Begonia Hanging Baskets: Growing And Care Of Hanging Begonias

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Begonia hanging baskets means one thing to many people – time for the summer-flowering Tuberous Begonia hanging basket hybrids (begonia x tuberhybrida) with tender, drooping stems, wing-shaped leaves, and large flowers in glowing colors and blooms shaped like the Christmas cactus, camellia, and rose.

The single pendulous blooms hang elegantly above the equally attractive, lush green foliage. 

full colorful begonia hanging baskets Pin

But many other types, effective either hanging or climbing, are decorative year-round – indoors in the East and North, outdoors in the South and Southwest.

There is a large and varied group with long, lax stems and another type with a creeping rhizome that is picturesque either in baskets or climbing a totem pole.

Choose your hanging or climbing begonias for any of the many decorative virtues. These flowering plants climb or hang to any length, from 3″ inches to 3′ feet or more.



The trailing begonias flowers’ structural form can be open or dense. The effect is bold or delicate.

The begonia tuberhybrida comes in all shades of green and many other colors; eye-catching patterns or variegation are frequent; and leaves may be round, oval, star-shaped, palmlike – their texture rough-hairy, soft-velvety, glossy-smooth.

Once leaves have emerged, move the tubers and plant them into pots, window boxes, or hanging baskets, but keep them in their frost-free position until the risk of frost has passed. 

f you don’t have a greenhouse and your basket contains half-hardy plants, you’ll need to bring your basket under cover each evening to protect it from frost.  

Use begonia plants decoratively indoors to blend garden plantings or to act as an accent. Display them in window flower baskets or wall brackets.

Move them outdoors in summer to semisunny spots on the patio or terrace. Try them as specimens or blenders in container gardens or window box planters.

Begonia Quick Care Tips

  • Botanical Name: Begonia spp.
  • Common Name(s): Begonia Hanging Baskets
  • Synonyms: N/A
  • Family & Origin: Begoniaceae family, native to tropical regions of the world
  • Growability: Easy to grow
  • Grow Zone: USDA zones 10-11
  • Size: Grows up to 3′ feet in length
  • Flowering: Blooms in various colors including pink, red, white, and yellow
  • Light: Prefers bright, indirect light
  • Humidity: Requires high humidity levels
  • Temperature: Thrives in temperatures between 60-75°F
  • Soil: Well-draining soil
  • Water: Water when the top inch of soil is dry
  • Fertilizer: Fertilize every 2-3 weeks during the growing season
  • Pests & Diseases: Susceptible to mealybugs, spider mites, and powdery mildew
  • Propagation: Propagate through stem cuttings or leaf cuttings
  • Plant Uses: Ideal for hanging baskets, adds color and texture to indoor and outdoor spaces.

Hanging Begonias Care And Culture

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Hanging and creeping begonias are among the easiest and most adaptable of all tender plants.

One is the size of the hanging basket, and the second is the type of begonia you will be planting.

Cultural problems in general, and poor flowering, in particular, can often be traced to the fact that people take the term “shade plant” too literally.

lace hanging baskets with Begonia in full sun or partial shade, ideally in a sheltered spot. 

In California, begonias need and do well in partial shade and protection against intense heat and dry winds.

But in the Northeast, they will not grow or bloom properly in the shade. This will also affect how many plants you want per hanging basket, there are lots of different types of begonia, and they all grow to different sizes.  

Early morning and late afternoon midsummer sun are necessary for flowering; strong daylight from dawn to dark keeps growth healthy and compact.

In Northern winters, the extent and intensity of sunlight is seldom enough to injure even delicate varieties, and full sun is needed for good health.

A loamy soil mixture should be light, porous, moderately rich in organic matter, and slightly acid or neutral.

The soil should not be soggy wet, or very dry. A potting soil mix is a great option for hanging basket plants.

Hanging pot with vibrant orange flowers.Pin
Photo Credit: Instagram @westwoodgardens

Indoors, most basket begonias will accept average temperatures with average humidity, although some will have livelier leaf texture if the humidity remains above 50%.

Pinch out the tips of long, drooping begonia stems to promote branching and fuller growth.

During the growing season, they can be fed with a balanced liquid fertilizer. When to plant hanging baskets and containers.

If you have a greenhouse or can provide frost protection for your plants, you can start planting up your baskets, flower pouches, and containers in April.  

To guarantee healthy development and brilliant blooms, use proper planting procedures such as providing well-drained soil, sufficient watering, and suitable fertilizing.

Except for the summer-flowering tuberous types, begonias don’t generally experience full dormancy, although they may take a short siesta in late fall or late winter.

Begonia Propagation

Begonia seeds are powder-fine and are not covered with soil in planting.

Keep them warm, moist, and protected, preferably over mild heat. Bottom heat also speeds up the rooting of stem cuttings, rhizomes, and leaf cuttings.

Hanging basket of blooming pink roses.Pin
Photo Credit: Instagram @froghollowfarmww

Increase mature plants and tuberous types by root or tuber division. Wide hanging-basket container varieties propagate easily by layering.

Creeping Rhizomatous Begonias

These begonias have a thick, rooting, a top-of-the-ground rhizome that will completely cover the patio pot soil in a hanging basket or climb a totem or other porous support.

Most bloom time in early spring, with cloudlike clusters of dainty begonia flowers on tall, thin stems high above the foliage.

