She only needs watering when the top two inches of soil feel dry. Don't be tempted to overwater her.
For vibrant leaves, pop her somewhere with lots of light, but not harsh direct sun. She’ll tolerate shadier spots, but won’t be quite as colourful.
She loves humidity, but just give her a very light spritz with a mister. If her leaves get too wet, you’ll encourage powdery mildew.
Botanical name
Begonia rex ‘Salsa’
Nickname
Rex begonia; King begonia; Painted leaf begonia
Plant type
Indoor
Plant height (including pot)
20-30cm
Pet/baby safe
Toxic if eaten
Nursery pot size
12cm
Begonias have become popular across the world, both as indoor and outdoor plants (the dramatically flowering ones are a British garden staple). This particular variety of begonia has richly coloured leaves, with an eye-catching red centre and pale green edges.
Grown inside, it likes a lot of light and an atmosphere that's not overly dry. Lower humidity can lead to crispy edges on its leaves. It will live fairly contentedly in a semi-shade, but if you can give it lots of indirect light you'll see that foliage at its most spectacularly colourful.
Did you know?
There are over 1800 known species of begonia
£24.00
Fits pots 12.5-14.5cm
From £10.00
£75.00
Fits pots 28-32cm
From £4.00
£10.00
Fits pots 12.5-14.5cm
From £35.00
From £15.00
£12.00
Fits pots 15-17cm
£25.00
Fits pots 16cm-18cm
£16.00
Fits pots 12.5-14.5cm
£50.00
Fits pots 22-27cm
£6.00
Fits pots 6-7cm
£40.00
Fits pots 16-18cm
£15.00
Fits pots 12.5-14.5cm
