The leaves are an olive green with crimson red undersides. Brown and dry leaf tips appear when your plant wants more water. It features bronze-green wing-shaped leaves with dramatic rusty-red undersides. Polka Dot Begonia, Spotted Begonia, Trout Begonia. Never let the plant sit in standing water. However, Begonias are particularly susceptible to root rot, so ensure that you allow excess water to fully drain when you water your plant. Tomato food is an excellent example. Many thanks. When in full bloom, begonia maculata plants are at their most stunning—olive green polka dot leaves with copper-red undersides and clusters of delicate pale flowers. Get all the tips and info about how to successfully propagate your plants in water. spotted begonia or trout begonia or polka dot plant. In winter, feel free to water your Polka Dot Begonia less frequently - when you feel the top of the soil begins to dry. The silvery-white polka dots look almost unreal as if they were painted onto the deep olive-green leaves. What do you think? The silvery-white polka dots look almost unreal as if they were painted onto the deep olive-green leaves. Like different lily types today, Begonia has more than 1800 species, one of which is Begonia Maculata. No green thumbs needed! Watering: Keep the soil generally moist, letting the top half inch of soil dry out between watering. How do you keep begonias blooming? POLKA DOT BEGONIA Otherwise known as a Begonia Maculata. If you care for your Begonia correctly it will produce a cluster of delicate white flowers. The blooming season is spring until late summer. Light Requirements: Bright, indirect light. Maculatas have long crinkle-cut leaves which finish in a point. Native to Brazil. Had three new leaves blooming but it loss two of them before they even opened up.. could it be because I used the tap water when I watered her. Click to see full answer. Treat your plant to a diluted liquid houseplant fertilizer every two weeks. With their unique angel-shaped dotted leaves, Polka Dot Begonia is a fairly easy plant to care for once you know what to do! Fix it by watering less often. Other common names spotted begonia trout begonia . Maculata. White flowers will readily flourish from the summer onwards that can last up to six weeks. Water regularly, because the Begonia maculata does not like to stay dry too long. This will encourage the plant to branch out by sprouting two new stems where you pinched the one. Add a playful botanical touch with this eye-catching and colourful houseplant. Take my word, you and all the visitors are surely going to fall in love with this fairy tale plant. Begonia maculata is more commonly known as the polka dot begonia. Perhaps the most exotic looking plant on our patio, polka-dot begonia has large angel-wing leaves scattered with bright silvery dots. If your Begonia is getting leggy, or you just want to shape it a bit, you can pinch it back. This Polka Dot Begonia is pretty low-maintenance and grows happily without any fuss. Learn more. As long as you avoid direct sunlight and overwatering, this plant is a great specimen for any indoor display. Care: Give your plant a good drink of water. The Begonia maculata likes bright, indirect sunlight. Below you will find our complete Polka Dot Begonia care guide with all the info you need to keep your plant thriving. In spring and summer, when the Begonia maculata is actively growing, and the temperatures are higher with more light, the plant will need to be watered more often. And nothing beats hand picking out that special plant yourself. Begonia Maculata 'Wightii,' more commonly known as polka dot begonia, is an exotic flowering perennial plant that boasts showy white blossoms from late winter until the end of spring. If the leaves of your plant turn yellow and drop, it’s usually a sign of watering too often. But trust me, this is nature working its magic. Want your indoor polka dot Begonia to bloom? I’ve only had her for a couple weeks and watered her once. In spring, repot every three years with houseplant-labelled compost. Light: The Begonia needs sunlight but keep it away from the harsh afternoon sun. Sorry to say, but Begonias are toxic to pets, according to the ASPCA. And do you want to know something great? Water: Thoroughly water the soil until some water runs out of the bottom of the pot, but allow it to dry before re-watering. Without any doubt, the Begonia maculata is one of the prettiest Begonia plants I have ever seen. Have patience, roots will form. Depending on where you live, they might have some beautiful Begonias for sale. Trim back long stems and help your plant to conserve energy to get through the cold winter. Temperature: Maintain a room temperature of 18 – 22 C with humidity preferably above 50%. Polka dot Begonias are part of the so-called cane begonias. You can see the plant in the featured photo above. Begonias are easy to propagate so don’t throw away those pruned off stems! Toxicity: All species of begonia are toxic to pets. During the summer this plant produces beautiful white flowers. I received a healthy plant which was carefully packed. Swap the 'houseplant' feed for a product high in potassium during this time to help prolong the blooms. Give the soil some time to dry out a bit. Tip: If you have to choose between a spot for your Begonia maculata in either full sunlight or somewhere in a