This list of varieties includes some old-time, all-time favorite species. New Hybrids are always being introduced.

Hanging flower pot with vibrant blooms.Pin
Photo Credit: Instagram @westwoodgardens
  • Begonia boweri – Miniature “eyelash begonia” with small, frosty green leaves bristled and stitched on edge with black; flowers shell pink.
  • Begonia hispidivillosa – Round, fuzz-covered green leaves with sunken veins; white flowers.
  • Begonia coccinea – also known as scarlet begonia. It’s native to Brazil’s Atlantic Forests.
  • Begonia hydrocotylifolia – Semitemperamental miniature “pond-lily begonia,” a small replica of ‘Erythrophylla.’
  • Begonia imperialis – Delicate, nubby olive-green leaf trimmed with silver markings. The variety smaragdina is smooth, overall emerald.
  • Begonia iron cross (correctly masoniana) – Thickly nubbed gold-green leaves centered with a dark red-brown reproduction of the German symbol.
  • Begonia liebmanni – Green star leaves dusted with silver splashes. Good in a hanging basket or on totem.
  • Begonia boliviensis – A plant discovered in the Bolivian Andes. This species can grow up to 18 inches. Its flowers are produced on short stems in pairs of threes.
  • Begonia mazae – Small round leaves, dark bronzy-green with depressed veins; light-pink flowers lightly spotted with red.
  • Begonia stitched leaf – Lustrous shamrock-green leaves with black blanket stitching around the edge.
  • Begonia sunderbruchi – Favorite star or “finger-leaf” begonia, leaves deeply and sharply cut and variously marked light green on dark; pink flowers.
  • Begonia vellozoana – A jewel with flat, round taffeta-textured deep-green leaves with an iridescent luster, lighter veins, white flowers with pink hairs.

Non-Tuberous Trailing Begonias

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In addition to this representative listing of hanging begonia basket varieties, many other types of begonias are eminently suitable for growing in suspended containers or at the edge of a window box or garden beds.

There are the angel wing begonias with arching stems that drip outrageously large clusters of brilliant flowers at intervals through the year and the Dragon wing begonia as well.

Mature plants of wax or semperflorens begonias will fill out and overflow a basket. 

Innumerable others can be induced to droop attractively by allowing the plant to dry out to the point of wilting; then attach clothespins or some other weights to the stem tips to hold them down for a day or two after the plant is watered.

Hanging orange begonias in a greenhouse.Pin
Photo Credit: Instagram @thegardenloversclub
  • Begonia convolvulacea – Climber or drooper with strong stems thickly covered with light-green pointed leaves; white flowers.
  • Begonia glabra (scandens) – Will dangle or climb a totem. Plentiful small, shiny green leaves; small white flowers.
  • Begonia limmingheiana – Moderately large green leaves, and coral-red flowers in tight clusters.
  • Begonia macrocarpa (secreta) – Slim, tough, dark leaves with pointed tips; clusters of pale-pink flowers.
  • Begonia manni (emini) – The “rose begonia,” with roselike leaves and nontypical pink flowers more like a fuchsia than begonia.
  • Begonia sanguinea – Leathery, waxed, red-lined leaves with a masculine look; white flowers. A handsome basket plant.

Summer Flowering Tuberous Begonias

These hanging-basket begonias are certainly in a class by themselves. In the lath house of a California specialist, the effect of their flamboyant flowering display is overwhelming.

Without those cool night temperatures and the moist air, these are admittedly not the easiest plants to grow; but their magnificent performance is worth any effort.

Colorful hanging flower basket outside a home.Pin
Photo Credit: Instagram @impatientgardener

Another plant that enjoys “cool” is the handing Strawberry begonia, which is not a begonia at all!

Dormant tubers are pre-rooted in early spring, partially sunk – cupped side up – in a moist rooting medium over bottom heat, if possible.

When the top growth has two full-sized leaves, the tubers are planted in light, porous, well-drained soil in flats or pots or hanging baskets (3 to 6-inch baskets for fuller display).

Create a compost mix by adding 20% perlite to a good quality multi-purpose compost.

Hanging flower basket with colorful blooms.Pin
Photo Credit: Instagram @gardengatemagazine

Pinch the young growing tips to encourage branching. When the weather is consistently warm, put the plants outdoors in semi-sun or lath houses to bloom their heads off until fall.

These summer season flowering tuberous begonia types need good air circulation but protection against strong wind.

Tuberous begonias crisp and burn in hot, dry air but may rot or mildew in long periods of dark, humid weather. Soil should be light and much water to keep soil constantly moist, but never soggy.

The indented side of the tuber is the top, and this should just be covered by a fine layer of compost. Water well and keep them in a bright, warm spot, watering again only when the soil becomes quite dry. 

Hanging basket of pink flowers against greenery.Pin
Photo Credit: Instagram @thegardenermag

The tubers may be listed or sold as Begonia pendula, or simply as “hanging-basket begonias.”

Some suppliers also offer the orange-flowering species Begonia sutherlandi.

Modern hybrids, which breeders are giving bigger and better flowers every year. Many are offered under the name of the breeder or originator, by choice of colors, or according to flower forms like rose or camellia.

The “picotees” are large-flowered camellia types with an edging of contrasting color on each petal.

Family:  Begoniaceae

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