I'm not quite as warm as you are (that's not what I usually have to say!) but a lot of canes do well in the ground for me, and various other rhizomatous. Many I keep in pots and throw a frost blanket over when we are threatened with that kind of weather--for me I think drainage is more of a problem than cold. I do keep some in the ground, but more in pots. Think I'll keep one 'Washington State' in the ground this winter to see how it does. One thing I found here, back when I first got here and we had a little more cool weather in the winter, was that sometimes they didn't come back until awfully late, like one year in August. Hardly seemed worth it! I'm not sure of your soil type--ours is very heavy clay--but I know some folks in Florida have sand, so drainage wouldn't be a problem. I also understand that at least some places in Florida have a serious nematode problem. That wouldn't be good for them. Let us know what you find out!

I'm south of you in Cape Coral. I have had several begonias in my landscape, b. Erythrophylla and Looking Glass. I had Maurice Amey but when I had a tree trimmed, it was either trampled or a branch fell on it.

Barb

Thank-you, you two. I'll have to look those up. I really want to try more types. Thanks.

You might check out the website of Palm Hammock Orchid Gardens, whose owner hybridizes begonias and has pictures of many of his and others. There are lots of other sites, including the site of the American Begonia Society and the Astro Branch of the begonia society with lots of wonderful pictures which would give you an idea of the many possibilities. I mention especially Palm Hammock since they're in southern Florida!