Didier Descouens · CC BY-SA 4.0
About
Known as the polka dot begonia, *Begonia maculata* is a highly popular houseplant prized for its distinctive foliage featuring silver spots on olive drab leaves. The species is native to southeast Brazil and is noted for its unique leaf variegation and attractive white or pink flowers.
Field notes
Morphology
The plant features oblong, olive drab leaves marked with striking silver spots. The undersides of the leaves are red-purple. It produces white or pink flowers in clusters, each having yellow centers, borne on a single stem.
Distribution & habitat
Native to southeast Brazil, with confirmed occurrences in the states of Espírito Santo and Rio de Janeiro. It has also been introduced to Mexico, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Argentina.
Cultivation notes
It thrives in bright, indirect light and prefers water poured just below the surface of the soil when dry to the touch. Filtered water or rainfall is recommended.
History & etymology
The species was named and described by Giuseppe Raddi in 1820, based on a specimen found on the mountain Corcovado in central Rio de Janeiro. It was previously known by common names such as trout begonia, fish begonia, and clown begonia.
Habitat
- Altitude
- —
- Altitude Class
- —
- Native To
- Cuba, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico
Cultivation
- Difficulty
- intermediate
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