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Begonia boliviensis: The Wild Ancestor of Modern Tuberous Begonias

If you love tuberous begonias—in gardens, photos, or nurseries—thank Begonia boliviensis and two 19th-century British plant explorers.

Discovery

Hugh Weddell first identified it in 1857 but brought no specimens. The botanical world buzzed anyway. In 1864, Richard Pearce found it in a Bolivian Andes cloud forest on a Veitch Nursery expedition. He succeeded where Weddell failed.

Paris Debut

May 1867: Veitch exhibited Pearce's find at the International Horticultural Show in Paris. It stole the show. Commercial release followed in 1870.

Hybridization Begins

That same year, Veitch's hybridizer John Seden crossed B. boliviensis with B. veitchii—the first hybrid tuberous begonia. Decades of breeding produced today's spectacular cultivars, and the wild species faded into obscurity.

Begonia Zwisająca (trailing begonia)

'Nonstop Yellow'

'Spanish Lady'

Go-Go Apple Blossom

Begonia veitchii (public domain)

Rediscovery

Only recently have growers returned to the roots of tuberous begonia breeding. The cultivar 'Bonfire' (glowing orange, my photo at top) sparked renewed interest, followed by redder 'Bellfire.' Both became widely available, reaching even my Iowa gardens.

Native Habitat & Growth

B. boliviensis grows on eastern Andean slopes in Bolivia, Argentina, Peru—rock crevices on cliffs near streams, humid, shady, well-drained, little competition. It forms a tuberous rootstock, stands 12–24 inches, with a pendulous habit perfect for hanging baskets. Late spring to frost: profuse bright orange or red-orange blossoms. Despite cool, wet origins, 'Bonfire' tolerates Iowa's sultry summers and occasional dry pots. In-ground, it resents cool, wet conditions. Excellent drainage and shade are essential.

Deciduous Advantage

These begonias are naturally deciduous. In the Andes, they die back and go dormant. This lets me cut tops to soil after first frost, store pots dry in an unheated basement, and watch them resprout in spring—larger each year. My oldest, from a quarter-sized tuber, now boasts a 6-inch tuber after three years. Daily water, weekly balanced liquid fertilizer during growth.