Cold hardiness & minimum temperature

Is Begonia 'Flamingo Queen' (Begonia × 'Flamingo Queen')cold hardy? Hardiness zone & min temp

Also called flamingo queen begonia, cane flamingo.

More about begonia 'flamingo queen'

About Begonia 'Flamingo Queen'

Begonia × 'Flamingo Queen' · also called flamingo queen begonia, cane flamingo · houseplant

A cane-type (angel-wing) begonia grown for tall bamboo-like stems, silver-spotted angel-wing leaves with red undersides, and cascading clusters of pink flowers. Vigorous and easy in bright indirect light, it works as a striking houseplant or conservatory specimen. Regular pinching keeps it bushy, and taller canes appreciate discreet staking.

Cold limit: USDA 10-11 (indoor in most US and UK homes) · RHS H1b (16-24°C)

Watch for — Leaf drop: From cold draughts, dry rootballs or sudden change. Maintain stable warmth and even moisture.

What begonia 'flamingo queen''s hardiness rating actually means

Begonia 'Flamingo Queen' 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 and UK 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 'Flamingo Queen' has no frost tolerance at all — it is an indoor plant in any climate with a real winter.

Concretely, for begonia 'flamingo queen' 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 'flamingo queen' 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 'flamingo queen' can be outside. US growers can check USDA zones; UK growers should use the RHS hardiness ratings, which match the H1b figure above.

Begonia 'Flamingo Queen' hardiness — frequently asked questions

Is begonia 'flamingo queen' cold hardy?

Begonia 'Flamingo Queen' 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 'Flamingo Queen' can only live outside year-round in genuinely frost-free climates (roughly USDA 10-11 (indoor in most US and UK homes)); everywhere else it is a houseplant that summers out at most.

What is the minimum temperature begonia 'flamingo queen' can survive?

What hardiness zone is begonia 'flamingo queen'?

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

Can begonia 'flamingo queen' 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 'flamingo queen' 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.