Begonia Garden Angel Silver

Begonia 'Garden Angel Silver' stands out from all other perennial Begonias in the amazing 'Angel' series for its truly silver foliage. While it surprises with the hardiness of its stump capable of withstanding frosts around -10 to -12°C, it is especially attractive with its large palmate maple-like leaves invaded by a silver variegation with pink reflections that reveals a bit of green along the purplish veins. It behaves like a perennial, persisting in mild climates but regrowing from the stump in mid-spring if it freezes too hard. This incredibly bright plant transforms basins, containers, or large hanging baskets into a little exotic paradise. In the garden, it will accompany hostas, ferns, and all shade-loving perennials.

Begonia 'Garden Angel Silver' is part of a very recent series of hybrids, beautifully named 'Garden Angel', developed in the U.S.A from naturally frost-resistant Begonias, such as Begonia grandis subsp. evansiana and B. chuyunshanensis. It is a herbaceous perennial plant from its stump, belonging to the Begonia family.

 'Garden Angel Silver' has fleshy stems that develop palmate leaves, somewhat like those of maples. They are thick, leathery, divided into 5 to 6 deeply toothed lobes. In 'Silver', the fleshy petioles are purple and the young leaves are already very silver, shaded with pink reflections. Their colour evolves, but silver always dominates. Only the areas along the veins are coloured red, mint green, or dark purple, even blackish or dark grey tones. Depending on the age of the leaf and the temperature, the colour changes. This vigorous, almost shrubby Begonia will quickly reach 40cm (16in) in height and 30 to 40cm (12 to 16in) in diameter. Appearing in August-September, its small flowers are simple, soft pink, without frills but very fresh. They are carried by trailing peduncles.

This Begonia is ideal for open ground, in the company of shade-loving plants: hostas, ferns, Heucheras, Tiarellas, Impatiens balfourii, Geranium phaeum, and Asarums will be good companions. But to help it gain strength and be able to monitor and protect it from both cold and gastropods, it is preferable to start its cultivation in a pot. It can be used in all shaded areas, in flowerbeds, in basins, in large flowering pots, but also to create large hanging baskets, mixed with black-foliaged Ipomoeas for example. In a very exotic spirit, a colorful flowerbed can be created by associating this hardy Begonia with Dichondra repens 'Silver Falls' or ornamental gingers.