darker spot, opt for the low-light spot. But trust me, this is nature working its magic. Similar to calatheas, this plant requires high humidity so prep your humidifier or place it in t . Once you enter a room where the plant is present, there’s almost no way you’ll miss it. So do allow the top of the soil to dry out before watering. Without knowing their situation and watering schedule it is hard to say. Begonia maculata is one of the most exciting begonias. Begonias are prone to powdery mildew that can occur if their leaves are kept wet. Posted on Last updated: 6 October 2020 Categories Easy Indoor Plants, Flowering Plants, Foliage Plants. The plant takes its common name from its glossy leaves, which are covered in small silver dots. Try this polka dot plant at home and share with us your experience. Potting: The best soil is a mixture of sand, clay, loam. If your plant grows too tall, the best time to prune and maintain height is in late autumn. Read more on the risks and if you should be worried about toxic plants and pets. It almost doubled its size in a short period of time. Commonly called the Polka Dot Begonia, this beauty is a bit challenging to grow – but boy oh boy, is it worth it. The Begonia Maculata does well in a potting mix with good drainage using a soil mix with sand and clay. First check your local plant nursery or garden center. Copyright © 2021 Mod and Mint | Trellis Framework by Mediavine, The Best Homemade Sparkling Blueberry Lemonade, how to successfully propagate your plants in water. It is important to note that it is very rare for pets to die from eating plants. They can get sick. When my pd begonia begins to unfurl new leaves, the new leaves are thin and have holes in them. The plant’s exotic look has many moving parts: silver polka dots that seem painted on olive-colored leaves, crimson-colored undersides, and sprays of open bell-like red or white flowers with bright yellow centers on bamboo-looking knotty stems. This will give you bigger leaves and encourage blooms. With its eye-catching polka dot leaves the Begonia Maculata is a show-stopping plant that is sure to be a glorious addition to any home. Higher light levels will promote strong growth and blooms, but avoid direct sunlight. I'm Deborah Green. Let your plant rest. Water the plant 24hrs beforehand, to reduce the risk of damaging the root hairs. Kathryn. But, over the last three or four months, I get new leaves dropping out of nowhere. I have recently begun to fertilize it. Leave a comment with your question down below, and I will try to answer it asap. I live in a plant-filled home with my husband and six year old son. Definitely not your grandmothers Begonia, the maculata is a real eyecatcher with its large angel wing-shaped leaves patterned with polka dots on top and a deep purple-red on the bottom side. My Begonia. Pinching and pruning your Begonia will help create a fuller and bushier plant. For this reason, the infection does not kill plants, but it may cause poor growth if it becomes severe. Pretty easy plant to care for. Hope that helps! It is always important to research and find out what type of plant you are bringing home. These are beautiful polka dot plants, with long angel-like leaves and beautiful white flowers. Get a stem cutting with at least one or two nodes and place it in water. The soil has probably been dry for too long. Begonia maculata is a fast-growing plant if it cared adequately. A saucer of water is kept underneath with stones for humidity. This plant is paired with our Light Grey Bucket Pot. During the flowering season (spring to autumn) Begonia maculata produces white flowers in a cluster on a single flower stem. A native to Brazil. Polka dot Begonias are part of the so-called cane begonias. It is a flowering, evergreen, perennial plant that grows tall cane-like stems and stunning ‘angel wing’ leaves that are dark green with bright while ‘polka dots’ on the top and a deep crimson on the underside. Cane begonias have these a-symmetrical angel wing leaves growing on long bamboo-like stems. If you continue your regular watering regime through winter, it will be too much for the plant. Same when the stems of your Begonia maculata are drooping. Begonia maculata is one of the most exciting begonias. Hello and thanks! The Begonia maculata is a relatively fast grower and makes an excellent indoor houseplant or terrarium plant. This is because its large dark green leaves are adorned with white round spots. How do you care for a polka dot begonias? Native to Brazil. It is relatively fast growing. I love talking about plants and showing you that taking care of indoor plants can be easy and very rewarding. Begonia plants come in many varieties and hybrids, in different colors, sizes, and shapes. It likes bright spots with specs of sunshine. A begonia with powdery mildew will have white, powdery or thread-like growths on the top surface of leaves. Use your finger and thumb to ‘pinch’ or remove the small stems that branch off from the main stem. An eastern window sill is ideal. I love this plant so much, but I can’t seem to get it to grow anymore. Polka Dot Begonias enjoy weekly waterings, keeping their soil moist. Check out detailed care info for the Polka Dot Begonia. This begonia is just wearing an itsy bitsy teeny-weeny white and greeny polka dot bikini! Fertilising: Begonia maculata benefits from being fertilised regularly 2 or 3 times a month and likes a bit of acidic soil. If you were to make a purchase through one, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Genus Begonia can be annuals, evergreen or deciduous perennials or shrubs, with fibrous, tuberous or rhizomatous roots and usually asymmetrical leaves, often strikingly patterned, and small or large flowers, both male and female in the same cluster Remove the flowers when they’re done blooming. Each stem is potentially a whole new plant, or a growing piece to place back in with the original plant to make it grow fuller. No worries, it will all grow back, plus more when spring comes. 