Begonia ‘Bonita Shea’

Foliage and flowers of begonia 'Bonita Shea.'

* Common name: Begonia ‘Bonita Shea’

* Botanical name: Begonia ‘Bonita Shea’

* What it is: A heat-tolerant annual flower grown mainly for its velvety, rounded, curled leaves of deep green on top and rosy-red underneath. Also gets creamy, hanging, bell-shaped flowers in summer.

* Size: 10-12 inches tall, 18 inches around.

* Where to use: At its best in a flower pot or hanging basket. Does well in full to part shade but also grows in full sun.

* Care: Plant out after frost. In a pot, water daily when it doesn’t rain and fertilize with a half-strength flower fertilizer every few weeks. Can be grown indoors over winter as a houseplant and re-used the following year outside again. Frost will kill them.

* Great partner: In a pot, interplant with a burgundy-tinted grassy or spiky centerpiece, such as pennisetum ‘Rubrum,’ pennisetum ‘Fireworks’ or any cordyline.