Growing Begonias in Australia
These
drought-tolerant perennials come in a variety of forms. DEBBIE McDONALD
outlines the options, with tips from an expert who has grown begonias
for 30 years.
As exotic, succulent perennials hailing from tropical and
subtropical regions, begonias are ideal plants for our gardens. During
warmer months, you'll often see bedding, or semperflorens, begonias for
sale or mass-planted in public gardens. They grow 15-30cm tall, with
red, pink or white flowers and bronze to apple-green leaves.
Although
these are the most common begonias around, there are many other
beautiful options. Out of the nine basic groupings of begonias, the best
choices for our gardens are rex, rhizomatous, shrub-like and cane-like.
Begonia expert Peter Sharp also recommends a group called Non-Stops.
These tuberous bedders have been specially bred for garden growing, and
thrive in shaded areas. For gardeners wanting a groundcover, trailing or
scandent species can be grown to trail or climb.
Penta (Pentas lanceolata) is an evergreen bush that, in warm climates, will light up the landscape all year with colorful star-shaped clusters. Hummingbirds and butterflies will often visit the penta blooms before they visit other flowering plants. Although penta can survive an occasional light frost, it won't tolerate a hard freeze. If you live in a cold climate, either grow penta as an annual or plant it in a container and bring it indoors for the winter.Read More
