The Classification of a Begonia

Begonias are well known and popular garden plants, with more than 900 species. Classification of begonias is often confusing, because there are so many species, and many variations and hybrids have been introduced.
While begonias are often grouped by root type (bulbous, tuberous, fibrous, rhizomatous), it’s not a clear-cut system. So begonia growers have, over time, grouped these plants by appearance or growing habit. The more accepted breakdown is tuberous, rex, cane, semperflorens, trailing and thick-stemmed begonias.

History

• Botanically, begonias are from the Plantae kingdom; Tracheobionta (vascular plant) subkingdom; Spermatophyta (seed plant) superdivision; Magnoliophyta (flowering plant) division; Magnoliopsida (dicotyledons) class; Dilleniidae subclass; Violales order; Begoniaceae family; and Begonia L. genus.

  Begonias grow from fibrous roots, tuberous roots or rhizomes. Some are grown for foliage, others for their ostentatious blossoms.

  Since 1777, when the first begonia was introduced in England, cultivators have established thousands of variations. Begonias are native to South Africa, Asia, Mexico and Central and South America.

Rex Begonia

• "Rex" in Latin means king, and this beauty is considered the king of all begonias. This classification of begonia features extreme variations of color in their foliage–some streaked, spotted or bordered in different hues. Rex begonia leaves are bright green, considered an exotic foliage.

  Rex begonias need continuously moist soil and 70 percent humidity. This begonia is difficult to grow because of its temperature sensitivity, which is higher than that of other begonias.

Trailing Begonia

• Trailing begonias are attractive in hanging baskets or in gardens for decorative purposes because of their climbing and trailing characteristics and bright spring flowering.

  Newer varieties of the trailing begonia offer longer lasting flowers.

Cane Begonia

• The cane begonia is also known as "Angel Wing" begonia. The size of cane begonia plants varies, and it can reach 10 feet in height if not pruned in spring or early summer. Its tough stems or stalks resemble bamboo, giving the canelike appearance. The cane has lovely flowers and attractive foliage, and is one of the easiest begonias to grow.

Thick-Stemmed Begonia

• This type or classification of begonia is more vague than the others. It includes all wild begonias with thick stems which tend to branch less than others. New growth begins at the base.

Tuberous Begonia

• The tuberous begonia is a native hybrid from South America. It is grown for its large flowers and works as a greenhouse plant or bedding plant. This begonia does well in semishaded environments. Tuberous begonias are not winter hardy.

Semperflorens Begonia

• The Semperflorens is a commonly grown species known as "wax type" because of the waxy look of its foliage. This begonia’s flowers vary in shades of pink, white and red and bloom continuously. Its leaves are round.