What Begonias Are Sun Loving?

Wax Begonias

• Wax begonias (Begonia x semperflorens-cultorum), which are native to Brazil, are herbaceous perennials that grow up to 18 inches tall. Single or double flowers bloom in bright sunlight to partial shade, ranging in color from red to white. Oval-shaped, glossy leaves reflect a spectrum of colors ranging from green to bronze and including variegated patterns.

Solenia Begonias

• The Solenia begonia, an annual, is a cross between a tuberous begonia and a wax begonia. Although it was specifically cultivated as a sun-loving flower, it still grows in partial shade. It produces double blossoms and is a little more drought-tolerant than other begonias. The numerous small, glossy leaves are green to dark bluish-green. Some also have gray-silver highlights.

Bonfire Begonia Series

• The Bonfire begonia (Begonia boliviensis "Bonfire") is a tuberous plant hybridized in Australia using seeds found in South American mountain forests. It grows up to 20 inches tall and produces cup-shaped, vibrant, red-orange flowers from late spring to late fall. Long, green leaves contain serrated edges with red margins. While it prefers full sunlight, it can also tolerate partial shade. Other Bonfire cultivars developed from the original include "Choc Red," which has dark purple to brown foliage; "Choc Pink," which produces soft pink flowers among darker foliage; and "Scarlet," clearly also named for the color of its blossoms.

Bellfire Begonias

• The Bellfire begonia (Begonia boliviensis "Bellfire") was developed from the Bonfire series. Bellfires produce bell-shaped, coral pink flowers from early summer until first frost. They have dark green, glossy leaves with serrated edges and dark purple undersides. This begonia may be grown in partial shade, but it was cultivated for full sunlight. It grows taller than other sun-loving begonias, reaching heights of up to 2.5 feet.