fact, one of the ten largest angiosperm genera, boasting over 1,400 species. The genus contains both herbs and shrubs, and is native to tropical and subtropical moist climates. These plants grow indigenously in parts of Africa, Asia and South and Central America. Because of their popularity and the unusual ease in which they can be created, new cultivars and hybrids make the begonia available throughout the world. Begonias are also an interesting example of the fact that scientific strides are still being made in botanic research today. Because of advances in technology, it was recently found that one genus of the Begoniaceae family (the Symbegonia genus) should not be considered its own genus. Molecular phylogenies proved that these plants actually developed within the genus Begonia.
Begonias are an excellent choice for many gardeners because of their beauty, relative ease of maintenance, and hardiness in many climates. Although the plant normally tolerates warm, well draining conditions, many hybrids make these requirements a little more flexible. Most species do like bright shade, as their ancestors were comfortable on forest floors. This tolerance for shade is one of the many reasons tuberous varieties are often used as houseplants. Begonias will most likely never fall out of favor. New cultivars are being created which give bigger blooms, different blooms, and more resilient plants. With this much variety, there is certainly a begonia for just about every taste and climate.