Cold hardiness & minimum temperature

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

Also called partita begonia, cut-leaf begonia.

More about begonia partita

About Begonia partita

Begonia partita · also called partita begonia, cut-leaf begonia · houseplant

Begonia partita is a shrub-like species from southern Africa with small, deeply lobed arrowhead leaves on slender, semi-woody stems that develop a swollen caudex-like base. Its compact, fine-textured foliage suits bright windowsills and bonsai-style training. Give it bright light, lean fast-draining soil, and let it dry between waterings; it tolerates more drought than most begonias.

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

Watch for — Leaf drop: Sheds leaves under stress from overwatering, cold drafts, or sudden environment changes. Stabilise watering and temperature and new growth resumes.

What begonia partita's hardiness rating actually means

Begonia partita 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 partita has no frost tolerance at all — it is an indoor plant in any climate with a real winter.

Concretely, for begonia partita 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 partita 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 partita can be outside. US growers can check USDA zones; UK growers should use the RHS hardiness ratings, which match the H1c figure above.

Begonia partita hardiness — frequently asked questions

Is begonia partita cold hardy?

Begonia partita 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 partita 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 partita can survive?

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

What hardiness zone is begonia partita?

Begonia partita 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 partita 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 partita 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.