BEGONIA ELATIOR

Begonia is a genus of perennial flowering plants in the family Begoniaceae. The genus contains about 1,400 different plant species. The Begonias are native to moist subtropical and tropical climates. Some species are commonly grown indoors as ornamental houseplants in cooler climates. In cooler climates some species are cultivated outside in summertime for their bright colourful flowers, which have sepals but no petals.

With more than 1,600 species, Begonia is the sixth-largest angiosperm genus. The species are terrestrial (sometimes epiphytic) herbs or undershrubs, and occur in subtropical and tropical moist climates, in South and Central America, Africa, and southern Asia. Terrestrial species in the wild are commonly upright-stemmed, rhizomatous, or tuberous.

Elatior begonias (Begonia x hiemalis) adorn homes across much of America, Europe, South Africa and Australia, as these flowering plants are available year-round from florists and greenhouses. Typically grown as a summer annual, this plant can be grown outside in a sheltered location where temperatures range from 10 to 22 degrees Celsius.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.