Cold hardiness & minimum temperature

Is Sun-Changing Begonia (Begonia solimutata)cold hardy? Hardiness zone & min temp

Also called Sun-Changing Begonia, Soli-mutata Begonia, Begonia soli-mutata, Begonia glaziovii.

More about sun-changing begonia

About Sun-Changing Begonia

Begonia solimutata · also called Sun-Changing Begonia, Soli-mutata Begonia · houseplant

The Sun-Changing Begonia (Begonia solimutata) is a compact rhizomatous houseplant from Brazil whose puckered leaves shift from green to chocolate-bronze as light intensifies. Give it bright indirect light, lightly moist soil, and high humidity above 60%. ASPCA lists Begonia as toxic to cats and dogs, so keep it out of reach.

Cold limit: USDA USDA 12+ (RHS H1B); tender — grow indoors or under heated glass below ~10C / 50F (18-26C)

What sun-changing begonia's hardiness rating actually means

Sun-Changing Begonia 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 USDA 12+ (RHS H1B); tender — grow indoors or under heated glass below ~10C / 50F — 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). Sun-Changing Begonia has no frost tolerance at all — it is an indoor plant in any climate with a real winter.

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

Sun-Changing Begonia hardiness — frequently asked questions

Is sun-changing begonia cold hardy?

Sun-Changing Begonia 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. Sun-Changing Begonia can only live outside year-round in genuinely frost-free climates (roughly USDA USDA 12+ (RHS H1B); tender — grow indoors or under heated glass below ~10C / 50F); everywhere else it is a houseplant that summers out at most.

What is the minimum temperature sun-changing begonia can survive?

What hardiness zone is sun-changing begonia?

Sun-Changing Begonia is rated USDA USDA 12+ (RHS H1B); tender — grow indoors or under heated glass below ~10C / 50F and RHS H1b — Sub-tropical — a normal warm home is fine, but it cannot go outside in a cool season.

Can sun-changing begonia 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 sun-changing begonia 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.