Cold hardiness & minimum temperature

Is Tiger Kitten Begonia (Begonia 'Tiger Kitten')cold hardy? Hardiness zone & min temp

Also called Tiger Kitten begonia, eyelash begonia.

More about tiger kitten begonia

About Tiger Kitten Begonia

Begonia 'Tiger Kitten' · also called Tiger Kitten begonia, eyelash begonia · houseplant

Begonia 'Tiger Kitten' is a charming miniature eyelash begonia (Begonia bowerae hybrid) producing compact rosettes of small, richly patterned leaves in chocolate-brown and bright green with distinctive white eyelash-like hairs fringing the margins. Its diminutive size makes it an ideal terrarium or windowsill plant, and it flowers readily even in lower light conditions, producing sprays of tiny pale pink blooms in late winter through spring. The most critical care point is to avoid getting water on the hairy leaves or in the centre of the rosette to prevent rot. Toxic to cats and dogs per the ASPCA.

Cold limit: USDA 10-12 (indoor in most climates) · RHS H1b (15–24 °C)

What tiger kitten begonia's hardiness rating actually means

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

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

Tiger Kitten Begonia hardiness — frequently asked questions

Is tiger kitten begonia cold hardy?

Tiger Kitten 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. Tiger Kitten 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 tiger kitten begonia can survive?

What hardiness zone is tiger kitten begonia?

Tiger Kitten 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 tiger kitten 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 tiger kitten 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.