Begonia Flower: Meaning & Blooming Guide

Did you know? Begonia flowers mean “begone,” “beware,” or “dark thoughts.”

Contrary to these horrifying meanings, the flower signifies happiness and goodness in oneself.

Follow the article until the end to learn about the Begonia flower meanings and up-to-date blooming tips.

Begonia Flower Meaning

If folklore is to be believed, Charles Plumier, a French botanist, discovered Begonia.

He further named the plant after Michel Begon, a French ancient regime official and an author, in early 1700. 

The Begonia flower meaning inclines to harmony, gratitude, individuality, peace, justice, caution, etc., with varying color blooms, each with its meaning and importance worldwide.

Follow the table to learn about the secrets behind Begonia flower meanings.

Begonia Flower Overview

Begonia has more than 1000 active species of flowering plants. Most of the species differ in size, shape, and color.

Begonia flowers are a wonderful addition to any garden, make excellent gifts, and adorn many sophisticated floral arrangements.

Let’s look at the basic overview of the Begonia flower.

How Often does the Begonia Flower?

Most gardeners grow Begonia for its vibrant flower. 

The Begonia flowers can be perennial or annual, but gardeners prefer to treat them like annual flowers.

For instance, Wax Begonia is ideally a perennial, capable of coming back with beautiful blooms year after year. 

But considered annual in frost-prone regions for being incompetent to survive the winter extremes.

Regardless, planting Begonia may take up to 3 months to bloom its first flower.

Further, the lifespan of the flower depends upon the variety of Begonia. Tuberous Begonia flowers temporarily and naturally die back every year, and the fibrous Begonia flowers all year round.

Both tuberous and fibrous Begonia last for about four months. While the other varieties have a lifespan of six months.

While Wax and Rhizomatous varieties do not die back, pruning them lightly yearly will maintain their health and promote dense, full growth.

Moreover, the plant may rebloom if you remove the dead and faded flowers.

How to Make a Begonia Plant Flower?

It is essential to provide optimum conditions for your plant to bear flowers.

Here is how you care for Begonia.

• Place your Begonia in a spot that gets full to partial morning sunlight. Remember, the light must not be direct.
• Maintain the temperature between 65-75°F around the plant to suit them.
• Begonia thrives the most in light potting soil with extra added perlite. Add regular houseplant fertilizer once a month during the growing period to boost the bloom.
• To encourage plant growth and vigor, fertilize your Begonia with fish emulsion early in the growing season.
• Maintaining humidity at around 70%  using a humidifier keeps the plant safe from pests and diseases.
• You can deadhead and remove the old blooms or prune them yearly to maintain their health and promote dense growth.

Do Begonias Self-pollinate?

Begonias are monoecious, having male (staminate) and female (pistillate) flowers on the same plant, so self-pollination is possible.

When protandry or protogyny persists, either of the flowers matures early, Begonia fails to self-pollinate.

Although self-fertile, Begonia may require a little human intervention or external pollinators like insects, winds, etc., for ensured pollen transfer and fertilization.

Steps to Hand Pollinate Begonia Flowers

First, locate the male and female Begonia flowers.

• Let the Begonia male flower mature and cut it off the plant. Let the flower dry out so that the pollens are easily detachable.
• Gently brush the male flower’s anthers with a soft-bristled brush until you see golden pollen grains on the tip of the bristles.
• Dab the brush on the yellow part of the female flower and wait for a few days.
• Make sure to clean the brush with 70% percent rubbing alcohol before attempting another pollination.
• You’ll notice the female flower starts swelling and changing color.

What Should You do With Begonia Plant Flowers?

The perfect answer would be to enjoy the vibrant view of colorful flowers on the plants that lift any dull corner.

Unfortunately, Begonia leaves must compromise with the nutrient received while enjoying the blooms.

That said, for gardeners with pollen allergies, trim the male flowers to avoid pollen. Also, you can cut the female flowers if you do not want any Begonia seeds. 

Pruning the Begonia flowers in autumn will promote prominent flower growth in its growing season.

Nevertheless, Begonias makes a beautiful cut flower appropriate for gifting.

Get Begonias in varying colors, arrange them in a rosette, and secure them with clear tape.

Now, drape around with a pastel bouquet wrapper, and your gift is ready. But wait! Do not forget to stick a note with a heartwarming message.

Benefits of Begonia Flowers

Flowers of Begonia go beyond its beauty and offer many benefits. 

When one cannot deny the aesthetic value the flower adds to your dull room or corner, the Begonia plant has many medicinal uses and helps treat bronchitis, colds, digestive disorders, swelling, etc.

Caution! People consider Begonia flowers toxic. So do not consume the flower unless it is thorougly boiled or processed in medical labs.

Health Considerations to Keep in Mind

The flower and foliage of the Begonia plant are beautiful to look at, but like every heaven has a falling angel, it also has a dark side.

Although non-fatal, if your pets consume them, they will show symptoms like vomiting, hypersalivation, kidney failure, etc.

One can easily absorb soluble calcium oxalates, so they may not react extremely after consumption. 

But that doesn’t allow you to be lenient with your kid and Begonia Plant.

If your kids consume this flower, they may exhibit signs like burning mouth, lips, or throat, with nausea and vomiting being the extreme reactions.

Immediately contact the following hotlines if your pet or kid mistakes the plant for food. 

• American Association of Poison Control Center at (800) 222-1222.
• For pets, contact ASPCA at (800) 426-4435.

FAQs About Begonia Flower Problems

Even after you’ve done everything to get the plant to bloom, there might still be issues with the flower.

We have answered a few questions about the common problems clouding Begonia flowers.

Why are Begonia Flowers Wilting?

Begonias lose their composure and wilt when the water conditions are not optimum, i.e., underwater or overwatered.

The trick is to fix the watering schedule. Water your plant every three to four days but increase the frequency when the temperature is hot.

Wait for at least two weeks during winter before watering your plants.

Why are my Begonia Flowers Dropping?

It would be heart-wrenching to see your beloved Begonia drop its beautiful flowers.

The primary cause of the plant dropping flowers is improper watering and sudden fluctuations in temperature.

To avoid Begonia flower dropping, ensure your plant is not subjected to a sudden change in the temperature and water the plant accordingly.

Why are my Begonias not Flowering?

Flowering in Begonia depends upon several external factors, mainly its nutritional fulfillment.

Immediately check the Begonia soil and ensure that the soil is draining well, and provide fertilizer rich in ammonium nitrate.

Simultaneously, your Begonia needs a good amount of brightness to bloom. Ensure your plant is in the shade of a tree or patio, receiving ample sunlight but not direct to have a go at blooming.

Why are my Begonia Flowers White?

You would expect your Begonia to produce beautiful flowers that exhibit gorgeous colors.

But sometimes, your expectation may go down the drain when you encounter your flower to be plain white, even though it shows signs of other colors.

The sudden whitening in Begonia flowers is due to powdery mildew in the plant caused by the fungus Odium begonia.

You can use fungicides containing sulfur or neem oil to eliminate this fungal infection.