Tuberous Begonia question

I have this tuberous Begonia (Picotee), now common sense to me dictates being a tuberous Begonia, it should have died down to the ground and gone dormant, but it's not, it's still rampantly growing leaves and putting out flowers.

I know the first frost basically kills the Begonia growth back to the ground, but what if you have no frost in the area it's planted? will it keep on going through winter? Will that do it any harm, and eventually what will it look like if doesn't die down, would it become woody?

 

I think it will die down eventually, low light and cold will make it go dormant, at which point it might rot if its still very wet.
My thought are that they originate in areas of warm damp weather followed by dry cool or even hot weather.
B evansiana, (sent to me by Strongy some years ago), seems to be able to go dormant whilst wet and still not rot, so who knows.

 

Not wet as such, I'd say slightly moist aerated. Not damp, and not really going to cause rot. I'm surprised it's still going though!

On the topic, are there any Begonias that won't go dormant over winter by any chance?

 

As far as I know the cane types dont go dormant and make good house plants.
I had one years ago that flowered like crazy in a very cool greenhouse.

I think B. rex hybrids also dont really have a dormant period.

 

Nice one Pete, seems I found an area (by experimentation) that the plants love. All sorts growing in there at the moment fairly fast too.. the key is it not only being protected from frost (air and hoar), but also excess rain and wind, so it's super sheltered.

I keep seeing the Begonias in the houseplant sections, they have smaller flowers than your standard Begonia bedding, but look similar. My assumption is that is some kind of rhizomatous Begonia.

 

There are some fibrous rooted kinds used as houseplants, but I alway found them short lived, before looking awful.

 

Stephen , I lift and store my Begonias by the third week in November at the latest . They are normally looking the worse for wear at his time. A lot of tuberous begonias are native to South America and central America, so are subtropical and tropical plants. I think you would be luck for yours to get through a northern winter. As there are over 1400 species ,you may have one that can survive on the Wirral , you never know !

 

ps It's still going now! Still flowering, slowed down a bit but still growing!

 

I think its at risk of rot Stephen, it only has cold (even if not VERY cold!) and wet to look forward to for a couple of months. My inclination would be to get it up

Or chance it and have a backup up your sleeve?

 

Where it is it doesn't have to worry about rot, because its relatively dry, in fact I've had begonias return after sopping wet cold winters in the coldest part of the garden... Never lost one. I think it's just so sheltered in there that its not died down .. It's still putting leaves out though they aren't the dark green of summer... It's probably time to give it the chop though now and let it rest.

 

Worth a punt then I reckon