What does the star-shaped begonia look like?

What is Star Begonia

Star-spotted Begonia, also known as white-colored Begonia, is native to Brazil in South America and has been introduced to my country. Star-spotted Begonia is a shrub with a thin stem and oval-lanceolate leaves with silvery-white spots. The flowers are white-green.

Small shrub, much branched. The stem is relatively thin, 60 to 100 cm high, with new branches green, old branches purple-brown, and branch tips drooping. The leaves are elliptical-lanceolate, bright green and shiny with countless silvery-white spots. Flowers white-green.

Commonly cultivated species

Bamboo Begonia (B. president-carnot): The stem of the whole plant is smooth and the nodes resemble bamboo nodes. The leaves are alternate, oblong and oblique, green on the surface with many small spots, and the back of the leaves and petioles are dark red.

Care of Star-Dot Begonia

Star-spot Begonia is a temperate species that prefers scattered light and a humid environment and is not very cold-resistant. The soil should be loose and well-drained.

The culture soil should be a mixture of equal amounts of leaf mold, peat soil and garden soil. The plants should be placed in semi-shade or brightly lit place in a shed for maintenance. The leaves are tender and prone to rot, so you should pay attention to shade after the summer and try to avoid direct sunlight that may cause burns on the leaf edges.

Water frequently during the growing season to keep the soil moist. When the room temperature is below 15℃ in winter, watering should be strictly controlled, or spraying should be used instead of watering. The suitable temperature for growth is 18-21℃. Too high temperature can easily cause leaf scorch. During hot seasons, pay attention to the surrounding air humidity and spray 2 to 3 times a day. During the growing season, apply compound fertilizer rich in phosphorus and potassium once a month, or apply thin liquid fertilizer once every two weeks.

The wintering temperature should not be lower than 8℃. If the plant is not managed properly during the winter, such as when the room temperature is low and the light is poor, and the plant is in a semi-dormant state, excessive watering or fertilization can easily cause root rot and leaf rot. Generally, in winter, the plants should be placed in a shed where they can see sunlight in the morning and evening, stop fertilizing and control watering, and the leaves can be washed once a week with water close to room temperature. Proper pruning should be carried out on a regular basis to maintain a beautiful plant posture and good ventilation and air permeability.