12cm pot: £19.99: 12cm pot. Not only does it have green and silver spots on top, the underside of the leaves are an unusual deep red, making it a riot of contrasting colour. Just right in a clay pot in a warm sheltered spot, later bring indoors to … Don’t see your Begonia problem listed? The Begonia maculata grows large clusters of white flowers on a single flower stem. If they did good before, try to think of anything that has changed for them. Although we normally recommend misting your plants, your Polka Dot Begonia is an exception. Pinching can be done throughout the active growing season. Light conditions: indirect, bright light (for example not on a windowsill that gets direct sun at any point in the day) The Begonia Maculata is one of the most popular begonias for its darling polka dots and angel wing shaped foliage. It is relatively fast growing. Begonia Maculata commonly referred to as the Polka dot Begonia, is undoubtedly one of the most strikingly gorgeous species of indoor plants. New stems will grow from where you prune. The undersides of its leaves are a dark red, and the upper side is olive green with silver dots. Under the right conditions, polka dot begonias produce clusters of light pink or white flowers. They are hanging down because they are thirsty. Accordingly, how do you water begonias maculata? During spring to autumn, the Begonia produces white flowers which cluster on a single flower stem. Basic Polka Dot Begonia Care. Occasionally there are Begonia maculatas for sale on Amazon, and I see plant shops sell them on Etsy as well. The fungus may additionally cover stems or flowers. Try adding a pebble tray, or using a humidifier. They can be a little tricky to water in the winter. I’ve had my begonia Maculata wightii for about eight months now. You may likewise hear it referred to as the spotted begonia or trout begonia. During the flowering season (spring to autumn) Begonia maculata produces white flowers in a cluster on a single flower stem. Just recently, I’ve been using a humidifier which seemed to help, but yesterday I lost two of my beautiful healthy 3 inch baby leaves. And it said dry so I watered her help me figure it out Thank you!! The Begonia maculata doesn’t go dormant, but it will slow down significantly over the winter. The fungus feeds from the leaf cells, and needs the plant to survive. This contrasts beautifully with the red undersides of the plant to make a very attractive variety. This way your plant may flower again. And let the pot drain completely before putting it back on the saucer or in its cache pot. Give your plant a good watering. Increasing humidity will help prevent dry edges on your Begonia in addition to a consistent watering routine. Yeah for new plants! Don’t drown your plant with good intentions and too much water. The small white dots on the green leaves create this perfect contrast of color, and it’s all the more heightened by the small white flowers, the red underside, and the yellow stems. I ordered my polka dot begonia from this seller. Cane begonias have these a-symmetrical angel … With the right care, they can grow as large as 5 feet tall. Did you recently turn on your radiators nearby maybe? When do you water them? I did put my plant meter in the soil first. It will get leggy if it gets hardly any light at all. This exotic plant derives its name from its unique silver spotted leaves and red undersides. They can grow up to almost 5 feet tall and 20 inches in width. One of the most photogenic houseplants is the Begonia maculata, also known as the Polka dot Begonia. This plant has a better chance there.Don’t put it too dark though. Interestingly, its stems look just like bamboo, too. If you can’t find a Begonia maculata locally, it’s worth to check around online. After a long absence, Bloombox Club is pleased to reintroduce the Begonia maculata, a rare foliage plant with two-toned leaves and distinctive white polka dots. Light : Bright, indirect light: Watering : Water at least 1-2 times a week: Soil: A light houseplant potting mix is ideal for begonias. The Polka Dot Begonia is revered for its unique and mesmeric appearance. Polka Dot Begonia Quick Facts No need for a green thumb to impress with this houseplant. If the polka dot begonia gets too much sun, the leaves can burn and dry out. What can I be doing wrong? This delicate perennial peep is excellent to form indoor decorative table pots, containers and terrariums. This post contains affiliate links. The roots need to dry out. Hi Kathryn, first of all, congrats on your propagation success! Keen to hear your thoughts. Propagation: It is easy to propagate the Begonia maculata from cuttings. 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