Cold hardiness & minimum temperature

Is Begonia imperialis (Begonia imperialis)cold hardy? Hardiness zone & min temp

Also called imperial begonia, carpet begonia.

More about begonia imperialis

About Begonia imperialis

Begonia imperialis · also called imperial begonia, carpet begonia · houseplant

Begonia imperialis is a Mexican rhizomatous species grown for low, carpet-forming foliage: puckered, velvety green leaves netted with pale silver-green veins. It thrives in warm, shaded, humid spots like a terrarium understorey. Keep the airy mix lightly moist, never wet, and avoid wetting the hairy leaves, which mark and rot easily in still, damp air.

Cold limit: USDA 10-11 (grown indoors in most of the US and UK) · RHS H1b (18-26°C)

What begonia imperialis's hardiness rating actually means

Begonia imperialis 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 (grown indoors in most of the US and UK) — 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 imperialis has no frost tolerance at all — it is an indoor plant in any climate with a real winter.

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

Begonia imperialis hardiness — frequently asked questions

Is begonia imperialis cold hardy?

Begonia imperialis 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 imperialis can only live outside year-round in genuinely frost-free climates (roughly USDA 10-11 (grown indoors in most of the US and UK)); everywhere else it is a houseplant that summers out at most.

What is the minimum temperature begonia imperialis can survive?

What hardiness zone is begonia imperialis?

Begonia imperialis is rated USDA 10-11 (grown indoors in most of the US and UK) and RHS H1b — Sub-tropical — a normal warm home is fine, but it cannot go outside in a cool season.

Can begonia imperialis 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 imperialis 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.