Hardy Begonia Surprise

[BeyondTheGarden]

Last summer I bought a "Tropical" mixed Potter that had a cordyline, some creeping Jenny, some Begonias, and some other miscellaneous stuff I didn't pay attention to. I really just wanted the Cordyline. 

Planted in ground and lo and behold, this begonia has returned, even after our bad winter dipping several times into the mid teens. 

Any idea as to species/type?  I don't know very many begonias. 

[Silas_Sancona]

45 minutes ago, Jesse PNW said:

Last summer I bought a "Tropical" mixed Potter that had a cordyline, some creeping Jenny, some Begonias, and some other miscellaneous stuff I didn't pay attention to. I really just wanted the Cordyline. 

Planted in ground and lo and behold, this begonia has returned, even after our bad winter dipping several times into the mid teens. 

Any idea as to species/type?  I don't know very many begonias. 

Possibly an Angel Wing type?  Beyond that, don't pay much attention to Begonias.. Except Tuberous and Fragrant ones.

[BeyondTheGarden]

I think it may be Begonia pearcei.

[Manalto]

Nice! Begonia is a surprisingly hardy genus, in spite of their tropical appearance and succulent stems. Many act as dieback perennials in Gulf Coast 8B. Some gardeners here complain of their invasiveness, but I dismiss those people as grouches. B. grandis is reliably hardy in zone 6.

[Chester B]

I have begonias come back every year. The cheap annual ones sold in flats and the “Rex” types. 

[Manalto]

On 7/3/2022 at 4:06 PM, Jesse PNW said:

I think it may be Begonia pearcei.

That's a parent plant of the tuberous hybrids. I'll bet that's what you've got, and it likes your conditions. Did it have blooms when you got it?

[BeyondTheGarden]

@Chester B I've bought a few Begonia rex and they never come back.  Even the ones I keep in the greenhouse just kind of languish away.  But they're cheap enough to grow as annuals. 

@Manalto I don't remember it having blooms.  I'll look up the hybrids, thanks. 

[Paradise Found]

I have a few colorful leaf begonia that made it this winter I also have a angle leaf one with lime green and grows upward. Really cool looking a low ground cover helps to give them protection. Nice pic 

[Paradise Found]

Jessie here are a few of mine. Going on two years most of these. I have one that is two years old that is trailing two feet down but not in bloom so I didn't take a pic. 

No names on these but the lime green leaf one is an Angle leaf. 

On the third picture upper left you can see the cordyline trunk is getting thicker as it ages.

 

Edited July 12, 2022 by Paradise Found

[Tomas]

The Iron cross begonia is a long time survivor on my terrace in Rome, it took nearly -5°c and quickly recovered from what was left

I have no luck with the rex begonias, probably too hot here

Tomas