15 Begonia Rex Varieties | Types Of Rex Begonias

1. Black Velvet

(Begonia ‘Black Velvet’)

• Leaf Color: Black
• Rarity: Rare

With dark foliage and lime green stems, the Black Velvet Begonia is certainly unique. The leaves are deeply lobed — giving them an almost star-shaped appearance — and can measure several inches across. Many specimens have swirled leaves.

There’s some confusion over whether this plant is a cultivar of Begonia rex-cultorum or if it is a separate type of rhizomatous Begonia. You can find ‘Black Velvet’ plants for sale under both labels.

2. Escargot

(Begonia rex-cultorum ‘Escargot’)

• Leaf Color: Green, silver
• Rarity: Common

‘Escargot’ is one of the most popular cultivars of Rex Begonia. These plants have dramatically swirled leaves decorated with bands of silver and green. The spiral pattern these bands create only adds to the snail shell aesthetic.

While Escargot Rex Begonias are primarily grown for their interesting foliage, they can also produce small pink flowers throughout the year.

This cultivar holds an Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society.

3. Fireworks

(Begonia rex-cultorum ‘Fireworks’)

• Leaf Color: Purple, pink, silver
• Rarity: Uncommon

The Fireworks Rex Begonia boasts large, heart- or triangle-shaped foliage. It tends to have a very compact, upright growth habit that looks particularly lush in a small container.

This cultivar gets its name from the starburst-like pattern stamped in the center of each leaf. 

In my opinion, the coloring and physical texture of Fireworks Rex Begonia foliage is some of the best within the species. It holds an Award of Garden Merit and stands out beautifully against other houseplants.

4. Flamenco

(Begonia rex-cultorum ‘Flamenco’)

• Leaf Color: Silver, green, red
• Rarity: Uncommon

Flamenco Rex Begonias have predominantly silver leaves with a blend of red and green veins. The leaf margins are commonly red or green as well.

These Begonias seem to differ greatly in terms of coloring and variegation from one plant to another. While individual genetics play a large role in the appearance of any particular plant, you can also experiment with different levels of light exposure and other factors. Small changes may make a big difference in your ‘Flamenco’ Begonia’s foliage.

5. Lava Red

(Begonia rex-cultorum ‘Shadow King Lava Red’)

• Leaf Color: Red
• Rarity: Rare

Part of the Shadow King line of cultivars, the Lava Red Rex Begonia is incredibly unique. While there are countless varieties with red leaves, this is one of the only ones with exclusively red foliage.

The entire leaf — including the stem and veins — is a solid, crimson red. Exposure to bright, indirect light is recommended to deepen the leaf color.

In addition to its stunning color, this plant is so glossy that it appears almost metallic.

6. Midnight Magic

(Begonia rex-cultorum ‘Midnight Magic’)

• Leaf Color: Green, red
• Rarity: Uncommon

While not incredibly popular, ‘Midnight Magic’ is reportedly one of the easiest Rex Begonia cultivars to care for. It was first hybridized in the 1980s but there are still many specimens available to propagate and grow.

The leaves of the Midnight Magic Rex Begonia are very dark green with purple-red undersides. In some light conditions, the top of the leaves appears nearly black. The leaves often have a slight swirl where they meet the petioles.

This cultivar is quite compact and not prone to going leggy (just be sure to provide adequate indirect sunlight). It may produce pink or red flowers with proper care.

7. Putzeys

(Begonia rex ‘Putzeys’)

• Leaf Color: Green, Silver
• Rarity: Common

According to the American Begonia Society, this is the ORIGINAL Rex Begonia. It was first cultivated in the Victorian Era and, since then, has been crossed with countless other Begonias to create all of the cultivars we have today.

You can still source this plant, often labeled as a Putzeys Rex Begonia, for your collection. Its silver and green foliage admittedly falls short of many of its successors. However, I think it’s a cool way to own a piece of botanical history!

8. Pink Splash

(Begonia x tuberhybrida ‘Jurassic Pink Splash’)

• Leaf Color: Pink, silver, green
• Rarity: Uncommon

This cultivar is part of the Jurassic line of Begonias and was likely created by crossing a Rex Begonia with a tuberous variety. As a result, it is marketed under multiple classifications.

While Pink Splash has mixed parentage, it is most similar to a classic Rex begonia in terms of appearance and growth habits.

The leaves somewhat resemble those of ‘Fireworks’ but — as the cultivar name implies — also have a saturated splash of fuchsia pink. The amount of pink on each leaf can vary.

9. Red Kiss

(Begonia rex-cultorum ‘Red Kiss’)

• Leaf Color: Red, black
• Rarity: Uncommon

The Red Kiss Rex Begonia is a beautiful cultivar with deep red and black foliage. Each leaf features a red band bordered by black margins and veins. Some specimens have patches of light green within the red portion.

The leaves are smooth-edged and slightly heart-shaped. This cultivar is also known for being smaller than others within the species.

10. Red Tango

(Begonia rex-cultorum ‘Red Tango’)

• Leaf Color: Red, green, black
• Rarity: Rare

If I tried to describe the Red Tango cultivar in words alone, you’d probably think it looked very similar to the Red Kiss Rex Begonia I just mentioned above. But comparing photos of these two plants reveals that they are very different.

Red Tango Rex Begonias have triangular foliage covered in muted patches of red, green, and black. New leaves tend to be silver and green but darken and change color as they mature.

This cultivar is also more prone to flowering throughout the year than some of the others listed here.

11. River Nile

(Begonia rex-cultorum ‘River Nile’)

• Leaf Color: Green, brown
• Rarity: Common

Despite being far less flashy than many other cultivars, the River Nile Rex Begonia is one of my absolute favorites. It has bright green, ruffled leaves with red or brown margins. The foliage is often swirled.

This Begonia has small white flowers that may emerge during cooler parts of the year. It’s one of the more popular options for outdoor planting in warmer climates.

12. Salsa

(Begonia rex-cultorum ‘Salsa’)

• Leaf Color: Silver, green, red
• Rarity: Common

You might expect this cultivar to have predominantly red leaves. Instead, the Salsa Rex Begonia has silver foliage variegated by dark red and green.

Some of these plants are almost entirely silver while others boast equal amounts of all three colors. The foliage may naturally fade during some parts of the year. You can also experiment with different levels of light exposure to get the most from your Salsa.

13. Silver Limbo

(Begonia rex-cultorum ‘Silver Limbo’)

• Leaf Color: Silver
• Rarity: Uncommon

With metallic silver leaves that almost look unnatural, Silver Limbo is one of the most intriguing cultivars currently out there. It’s also not that hard to source from a trusted greenhouse or collector.

While the top of the foliage is solid silver, the undersides are a striking shade of red. This cultivar has smaller and narrower leaves than the average Rex Begonia.

14. Silver Swirl

(Begonia rex-cultorum ‘Jurassic Silver Swirl’)

• Leaf Color: Silver, black
• Rarity: Uncommon

Another cultivar developed as part of the Jurassic line, Silver Swirl is dark and dramatic. It boasts swirled leaves with thick bands of silver and brownish-black.

The leaves of this Rex Begonia are rounded and quite large. They also have attractive ruffled edges.

15. Spitfire

(Begonia rex-cultorum ‘Spitfire’)

• Leaf Color: Pink, green, silver
• Rarity: Common

The Spitfire Rex Begonia is a multi-colored variety with sharp, arrow-shaped leaves. Most of the foliage is red or pink with wide margins of silver and green. Another strip of pink wraps around the edge of each leaf.

This cultivar is relatively common, so you might even stumble across it at your local plant nursery if you’re lucky.