Tuberous begonias are a group

Cultivar group

In naming cultivated plants, a Group is a formal classification category, under the International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants :The term "Group" was introduced in the 2004 ICNCP, replacing the "Cultivar-group" of the 1995 ICNCP.A Group is united by some common trait; for example...

 of Begonia

Begonia

Begonia is a genus in the flowering plant family Begoniaceae and is a perennial. The only other members of the family Begoniaceae are Hillebrandia, a genus with a single species in the Hawaiian Islands, and the genus Symbegonia which more recently was included in Begonia...

 cultivars, regarded as some of the most spectacular of the genus

Genus

In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...

.
One of the first hybrids produced was B. x sedenii in 1870, a cross between B. boliviensis

Begonia boliviensis

Begonia boliviensis is a plant in the begonia family, Begoniaceae, which was introduced to Europe in 1864 by Richard Pearce who discovered it in the Bolivian Andes, although the plant had previously been identified by Hugh Weddell in the same region but not introduced.Begonia boliviensis is of...

, collected by botanist Richard Pearce

Richard Pearce (botanist)

Richard Pearce was a Victorian plant collector, who introduced the tuberous begonia to England, which led to the development of the hybrid begonias grown today.-Early career:Pearce was born at Stoke, Devonport in Devon...

 and a species from the Andes

Andes

The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...

. Another species from Peru

Peru

Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....

, B.davisii

Begonia davisii

Begonia davisii is a plant in the begonia family, Begoniaceae, which was used in the early days of breeding Begonia × tuberhybrida cultivars....

(named after Walter Davis

Walter Davis (botanist)

Walter Davis was an English plant collector, who collected in South America for James Veitch & Sons of Chelsea, London.-Early life:Davis was born at Sarson Street, now part of Amport, near Andover, Hampshire...

), was also used in early breeding.



Varieties common in garden centres include Betula tuberhybrida pendula or simply Betula pendula with hanging flowers and strong smelling Betula tuberhybrida pendula odorata or simply Betula odorata.

Cultivation

Tuberous begonias grow best in partial shade or filtered sunlight. Excessive exposure to sunlight can result in burnt flowers and leaves. However, too much shade will result in lush foliage and few flowers.