Bliss Series of Tuberous Begonia

Begonia is a very wide-ranging genus with lots of permutations within the cultivars assigned to it. Tuberous begonias add plenty of drama because of their big, papery rose-like blossoms. Plus, they love the shade—when they are in bloom, everyone wants one. Unfortunately, performance can vary widely from cultivar to cultivar, so finding the best one requires a bit of research. Through trialing and testing, we have found a series that performs the way we like: The Bliss Series.

Bliss begonias are big—really big—fully double flowers with lots of ruffling among the petals. The colors are solid, clear, clean and extremely vibrant. We like the fact that they hold their blooms better and longer than other cultivars, and they bloom more generously as well. Under the blossoms the foliage is dark green and deeply crinkled.

Place the Bliss begonia in high-traffic areas where passersby can get up close and personal with the blooms—it’s a good entranceway container plant, for example. In the landscape, it offers great “impress the client” color—an important consideration when setting up a design.

Plants grow about 10–12 inches high with a similar spread, and they provide shade-loving color. The Bliss series features a tight, compact habit so each plant stays put in its spot. Because they are tuberous, these begonias prefer soil that is on the dry side and they tolerate irregular watering.

We are growing Bliss begonias in 4.5-inch pots this year. They will be available in four colors: Yellow, Orange, Pink Shades and Deep Red.