Begonias are plants that can be kept both outside, on the balcony or in the garden, and inside the house if you have a room with windows that let in a lot of light. For this reason, the question often arises as to whether they are for sun or shade, and there are also more than a hundred different varieties: some are herbaceous, others bushy, but all are different.
So, if you’re wondering if begonias are for sun or shade, or which ones to put in one place and which in another, then we will reveal the doubt.
Where do begonias live?
Our begonias They are plants found in Asia, America and Africa. To be more exact, They live in tropical and subtropical forests, almost always under the shade of the trees and palms of the jungle or forest.. As they are also generally small, they have a lot of trouble capturing the light they need, so many of them have two-color leaves: green on the upper side, and maroon-red on the underside. This allows them to take full advantage of the light.
But be careful: this does not mean that we have to put our colored begonia in direct sunlight. If we did, it would burn, because it is not genetically prepared to withstand the direct impact of sunlight on its leaves.
Now, any begonia is sunny? The answer is no, but there are some species that can tolerate it for a few hours a dayas long as it is early in the morning, or late in the afternoon, since the degree of insolation is too high for them at the plants.
What are the begonias that can be in the sun (a few hours)?
If you have, for example, a balcony or a patio exposed to the sun for a few hours a day, and you want to have a few begonias, what are the species that you have to choose? Well, based on my own experience, I recommend these two:
begonia semperflorens
Image – Flickr / Serres Fortier
It is the one that best tolerates direct light. The begonia semperflorens it is the one that is often planted in roundabouts and narrow alleys, as well as in window boxes and around trees. It measures about 20 centimeters in height at mostand develops rounded green or reddish leaves. The flowers are very small, about one centimeter, and can be white or pink.
Begonia rex
The Begonia rex It is a type of beautiful begonia, with leaves that can be red, green, bi or tricolor. It does not tolerate direct light as much as the previous species, but if you give it just a little while (an hour at the beginning of the morning or at the end of the afternoon) it will not harm it.
What are the begonias that have to be in shade?
The begonias that want shade are basically all. But there are some that need to be in an area with a lot of light, but without direct light. Let’s talk about them:
Elatior Begonia (Begonia x winter)
Image – Wikimedia / Aqiao HQ
The begonia is more cheerful is a hybrid from Brazil. It has large green leavesas well as some beautiful flowers, composed of a double crown of petals. These can be pink, orange or red.
Glabrous begonia
Image – Wikimedia / Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz
The Glabrous begonia It is a species with a climbing habit that can reach 4 meters in length. (or high, if you have the opportunity to climb). It is native from Mexico to Peru, and has green leaves. The flowers are grouped in inflorescences and are small, white.
spotted begonia
Image – Wikimedia / GCornelis
The spotted begonia It is a species native to Mexico that has green leaves with round white dots. It produces small white flowers. It can reach a height of about 60 centimeters.
begonia ulmifolia
Image – Wikimedia / Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz
The begonia ulmifolia It is a plant native to the tropical forests of Central America. Reaches an approximate height of 40 centimetersand its leaves are reminiscent of those of elms (Ulmus). Its flowers are white.
undulata begonia
Image – Wikimedia Commons / Bachelor Pierre JP
The undulata begonia It is a plant native to South America, specifically, from Brazil, where it is an endemic species. It reaches a height of up to 1 meter, and produces white flowers.
Where to put indoor begonias?
Begonias live very well inside houses, since unlike other plants, they do not require as much light to grow properly. That’s why, It is very interesting to use them to decorate the interior of the house, as long as they are placed in a room where a lot of light from outside enters..
Apart from that, it is important to keep in mind that drafts and low humidity cause them a lot of damage, since they dehydrate them and make their leaves dry. Therefore, it is crucial to place them as far as possible from the fan, air conditioning, etc., as well as spraying their leaves with water in case the ambient humidity is low.
As you can see, there are many types of begonias, and although there are some that can be exposed to the sun for a few hours, the vast majority prefer shade.
