Cold hardiness & minimum temperature

Is Begonia 'Black Fang' (Begonia × 'Black Fang')cold hardy? Hardiness zone & min temp

Also called black fang begonia, dark rhizomatous begonia.

More about begonia 'black fang'

About Begonia 'Black Fang'

Begonia × 'Black Fang' · also called black fang begonia, dark rhizomatous begonia · houseplant

Begonia 'Black Fang' is a dramatic rhizomatous hybrid with large, deeply jagged, near-black to dark-purple leaves edged with toothy lobes and a slightly metallic sheen. Grown chiefly for its bold gothic foliage, it spreads on a creeping rhizome. Give it bright indirect light, a shallow well-drained pot, careful watering, and warm humid air for the darkest colour.

Cold limit: USDA 10-11 (indoor in most US homes) · RHS H1c (18-27°C)

Watch for — Leaf-edge browning: Crispy margins from low humidity or dry heat. Raise ambient humidity with a tray or humidifier and keep it away from radiators and drafts.

What begonia 'black fang''s hardiness rating actually means

Begonia 'Black Fang' is not cold hardy. It is a tropical houseplant that dies if it is left out through frost — there is no zone where it overwinters outdoors in a UK or cold-US climate. Its RHS rating of H1c means: Warm-temperate — can summer outdoors but must come in well before the first frost. On the US scale that maps to USDA 10-11 (indoor in most US homes) — the zones where it can be left outdoors year-round.

New to these scales? The USDA hardiness zone map explained covers how the zone numbers work, and you can find your own zone with the zone finder.

Minimum temperature — and what happens below it

Minimum survivable temperature is roughly about 5 °C (and never frost). Begonia 'Black Fang' has no frost tolerance at all — it is an indoor plant in any climate with a real winter.

Concretely, for begonia 'black fang' as it gets too cold:

Below about about 5 °C, growth stalls and the leaves start to show cold stress — dark, water-soaked, or yellowing patches.
A single light frost blackens the foliage; a hard freeze kills the whole plant, roots included, and it does not recover.
Even a cold, draughty windowsill or an unheated porch in winter can be enough to damage it permanently.

Can begonia 'black fang' go outside or overwinter — and where?

It can holiday outdoors in summer once nights are reliably above 5 °C, in shade or dappled light, hardened off gradually.
Bring it back indoors well before the first autumn frost — do not wait for a frost warning, move it when nights drop toward 10-12 °C.
It will never overwinter outside in a temperate climate; the indoors is its winter home, full stop.

Work back from your local frost dates with the frost-date calculator: the last spring frost and first autumn frost are what really decide when begonia 'black fang' can be outside. US growers can check USDA zones; UK growers should use the RHS hardiness ratings, which match the H1c figure above.

Begonia 'Black Fang' hardiness — frequently asked questions

Is begonia 'black fang' cold hardy?

Begonia 'Black Fang' is not cold hardy. It is a tropical houseplant that dies if it is left out through frost — there is no zone where it overwinters outdoors in a UK or cold-US climate. Indoor-only in almost every home. Begonia 'Black Fang' can only live outside year-round in genuinely frost-free climates (roughly USDA 10-11 (indoor in most US homes)); everywhere else it is a houseplant that summers out at most.

What is the minimum temperature begonia 'black fang' can survive?

Minimum survivable temperature is roughly about 5 °C (and never frost). Begonia 'Black Fang' has no frost tolerance at all — it is an indoor plant in any climate with a real winter.

What hardiness zone is begonia 'black fang'?

Begonia 'Black Fang' is rated USDA 10-11 (indoor in most US homes) and RHS H1c — Warm-temperate — can summer outdoors but must come in well before the first frost.

Can begonia 'black fang' survive winter outside?

It can holiday outdoors in summer once nights are reliably above 5 °C, in shade or dappled light, hardened off gradually. Bring it back indoors well before the first autumn frost — do not wait for a frost warning, move it when nights drop toward 10-12 °C. It will never overwinter outside in a temperate climate; the indoors is its winter home, full stop.

What happens to begonia 'black fang' below its minimum temperature?

Below about about 5 °C, growth stalls and the leaves start to show cold stress — dark, water-soaked, or yellowing patches. A single light frost blackens the foliage; a hard freeze kills the whole plant, roots included, and it does not recover. Even a cold, draughty windowsill or an unheated porch in winter can be enough to damage it permanently.