Illustration
Tuberous Begonia
Begonia × tuberhybrida
Tuberous Begonia blooms from June through September.
Months here are Northern Hemisphere months; in the Southern Hemisphere, shift them by six months.
Growing Tuberous Begonia
Plant it in part shade. It prefers moderate water. It is hardy in USDA zones 9–11. Expect it to reach about 12 in tall and 12 in wide at maturity, in roughly 1 year (not yet checked).
What was checked
Mature height and spread, hardiness zones, sun and the trait tags were checked against named botanical sources for this plant. The bloom months and water need on this page were not, and each fact above says which. The planting, spacing and size sections are derived from these checked facts by a fixed rule, not checked separately, and the plant type is the library's own classification.
When to plant Tuberous Begonia
Wait until all danger of frost has passed, then plant out Tuberous Begonia into warm soil; in most zones that means late spring. Planted then, it flowers from June to September.
Month-by-month timing for your zone is on the planting calendar; if you garden near zone 9, the middle of this plant's hardy range, start with zone 9 in February. Derived from the plant's category, zones and bloom months plus typical zone frost dates, not checked separately.
How big does Tuberous Begonia get?
12 intall5 ft 7 inan adult12 inwideSee Tuberous Begonia in a garden plan: the planner shows it in 3D beside everything else you add, growing toward this size over the years.
How far apart to plant Tuberous Begonia
Derived from the mature spread above by a fixed rule, not checked separately: spacing is the spread, center to center.
Space Tuberous Begonia about 12 in apart, center to center, so each plant has room to reach its full width.
Add Tuberous Begonia to a garden plan and the planner draws it at its full width, so you see the spacing before you buy.
Where these facts come from
Tuberous Begonia's height, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags were checked against 11 published sources on July 30, 2026. Each one is linked below with every fact it carried, which can include a fact this page still marks as not yet checked, because a source carrying a value is not the same as the value being held to the standard. Facts not in that list, and the planting, spacing and size sections, are not covered by these sources.
- NC State ExtensionBegonia - Tuberous Typesheight, spread, hardiness zones, sun, years to mature size and trait tags
- Missouri Botanical GardenPlant Finder (Begonia (Tuberosa Group))height, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- Missouri Botanical GardenBegonia x tuberhybrida 'Jurassic Pink Splash'height, spread, hardiness zones, sun and years to mature size
- Missouri Botanical GardenBegonia x tuberhybrida 'Jurassic Silver Swirl'height, spread, hardiness zones, sun and years to mature size
- Missouri Botanical GardenBegonia tuberosa 'Fortune Peach Shades'height, spread, hardiness zones and sun
- NC State ExtensionBegoniaheight, spread, sun and years to mature size
- Clemson Home and Garden Information CenterBegoniaheight and sun
- hortnews.extension.iastate.eduIowa State University Extension Yard and Garden (Planting and Caring f...sun and trait tags
- Iowa State University ExtensionGrowing Begonias in Iowasun and trait tags
- University of Minnesota ExtensionTuberous begoniassun and trait tags
- extension.oregonstate.eduOregon State University Extension Service (Save and enjoy tuberous beg...sun
How the checking works, and what each standard covers, is on the verified plants page.
Comes in 5 varieties across 4 colors
Same plant, same care - pick the color you are growing.
Compare every variety in the Tuberous Begonia group
Every figure is the variety's own page fact. Tap a name to open it.
| Variety | Color | Blooms | Hardiness | Sun | Size (H × W) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apricot | Orange | Jun–Sep | Zones 9–11 | Part shade | 12 in × 12 in |
| Nonstop Red | Red | Jun–Sep | Zones 9–11 | Part shade | 12 in × 12 in |
| Orange | Orange | Jun–Sep | Zones 9–11 | Part shade | 12 in × 12 in |
| Tuberousthis page | Pink | Jun–Sep | Zones 9–11 | Part shade | 12 in × 12 in |
| White | White | Jun–Sep | Zones 9–11 | Part shade | 12 in × 12 in |
| Yellow | Yellow | Jun–Sep | Zones 9–11 | Part shade | 12 in × 12 in |
Good to know about Tuberous Begonia
Curated from university extensions, botanic gardens and other primary sources, with the source named on every note. A note reports what its source says; where that differs from a fact above, the fact above is this entry's stored value, and its mark says whether it has been checked.
Safety
Toxic to dogs, cats and horses via soluble calcium oxalates, most concentrated in the tuber. Expect mouth irritation, drooling and vomiting; horses can face kidney failure. per ASPCA and NC State
Worth knowing
Water is the master lever: the same soggy soil that rots the roots and tuber also feeds gray mold and mildew. Water at the base into sharp drainage. per Penn State and NC State
Watering and feeding
Sources split: some urge frequent water and regular feeding for most bloom, but excess of either drops the flower buds. The fix is moderation, not more. per University of Florida and University of Minnesota
Lift and store the tuber
Lift the tuber after a killing frost, cure it 2 to 3 weeks cool and dry, then store at 40 to 50 F in peat or sawdust, never frozen. per Iowa State and University of Minnesota
Groom spent double blooms
Unlike wax begonias, the big double blooms are not self-cleaning. Remove spent flowers and dead leaves, or they lodge in the foliage and trigger gray mold. per University of Florida and Penn State
Deer and rabbit resistant
Deer and rabbits usually pass it by. NC State lists it deer resistant and Clemson deer and rabbit resistant, though very hungry animals may still sample it. per NC State and Clemson
Hates heat and humidity
It sulks in hot, humid summers and shines in cool ones. Clemson notes it thrives in the cooler upper Piedmont and mountains, not the hot lowcountry. per Clemson
What pairs well with Tuberous Begonia
Good companions share its growing conditions and add something it lacks: an earlier or later bloom, a lower carpet in front, or structure through winter.
Azalea
Shares part shade and moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter; taller at 4 ft, for the layer behind it.
Bergenia
Takes part sun to part shade and moderate water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter; echoes the pink.
Camellia
Shares part shade and moderate water; blooms in midwinter, before this one opens; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter; stands well above at 6.5 ft, a canopy to plant beneath.
Hellebore
Shares part shade and moderate water; blooms in late winter, before this one opens; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter; echoes the pink.
Gardenia
Takes part sun to part shade and moderate to high water; opens in late spring and overlaps into this one's season; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter; taller at 4 ft, for the layer behind it.
Primrose
Shares part shade and moderate water; blooms in early spring, before this one opens; lower at 8 in, for the front of the border.
Christmas Fern
Takes part shade to full shade and moderate water; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter.
Northern Sea Oats
Shares part shade and moderate water; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds; taller at 3.5 ft, for the layer behind it.
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Drop this plant onto a 3D plan, see how it fills in, and watch your whole garden bloom across the year.