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Iron Cross Begonia

Begonia masoniana

Iron Cross Begonia
Photo: Salix, CC BY-SA 3.0

Iron Cross begonia is a rhizomatous perennial grown mainly for its large, textured leaves with a dark brown cross-shaped pattern. Keep it humid and warm, out of direct sun, and water when the top of the soil dries.

Family
Begoniaceae (Begonia family)
Grows as
Bulb
Light
Bright indirect, Part shade
Water
Water when the top layer of soil feels dry, and keep the soil evenly moist but never soggy.
Soil
Well-draining, loose peat- or leaf-mould-based mix with added perlite or bark.
Temperature
18–27 °C; protect below 10 °C
How easy
Moderate
Safety
Toxic to cats and dogs (ASPCA).
Native range
China (Guangxi) to Vietnam
Climate
wet tropical

About

Begonia masoniana, the iron cross begonia, is a species of plant in the family Begoniaceae, native to southern China and northern Vietnam. It was originally described from cultivated plants of unknown origin and was only much later rediscovered in the wild.

Other Begonia plants

Begonia acutifolia · Begonia annulata · Begonia bogneri · Bolivian Begonia · Eyelash Begonia · Begonia carolineifolia · Begonia conchifolia · Clubed begonia · Begonia davisii · Grape Leaf Begonia · Begonia echinosepala · Fuchsia begonia

Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Begonia masoniana by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.

The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.

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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