Begonia Bulbs & Seeds

Begonias can be grown as potted indoor plants or outdoor garden flowers.Michael Hitoshi/Photodisc/Getty Images

Fine Gardening magazine describes begonia as an "incredibly diverse genus of tropical and subtropical plants." Flowering species of the begonia genus can be grown from both bulbs and seeds. To achieve summer bloom in plants grown from seeds, gardeners must plant the seeds no latter than January of the same year, and preferably in December of the previous year. Begonias grown from bulbs can be planted in the spring for summer bloom.

Hardy Begonia

The hardy begonia (Begonia grandis ssp. evansiana) is a tuberous plant. A tuberous begonia has tuber root structures that resemble potatoes and retain water for the plant. Hardy begonia will reach a mature height and spread of 1 to 3 feet. The plant has large heart-shaped green leaves and bears pink or white flowers from summer through fall. Hardy begonia is a low-maintenance annual that flourishes in moist but well-drained soil in moderate or full shade.

Winter begonia (Bergenia ciliata) is a large-leafed begonia that will propagate from bulb or seeds. The perennial's name is something as a misnomer, as it blooms from early to late spring, not during the winter. Winter begonia reaches a mature height and spread of 6 to 12 inches. Though the plant bears small pink flowers during the spring, Fine Gardening explains that "it's the foliage that really shines." Fine Gardening further asserts that the ostentatious foliage of the winter begonia is best suited to shade gardens and soil of medium moisture.

According to online botanical resource Floridata, "the popular wax begonia is available in a galaxy of varieties representing a wide spectrum of flower and leaf colors." The plant grows in a bushy mound, and reaches a mature height of 6 to 18 inches. The glossy oval leaves of the herbaceous perennial begonia appear to be coated in wax, hence the plant's name. Wax begonia (Begonia x semperflorens) bears red and white flowers, and foliage green, mahogany, bronze, red. Variegated wax begonias, or those displaying a mottled foliage, are also available.