Is Hardy Begonia deer resistant?
Begonia grandis
Browsed where deer pressure is high. Protect it.
Rating source: Rutgers NJAES E271
Toxic to cats and dogs if eaten
About Hardy Begonia
A begonia that survives outdoors to about zone 6, with red-backed angel-wing leaves and pink flowers in late summer. It emerges very late, often not until June, so mark the position. Self-sows gently in moist shade.
Soil and care
- Soil pH
- 5.5 to 6.5
- Drainage
- Consistently moist
- Water
- Moderate
- Spacing
- 18 to 24 in apart
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Maintenance
- Low
Deer-resistant alternatives to Hardy Begonia
Same plant type, hardy in the same zones, but rated better on the Rutgers scale. If Hardy Begonia keeps getting eaten, these go in the same spot.
Similar to Hardy Begonia
Other perennials with the same deer rating.
- AvensGeum sp.Zones 3–8, genus rangeOccasionally damaged
- Balloon FlowerPlatycodon grandiflorusZones 3–8Occasionally damaged
- BellflowerCampanula glomerataZones 3–8Occasionally damaged
- Blanket FlowerGaillardia sp.Zones 3–10, genus rangeOccasionally damaged
- Bloody CranesbillGeranium sanguineumZones 3–9Occasionally damaged
- Cambridge GeraniumGeranium x cantabrigienseZones 4–8Occasionally damaged
Protecting Hardy Begonia
Whether this survives comes down to local pressure, so it is worth knowing the options before it gets browsed rather than after.
- How tall a deer fence needs to beEight feet, and six is the most common expensive mistake in deer fencing.
- Repellent that actually worksThe egg-based recipe that reproduces the active ingredient in the commercial sprays that win university trials.
- Check it is actually deerDeer tear and leave a ragged stub. A clean 45-degree cut is rabbits, and slug holes get blamed on deer constantly.
Where Hardy Begonia grows
Hardy across most of these 46 states on zone range alone. Mountain and coastal areas sit outside the ranges used here, so check your own zone before ordering.
- Pennsylvania
- New Jersey
- New York
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- Virginia
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Ohio
- Indiana
- Illinois
- Missouri
- North Carolina
- Tennessee
- Georgia
- Texas
- Colorado
- California
- Oregon
- Washington
- New Hampshire
- Maine
- Rhode Island
- Delaware
- West Virginia
- Kentucky
- South Carolina
- Florida
- Alabama
- Mississippi
- Louisiana
- Arkansas
- Oklahoma
- Kansas
- Nebraska
- Iowa
- Montana
- Wyoming
- Idaho
- Utah
- Nevada
- Arizona
- New Mexico
- Alaska
- District of Columbia
- Hawaii
Browse from here
Every list Hardy Begonia belongs to.
Hardy in these zones
Common questions about Hardy Begonia
- Is Hardy Begonia deer resistant?
- Hardy Begonia (Begonia grandis) is rated Occasionally Severely Damaged on the Rutgers NJAES four-tier scale. Browsed where deer pressure is high. Protect it.
- What hardiness zones does Hardy Begonia grow in?
- Hardy Begonia is hardy in USDA zones 6 to 9. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
- Does Hardy Begonia grow in shade?
- Yes. Hardy Begonia tolerates full shade to part shade, which makes it one of the options for a shaded bed where deer also browse.
- How big does Hardy Begonia get?
- Mature height is roughly 18–36 in. Growth rate is moderate.
- Is Hardy Begonia toxic to dogs or cats?
- Yes. The ASPCA lists Hardy Begonia as toxic to dogs, cats, and horses. Site it away from where animals graze, or choose something else if you have a dog that chews.