Cold hardiness & minimum temperature

Is Griffith's Begonia (Begonia griffithii)cold hardy? Hardiness zone & min temp

Also called Griffith's begonia, East Himalayan begonia.

More about griffith's begonia

About Griffith's Begonia

Begonia griffithii · also called Griffith's begonia, East Himalayan begonia · houseplant

Begonia griffithii is a rhizomatous perennial described from the eastern Himalayan foothills and documented in Curtis's Botanical Magazine in 1857, native to the shaded, moist understorey of subtropical and warm-temperate forest in northeast India and neighbouring regions. It forms a spreading rosette of attractively asymmetric leaves from a creeping rhizome and is cultivated primarily for its foliage. Consistent moisture, high humidity, and protection from direct sun are the most important care requirements. Begonias are toxic to cats, dogs, and horses.

Cold limit: USDA 10-12 (indoor in most climates) · RHS H1b (15–25°C)

What griffith's begonia's hardiness rating actually means

Griffith's 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 10-12 (indoor in most climates) — 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). Griffith's Begonia has no frost tolerance at all — it is an indoor plant in any climate with a real winter.

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

Griffith's Begonia hardiness — frequently asked questions

Is griffith's begonia cold hardy?

Griffith's 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. Griffith's Begonia can only live outside year-round in genuinely frost-free climates (roughly USDA 10-12 (indoor in most climates)); everywhere else it is a houseplant that summers out at most.

What is the minimum temperature griffith's begonia can survive?

What hardiness zone is griffith's begonia?

Griffith's Begonia is rated USDA 10-12 (indoor in most climates) and RHS H1b — Sub-tropical — a normal warm home is fine, but it cannot go outside in a cool season.

Can griffith's 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 griffith's 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.