This is a Begonia collected in Jalau, a small town in Sarawak (Borneo). It has been making the rounds in Asia for the past year or two but has not been sold in number in the United States. It is a taller species that is prone to falling over when it reaches a certain height (the magic number for my largest plant is 14″), with only a thin stem to support the top-heavy plant. I’ve only had it about six […]
Categories: Blog, Plant Photo Library • Tags: asia, begonia, julau
Begonia bullatifolia was discovered in 2009 in Brazil. It has some of the most dramatically corrugated leaves of any Begonia species and seems all the more dramatic for its diminutive size. Leaves stay around an inch in diameter, and the entire plant stays under 6″. When viewed from the underside, the leaves have a distinctive red venation that is hardly visible when viewing the plant from above. For this reason, I enjoy growing it in a high window, as it […]
Categories: Blog, Plant Photo Library • Tags: begonia, brazil, bullate, bullatifolia, small, South America
This is a new Begonia species to the hobby, still unidentified, from Kalimantan in Borneo. Not much is known about its growth. I will update this page in the future when I have kept it for longer. For now, it’s mature size is a mystery.
Categories: Blog, Plant Photo Library • Tags: begonia, Borneo, kalimantan, mystery, new, noid, sabah, sarawak
This exceptional variant of B. versicolor is different from the standard versicolor primarily in the color and width of the striping. It is named after Charlot Teng. In the standard versicolor the leaf venation is red, with mostly green foliage. This one has thicker, more purple banding over the leaf venation. The in-between is minty-green. The texture also seems a bit more velvety than the standard type, maybe due to smaller hairs on the foliage. It is a compact species […]
Categories: Blog, Plant Photo Library • Tags: asia, begonia, charlot teng, form, medium, small, teng, versicolor
This Chinese species has minty-silver stripes on new growth that turn into mottled patterns as the leaves mature. It grows somewhat close to the substrate, rather compactly, and only gets about 5″.
Categories: Blog, Plant Photo Library • Tags: asia, asian, begonia, chinese, debaoensis, small
This beautiful little Begonia is well suited to any size terrarium, with leaves that reach no more than 3″, on stems only slightly longer (4″). The texture of the leaves is mildly corrugated. Flowers are bright yellow and occur in abundance on a mature plant. It is a hybrid created by Mike Kartuz using Begonia microsperma and Begonia prismatocarpa. The flowers, which bloom throughout the year,
Categories: Blog, Plant Photo Library • Tags: begonia, buttercup, kartuz, microsperma, mike kartuz, miniature, prismatocarpa, Terrarium
This cane-like Begonia derives its name from amphi, meaning two ways, and oxys, meaning sharp. It refers to the strange leaves being pointed at two ends. It is native to only two limestone hills in Sabah (Batu Punggul and Tinahas). Leaves are edged in a reddish-purple and covered in red dots which are subtly raised at the center. Mature leaves have a slightly undulated edge, but new leaves are more dramatically undulated with a yellow leaf underlying the red dots. […]
Categories: Blog, Plant Photo Library • Tags: amphioxus, begonia, Borneo, cane, large, medium, sabah, se asia
A dwarf Begonia from Western Africa, this rhizomatous species only grows to about 3-4 inches. It has striking red leaf venation that looks especially pretty with a cast of sunlight from behind. It’s a thick venation, bright red, against lime green leaves. The edges of the leaf are covered in small hairs and have micro-undulations. Flowers are a bright yellow. It can be slow to establish. The plant below is living in a terrarium for Heterixalus madagascariensis in 100% unfired infield […]
Categories: Blog, Plant Photo Library • Tags: africa, begonia, nimbaensis, quadrialata
This striking rhizomatous Begonia is an easy keeper in the terrarium. It can grow to 8″ tall, with leaves 2″ wide and 4″ or so long. It was originally collected by Rekha Morris in Northern India. The stems are quite long on this one.
Categories: Blog, Plant Photo Library • Tags: begonia, burkilli, india, medium, rhekha morris, silver
