Begonia is a perennial grown for its blooms, which open from spring through fall and return year after year. It's hardy across USDA zones 10 through 11, shrugs off deer and grows just as well in a container as in the ground. Its flowers are a modest draw for honeybees.
Begonia — the short answer
Begonia: grown in zones 10–11, part sun, pH 5.5–6.5, about 112 days to maturity.
- USDA zones
- 10–11
- Manual horticultural correction (source not retained); NC State Extension and Missouri Botanical Garden, with the remaining rows from other published sources or Growable Ground compilation
- Soil pH
- 5.5–6.5
- Growable Ground Plant Database
- Sun
- Part Sun
- Growable Ground Plant Database
- Days to Maturity
- 112 days
- Growable Ground Plant Database
- Frost-kill temperature
- 32°F
- Growable Ground Plant Database
Plant data: Growable Ground Plant Database, compiled from FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS and university Extension sources — each tile names its own row's source, because per-field provenance varies.
Score Begonia on your exact land.
Zone averages can't see the slope, soil, frost, and sun that decide whether begonia actually takes — and those shift from one yard to the next. Enter your address and we'll score begonia against your land's real conditions.
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What Begonia is
Begonia grows as a perennial and reaches around a foot at maturity. It blooms from spring through fall. It's also deer-resistant and well suited to containers.
How to grow Begonia
Begonia grows in USDA zones 10 through 11. Begonia does best in part sun — at least 4 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 5.5 to 6.5, on well-drained ground. It needs around 1,100 growing degree days to mature and a growing season of at least 80 frost-free days, which is why climate matters as much as soil.
USDA Zones
10-11
USDA PHZM 2023
Soil pH
5.5 - 6.5
Growable Ground Plant Database
Sun
Part Sun
Growable Ground plant catalog
Drainage
well (dry spells)
Growable Ground plant catalog
Frost Kill Temperature
32°F
Where cold starts killing growing tissue. Not a winter-survival floor — a dormant perennial takes far colder, which its hardiness zone answers.
Growable Ground Plant Database
Days to Maturity
112 days
Growable Ground plant catalog
GDD Required
1100+
Growing degree-days of accumulated warmth it needs to mature — humid summers reach this faster than cool coastal ones.
Growable Ground plant catalog
Mature Height
1 ft
Growable Ground plant catalog
Frost-Free Days
80+
The frost-free stretch it needs start to finish — short-season areas may need an indoor head start.
Growable Ground plant catalog
Start the season right
Plant begonia in part sun with at least 4 hours of direct sun, once the soil has warmed and frost risk has passed.
Match the soil
Begonia prefers pH 5.5 to 6.5 (Growable Ground Plant Database). A quick soil test from your local Extension lab tells you whether to add lime or sulfur to land in band.
Water steadily
Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. A 2–3 inch mulch layer holds moisture without waterlogging.
Harvest at its peak
Cut begonia blooms in the cool of the morning, just as they open, for the longest display.
Where Begonia thrives
Begonia is hardy across USDA zones 10 through 11. Zone is only the starting point, though: the soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific land decide how well it actually does.
A USDA zone is a 10°F band of average annual extreme winter minimum, so zones 10–11 spans average winter lows from 30°F to 50°F (USDA PHZM 2023). Across the 50 states and DC, that band covers none outright but splits 8 down the middle — and which side of that line your land sits on changes the answer.
Zones 10–11·Where Begonia growsOpen map →
Where Begonia stands, state by state
Begonia is rated for zones 10–11 — a cold floor USDA puts at 30 to 40°F. Across the 50 states and DC, 0 sit fully inside that band, the line runs through 8 more, and 43 sit outside it — and inside every split state, the same line runs on at county grain.
The line runs through
8 states
- California · zones 4b-11a
- Nevada · zones 4a-10a
- Arizona · zones 5b-10b
3 of 8 shown
Begonia’s band covers part of each of these states — which side of the line your county sits on changes the answer, and each state page draws it.
State zone extents: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (PHZM) 2023. A zone is a 10°F band of average annual extreme minimum temperature, so a state that splits the band contains the boundary — its own page draws the county line, and a parcel report resolves which side your land sits on.
What grows around Begonia
Growing guides for begonia
In rotation planning, begonia counts as a Other — beds recover best when other crops don’t follow each other in the same spot year over year. (Growable Ground derivation — crop-rotation group from botanical family)
Related plants in annual flower
Good to know
One caution for pet owners — begonia is toxic to dogs and cats (mild severity). Keep it out of reach, and call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 in an emergency. (Source: ASPCA.)
Begonia offers low value to bees and other pollinators.
Your land is one point inside Begonia's range
This page resolves to the species. Your state page draws the county line, and a report reads the parcel — the soil pH, drainage, sun, and frost dates on your exact ground, which no species average can see.
See if Begonia will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether begonia actually takes — we score it against the real conditions at your address.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
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How we know this about Begonia
The figures above are cited per row, not per site: the pH band names this plant’s own source column, the three temperature figures each carry their own, and days-to-maturity cites the publication that actually lists it. All of it comes from the Growable Ground Plant Database — a compilation over FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS, and university Extension sources, published openly with per-field provenance.
Grounded inUSDA PLANTS Database•USDA PHZM•ASPCA
Frequently asked questions
Can I grow Begonia in my zone?
Begonia grows in USDA hardiness zones 10 through 11 (USDA PHZM 2023). Zone is one factor — soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific parcel also shape whether it takes.
When should you plant Begonia?
Most growers plant begonia after the last spring frost, once the soil has warmed, leaving enough of the season for its 80-day frost-free need. Your local frost dates set the exact window — a Growable Ground report reads them for your address.
How much sun does Begonia need?
Begonia does well in partial sun — around 4 hours of direct sun, and it takes some afternoon shade in stride. That flexibility makes it a good match for a bed the house or a nearby tree shades for part of the day. A Growable Ground report maps how the sun actually falls on your land, hour by hour, so you can set it where the light lines up.
What soil does Begonia need?
Begonia prefers soil pH 5.5 to 6.5, on well-drained ground (Growable Ground Plant Database). Your report scores your parcel's actual soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.
Does Begonia attract pollinators?
Yes — begonia's flowers are a modest nectar source for honeybees.
Is Begonia safe for pets?
Begonia is toxic to pets (dogs,cats) with mild severity. Keep it out of reach, and call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 in an emergency. (Source: ASPCA.)