Begonia Maculata

Class

Dicotyledoneae

Division

Angiospermae

Family

Begoniaceae

Order

Cucurbitales

Genus

Begonia

Species

spotted

Description

Perennial, evergreen indoor plant, prized for its decorative pigmented foliage.
It has an upright habit and is well adapted to temperate environments in houses, shops or other rather bright rooms.
It displays inconspicuous but decorative flowering in late spring-early summer.

curiosity and special features

The term Begonia was bestowed by C. Plumier, the French botanist who first introduced it to the European continent, in honour of M. Begon, the 17th century governor of the West Indies, while the specific epithet maculata refers to the peculiarity of the foliage with evident spots.

Origin and Diffusion

A botanical species native to the humid tropical biome of Brazil (Rio de Janeiro); discovered in 1892 by the Italian botanist Giuseppe Raddi during a scientific expedition, it was later introduced and spread mainly as an indoor plant in relation to climatic requirements.

Leaf

The leaves, evergreen and glabrous, have an oblong lamina with a wavy margin.

Leaf color

The zonate or spotted leaf gives high ornamental value: the upper leaf is shiny and dotted with white spots with silvery highlights while the lower leaf is bronze-red.

Plant height

The height of the plant varies from 0.2 to 0.7 m.

Lifespan

Perennial evergreen plant.

Suggested planting locations

Cultivated as a plant for planters, terraces, indoor tubs, porches. Depending on the climatic conditions in summer it can also be kept under pergolas or canopies that are always well lit, while when temperatures fall below 15 /16 °C it must be sheltered indoors.

Stem/stem

It has a herbaceous stem; the variety has no thorns.

Flower

The flower has a simple, small form with single-coloured petals. It is arranged in small compound corymbal inflorescences. It flowers from early spring to summer, with a flowering period of between 120 and 150 days. It is not particularly attractive to pollinating insects.

Growth

Medium-vigorous Growth plant.

Plant habit

It develops an erect habitus visually reinforced by its distinctive leaves.

pH

It requires a slightly acidic substrate pH of between 5.8 and 6.5. Also pay attention to the quality of the water used for irrigation, which must not alter the indicated acidity level.

sun exposure

Suitable for the following exposures: light source indoors, outdoors on balconies or terraces in temperate zones, indoors in the cold season.

Requires a very bright location but away from direct sunlight which causes leaf burns, particularly at the white spots on the upper page.

Ideal climate and temperature

Suitable for a hot and humid climate. The ideal temperature is between 20 and 30 °C. The vital temperature is between 8 and 40 °C.

Use

The elegance of its foliage gives it a primary role in:
Interior ornamental

Hardiness

Medium-hardy plant. Although it prefers warm temperate climates, it also adapts well in areas with little warmth but plenty of light, but in this case it should not be watered profusely.

Soil/medium

Use a professional substrate for green pot plants.

Maintenance

It is fairly easy to grow, paying particular attention to temperature and irrigation management.

cultivation tips

Some useful and specific cultivation tips to achieve the best vegetative growth of Begonia maculata in your home or office:
Avoid over-watering Keep the substrate dry at low temperatures Prefers warm and humid climate

Reproduction/Propagation

Vegetative reproduction is by apical cuttings and node cuttings.

Irrigation

Apply water directly to the pot keeping the substrate moist but not saturated with water. Prevent water stagnation but also dryness, as if the substrate dries out too much the leaf edges may necrotize, leading to leaf drop.

With low temperatures, reduce watering.

It is also advisable never to water the plant from above with cold water.

Fertilization

Apply a specific, liquid balanced fertiliser to the wet substrate, i.e. dilute in the irrigation water, without exceeding the dose and frequency. Reduce fertiliser inputs during the winter period.

Edibility for humans

Non-edible

advise 1

This Begonia can also be used as a cutting frond. If placed in a glass vase it can easily last for a long time and even root in water. It does not like direct sunlight, which causes burns on the leaves, especially on the white spots on the leaves.