Cold hardiness & minimum temperature

Is Begonia 'Corallina de Lucerna' (Begonia × 'Corallina de Lucerna')cold hardy? Hardiness zone & min temp

Also called coral begonia, Corallina de Lucerna begonia.

More about begonia 'corallina de lucerna'

About Begonia 'Corallina de Lucerna'

Begonia × 'Corallina de Lucerna' · also called coral begonia, Corallina de Lucerna begonia · houseplant

Begonia 'Corallina de Lucerna' is a heritage angel-wing cane begonia with large olive leaves silver-spotted above and red beneath, bearing pendulous clusters of coral-red flowers over a long season. Tall and vigorous on bamboo-like stems, it is one of the easiest cane begonias, thriving in bright indirect light with even moisture and warmth.

Cold limit: USDA 10-11 (indoor in most US homes) · RHS H1b (18-27°C)

What begonia 'corallina de lucerna''s hardiness rating actually means

Begonia 'Corallina de Lucerna' 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 H1b means: Sub-tropical — a normal warm home is fine, but it cannot go outside in a cool season. 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 10 °C (sustained cold below this is damaging). Begonia 'Corallina de Lucerna' has no frost tolerance at all — it is an indoor plant in any climate with a real winter.

Concretely, for begonia 'corallina de lucerna' as it gets too cold:

Below about about 10 °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 'corallina de lucerna' go outside or overwinter — and where?

It can holiday outdoors in summer once nights are reliably above 10 °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 'corallina de lucerna' can be outside. US growers can check USDA zones; UK growers should use the RHS hardiness ratings, which match the H1b figure above.

Begonia 'Corallina de Lucerna' hardiness — frequently asked questions

Is begonia 'corallina de lucerna' cold hardy?

Begonia 'Corallina de Lucerna' 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 'Corallina de Lucerna' 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 'corallina de lucerna' can survive?

What hardiness zone is begonia 'corallina de lucerna'?

Begonia 'Corallina de Lucerna' is rated USDA 10-11 (indoor in most US homes) and RHS H1b — Sub-tropical — a normal warm home is fine, but it cannot go outside in a cool season.

Can begonia 'corallina de lucerna' survive winter outside?

It can holiday outdoors in summer once nights are reliably above 10 °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 'corallina de lucerna' below its minimum temperature?

Below about about 10 °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.