Begonia Listada (striped begonia) Emerald Green Furry leaved

Begonia listada, or the striped begonia, is a native to Brazil. It is a compact shrub like evergreen begonia with semi-succulent furry emerald green leaves with a prominent rib of much lighter green set off by its reddish under side. Its juvenile leaves when they emerge are a ruby pink in colour which is retained by the under leaf as it matures to green. It can grow up to 50 cm tall creating a bushy plant which produces small pink-tinted whiteflowers intermittently throughout the year.

Your Begonia Listada will enjoy a spot with good, but mostly indirect light.  Avoid exposing the leaves to direct midday light as this will yellow them.  We find that it can grow quite happily without high levels of humidity so any room in the house where the light is right.  Avoid placing near heat sources in winter, which dry out the air, or in spots which are vulnerable to cold draughts.  More robust than many Begonia though avoid exposure to temperatures under 14°

As with many Begonias your Begonia Listada wants to be kept moist but not water logged.  Water when the top couple of cms feel dry to the touch & the leaves a little dull & droopy.  Avoid getting drops of water onto the leaves and underwater if possible.  Reduce frequency of watering in winter when the plant is not in growth. 

One of the charms of Begonia Listada as a house plant is that it grows into a shrub like plant with out needing much support.  Re pot when necessary and you will end up with a substantial plant which produces flower spikes through out the season.  The creamy single flowers forming a stunning contrast with those deep green leaves. 

We currently have this plant available in 10 cm and 12 cm pots.  Your plant will also be accompaniend with its own detailed, easy to follow care guide.