Rex Begonia 'Plum Paisley'

Olive green foliage with metallic silver and red and purple patterning. Each leaf expresses its own individuality.

Potted Rex Begonias can be grown inside or out. Inside they favour a brightly lit position with a bit of ventilation. Outside they like morning sun or filtered light – they will burn up like a vampire in the hot afternoon sun. As rainforest plant they appreciate some humidity. There is some info on this in the details below.

SIZE (HxW): 10-30 x 10-30cm (you can keep them small or let them expand).

I SEE THE LIGHT: Bright, indirect light is ideal for the best foliage colour – if it is too dark you will lose the variegation and if it is too bright he leaves will burn - easy. You should be able to read during the day in their position without having to turn on a light. They can grow in artificial light and will need eight to ten hours of this a day – good news for the office.

I NEED A DRINK: Average water needs, it is best to allow the soil to dry out between each watering – to test this, just dip your finger into the soil and check that it is pretty much dry before watering. Water so the water runs out the drainage holes at the bottom of the pot, then make sure it isn’t sitting in water, or the roots may rot. Over summer water once, maybe twice a week. If you over water in summer, you leave the plants open to powdery mildew, mould and fungal diseases.

Over winter every other week should be plenty, as water doesn’t evaporate as quickly. Try to avoid wetting the stem/leaves when you water.

Hailing rainforest areas, Begonias likes humidity to sit at around 40%, keep this in mind if you live in a cold climate, as your heating might dry it out over the winter (leaf tips will turn brown or just drop off). You can provide some humidity for your beloved plant, by placing them over a plate with rocks and water, this will naturally form humidity around the plant. Or if you want to get very fancy and grow a few of these tropical treats, a humidifier is a good investment. Another option is to grow them in a terrarium.

I WILL SURVIVE: “Nobody puts baby in the corner”, air flow around the plant is important, if you crowd your plants into a dingy corner they are bound to be a little unhappy.

Feed them using a diluted liquid fertiliser in spring/summer, every other week when you water, just follow the directions on the pack.

In winter they like to chill out, they may die back a bit but relax, reduce watering, don’t feed them and keep the plant in a brightly lit, warm spot and come the spring they will take off again. If you are growing yours outdoors and you get cold winter temperatures, you might like to bring it inside for a spell.

Repot every other year to keep them happy and healthy, a rich, well draining mix is ideal – potting mix breaks down, so needs to be replaced every so often.