Plant Care Library

Other Names:  Himalayan Silver Begonia, Silver Leaf Begonia

Description:

A striking begonia with stunning silver leaves for a visual impact in the garden; white blooms with hints of shell pink are produced primarily through winter; grows well in humid conditions; a bright addition to a shaded area

Ornamental Features

Silver Begonia's attractive glossy pointy leaves remain silver in color with distinctive chartreuse veins and tinges of grayish green throughout the year on a plant with a mounded habit of growth. It features subtle spikes of white orchid-like flowers with shell pink overtones and gold throats rising above the foliage from late winter to mid spring.

Landscape Attributes

Silver Begonia is a dense herbaceous annual with a mounded form. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and usually looks its best without pruning, although it will tolerate pruning. It is a good choice for attracting birds, bees and butterflies to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Silver Begonia is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Silver Begonia will grow to be about 18 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 24 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 20 inches apart. Although it's not a true annual, this plant can be expected to behave as an annual in our climate if left outdoors over the winter, usually needing replacement the following year. As such, gardeners should take into consideration that it will perform differently than it would in its native habitat.

This plant does best in partial shade to shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.

Silver Begonia is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing a mass of flowers and foliage against which the thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.