Begonia
Other Fun Facts
Plant Care Tips
Care Level
Plant Care Tips
Light
Plant Care Tips
Water
Plant Care Tips
Humidity
Plant Care Tips
Temperature
Plant Care Tips
Pets
Plant Care Tips
Begonias are familiar plants you’ve seen in just about any front porch, garden, or planter. What you probably don’t know is that there’s more than 1,800 Begonia species! These perennial plants are native to the rocky, forested valleys and slopes of northeastern India, southern China and Vietnam. Begonias are colourful, attractive plants – their foliage sometimes a bit hairy (no razor burn, though) with prominent veins that can grow up to 12” long and 8” wide. Begonias are widely hybridized and cultivated for their showy foliage ranging in colour, texture and size. They can be easy to maintain as long as you identify what kind of Begonia you have – they belong to 3 categories: tuberous, fibrous and rhizomatous. Fibrous and Rhizomatous are much easier Begonias to handle as houseplants, while Tuberous have more demands and conditions to keep happy – much like the youngest child of 3.
Begonia Type
Begonia Maculata Wightii, Polka Dot Plant
Begonia Rex Fedor
Begonia Begonia Rex Salsa
Begonia Rex Cissus Discolour
Begonia Gryphon
Begonia Maculata Wightii, Polka Dot Plant
Begonia Rex Princess of Hanover
Generally speaking, Begonias are easy going and tolerant to neglect and poor care, making them a good choice for beginners.
Placing your Begonia in a spot where it can receive bright, indirect light is important, as they can get scorched easily if directly under the sun. Begonias can also survive under fluorescent lights, but we don’t recommend it as they won’t be as stunning under those conditions. Like we mentioned above, Tuberous Begonias, who some say are more spectacular than its other brethren, are more demanding of the spotlight. Can’t blame ‘em – have you seen their flowers? So while it’s more of a show-off, they’ll need more exposure to indirect light.
While Begonias like their soil to be damp, they’re also very sensitive to overwatering and root rot. Begonia connoisseurs will advise you wait until the Begonia looks like it’s dry (droopy leaves) before watering them to avoid root rot. Always test the soil with your finger – the top inch should be dry before you give it a soak. Like other indoor plants, you should water your Begonia more frequently in the spring and summer while reducing the frequency in the fall and winter.
Begonias are tropical plants; therefore, they thrive well in a humid environment. You can cluster your plants so that they create more humidity, place your Begonia on top of a pebble tray submerged in water or pair it them with a humidifier. Brown tips are an indicator of low humidity. We don’t recommend you mist Begonias since their leaves prone to powdery mildew.
Begonias can be sensitive to temperature changes – they do well in temperatures around 16 – 23°C.
Begonias are toxic to pets – they’ll cause excessive burning and irritation in the mouth if eaten by Doggie the Dog, Cattie the Cat, and they can cause major kidney issues for Horsey the Horse.
Generally speaking, Begonias are easy going and tolerant to neglect and poor care, making them a good choice for beginners.
Placing your Begonia in a spot where it can receive bright, indirect light is important, as they can get scorched easily if directly under the sun. Begonias can also survive under fluorescent lights, but we don’t recommend it as they won’t be as stunning under those conditions. Like we mentioned above, Tuberous Begonias, who some say are more spectacular than its other brethren, are more demanding of the spotlight. Can’t blame ‘em – have you seen their flowers? So while it’s more of a show-off, they’ll need more exposure to indirect light.
While Begonias like their soil to be damp, they’re also very sensitive to overwatering and root rot. Begonia connoisseurs will advise you wait until the Begonia looks like it’s dry (droopy leaves) before watering them to avoid root rot. Always test the soil with your finger – the top inch should be dry before you give it a soak. Like other indoor plants, you should water your Begonia more frequently in the spring and summer while reducing the frequency in the fall and winter.
Begonias are tropical plants; therefore, they thrive well in a humid environment. You can cluster your plants so that they create more humidity, place your Begonia on top of a pebble tray submerged in water or pair it them with a humidifier. Brown tips are an indicator of low humidity. We don’t recommend you mist Begonias since their leaves prone to powdery mildew.
Begonias can be sensitive to temperature changes – they do well in temperatures around 16 – 23°C.
Begonias are toxic to pets – they’ll cause excessive burning and irritation in the mouth if eaten by Doggie the Dog, Cattie the Cat, and they can cause major kidney issues for Horsey the Horse.
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