About Begonia grandis Dryand.
Begonia grandis, commonly known as the hardy begonia, is a flowering plant species belonging to the family Begoniaceae. This herbaceous perennial grows on arching stems, and produces alternate, simple leaves. Its flowers, which can be pink or white, grow in dichotomously branching cymes, and bloom from late summer through fall in USDA U.S. Hardiness Zone 7. As its common name suggests, this species is winter hardy in some temperate regions. It can successfully overwinter as tuberous roots or bulbils in hardiness zone 9a in southwestern Japan; bulbils form in the leaf axils of the plant. When temperatures drop, all above-ground parts of the plant die back. It is generally considered hardy to USDA Hardiness Zones 5-6. Two infraspecific taxa, Begonia grandis subsp. evansiana and Begonia grandis subsp. evansiana var. alba, have received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.
