• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to footer

Garden Making

Inspiring ideas and information for great home gardens

Plantskydd US 728x90
  • Design
  • Containers
  • Food
  • Gardens to visit
    • British Columbia
    • Alberta
    • Manitoba
    • Ontario
    • Quebec
    • New Brunswick
    • Nova Scotia
    • Newfoundland
    • England
    • U.S.
  • Events Calendar
    • By organizing group
    • By location of events
    • British Columbia
    • Alberta
    • Saskatchewan
    • Manitoba
    • Ontario
    • Quebec
    • New Brunswick
    • Nova Scotia
    • Prince Edward Island
    • Newfoundland & Labrador
    • Form to list your event
  • Reader photos
    • Reader images of gardens
    • Container gardening images
    • Reader images of plants in 2019
    • Reader images of plants in 2018
    • Reader images of plants in 2017
    • Reader images of plants in 2016
    • Submit photo to Garden Making
  • Shop
You are here: Home / Plants / Rex begonias rule

Rex begonias rule

By Beckie Fox Filed Under: Plants

Rex begonia (Rex begonia) foliage comes in all sorts of whirly patterns and shapes; some leaves are variegated, highly textured or wavy. They make wonderful container plants in the shade and can be wintered over indoors in front of a sunny window.

rex begonia
It’s easy to fall for the intricate shapes and patterns on a rex begonia leaf.

Rex begonias, as well as cannas and coleus, were especially popular during Victorian times, but eventually fell out of favour. As is the case with most trends and fashions, what’s in favour and what’s not is cyclical, and these rhizomatous plants are getting more attention these days, as are coleus and cannas for that matter.

Also called fancy-leaf begonias, they send out the occasional small pink flower, unlike their floriferous cousins, the tuberous and wax begonias. These are grown for their swirly, curvy, spotted or textured leaves that may be silver, burgundy, pink, green or everything in between. I’ve never divided my three-year-old plant (above), but given its lusty growth, it may be time.

For a more detailed look at various kinds of rex begonias and how to care for them, here’s a pdf of an article from Issue 16 of Garden Making magazine to download.

Rex begonias article in Garden Making Issue 16Download
Begonias-GardenMakingIssue16

Published: March 4, 2021 | Updated: March 4, 2021

Sign up for Garden Making updates

We do not share emails. Your information will be used as outlined in our Privacy Policy.

Please look for our email. You must click on the link in the email to confirm. Check your inbox or spam folder.

About Beckie Fox

Beckie is Editor of Garden Making. She is a Master Gardener and published author in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Footer

Search

Reader submissions

  • Enter draw to win a prize
  • Form to list your event
  • Submit photo to Garden Making

When you’re looking for

  • Books for gardeners
  • Containers in your garden
  • Design
  • Food to grow
  • Gardens to visit
  • Growing from seed
  • How to
  • Plant ideas
  • Tips for gardeners

Garden Making magazine

  • Buy magazine issues
  • Garden Making list of magazine issues
  • Garden Making index of magazine articles

Copyright © 2021 Inspiring Media Inc. | GARDEN MAKING is a registered trademark | About | Service | Terms of use | Privacy policy | Account