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Ruby Begonia

Begonia acetosa

Ruby Begonia
Photo: Daderot, CC0
Family
Begoniaceae (Begonia family)
Grows as
Shrub
Safety
Toxic to cats and dogs (ASPCA).
Native range
SE. Brazil
Climate
wet tropical

About

Begonia acetosa is a species of flowering plant in the family Begoniaceae, native to southeastern Brazil. It is used to create new begonia hybrids due to its attractive foliage. Begonia acetosa has been cultivated in the United States since 1946, when Mulford B. Foster introduced the species from forested mountains near Rio de Janeiro. It was first described in 1831 by José Mariano de Conceição Vellozo. The specific epithet acetosa means 'acid' or 'sour', referring to the rhubarb-like taste of its leaves.

Begonia acetosa is a herbaceous, creeping, rhizomatous begonia, growing up to 1 m (3 ft) tall. It has thick, horizontally spreading, pale green branches. Leaves are ovate to orbicular, and asymmetrical. The leaves are a dull green on the upper surface and a deep wine red on the under surface.

Other Begonia plants

Begonia abbottii · Begonia abbreviata · Maple Leaved Begonia · Aconite Leaved Begonia · Begonia acutifolia · Begonia adamsensis · Begonia adpressa · Begonia adscendens · Begonia aequatorialis · Begonia aequilateralis · Begonia aeranthos · Begonia albococcinea

Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Begonia acetosa by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts are shared under the same licence.

Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.

Pet safety from the ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant lists.

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