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Begonia Maculata
Begonia Maculata

Begonia Maculata

Normal price
€37,00
Special Price
€37,00
Unit price
pro 
VAT included. plus shipping and handling

 

Trout begonia

Begonia maculata

This item is a set of plants with the planter!

Height (including pot) 35 cm, breeding pot 11 cm

Forellenbegonie (Begonia maculata

Origin

The heat-loving begonia (Begonia maculata) comes from the forests of Brazil. The most striking feature of the exotic flowering plant are its silver-white dots on the evergreen leaves. Depending on the incidence of light, they shimmer metallically, which explains the association with the scale pattern of a trout. The Italian Giuseppe Raddi first described it in 1820. The term polka dot begonia was adopted from English. A "polka dot" is a dot and generally means spotted or dotted. The tropical ornamental plant for heated living spaces and warm winter gardens (18 to 22 degrees Celsius) belongs, like all begonias, to the Begonia family (Begoniaceae).

growth

The trout begonia grows almost shrub-like and bushy up to a meter high - even higher in its natural habitat. It grows up to half a meter wide. Begonia maculata is a vigorous begonia.

leaves

The large lanceolate leaves of the trout begonia decorate the houseplant all year round. This is largely due to the silvery-white dots on the shiny, dark green upper side of the leaves. But the reddish underside also contributes to the dazzling appearance of the polka dot begonia. When light hits the wavy leaves, which have a waxy texture, their glamorous appearance on the windowsill is enhanced. Begonia maculata doesn't just look decorative. The green plant generates fresh oxygen through its large leaves. It filters pollutants and dirt particles and thus helps to clean the air.

Forellenbegonie (Begonia maculata ‘Tamaya’)
Friedrich Strauss

blossoms

The white to light pink flowers of the trout begonia hang down in clusters. The plant is monoecious, meaning that male and female flowers grow on the same plant. In the case of Begonia maculata, there are significantly more female flowers than male flowers. These differ in appearance from the smaller male flowers. Male flowers only have stamens, which fall off much more quickly. Female flowers only bear carpels. If the site conditions are optimal, the houseplant from South America can bloom for several months. The main flowering usually extends from spring to summer.

fruit

After pollination, multi-split capsules develop.

Location

The iridescent trout begonia likes to be in a bright spot, but without direct sunlight. Above all, avoid the bright midday sun. The ideal temperature is around 20 degrees Celsius. Even in winter, Begonia maculata gets too cold below 15 degrees Celsius.

substrate

The polka dot begonia loves a loose and air-permeable substrate. Choose a good quality houseplant soil. Fine-grained herbal soil is also possible. However, you should regularly enrich the barely fertilized soil with nutrients. If you consider the natural location, it becomes clear why the trout begonia loves humus-rich substrates. In tropical climates, organic material decomposes quickly and steadily, so that plants always have enough humus available. Also remember the high humidity that exists in Brazil's forests and avoid a location with too dry air, for example on the windowsill above the living room heater. The South American woman also doesn't like drafts.

Die Forellenbegonie mag es warm und hell
Friedrich Strauss

Pour

When it comes to watering, you have to develop a feeling for the actually grateful houseplant. The trout begonia does not tolerate waterlogging or dryness. Watering errors result in leaf and flower fall. Water regularly to keep the root ball consistently moist. The soil should dry out between waterings. During the growing season from March to September, watering is recommended approximately every three days, depending on the location. In the winter, adjust the watering rhythm to the circumstances. The begonia species Begonia maculata does not have a rest period like its sisters with tubers. But during our dark season no new leaf shoots appear. If your tap water is too hard, it is better to water with soft rainwater.

Fertilize

Fertilizing also plays a crucial role during the growth period. Any commercially available liquid fertilizer for houseplants is suitable. It is added to the watering water every two to four weeks, following the dosage instructions.

Repotting

The fast-growing species needs to be repotted up to twice a year. The best periods are spring and summer. When transplanting, always pot in new, fresh soil.

Cut

You can easily shorten and cut back the trout begonia if necessary. The more often you trim it, the bushier it grows. Pruning means cutting off the top leaves of each shoot. Depending on the length, you can use the shoot tips as top cuttings (see propagation). When pruning, place the scissors above a stem node. The fast-growing species quickly sprouts from the sleeping buds.

Care

As a plant from the tropics, Begonia maculata loves high humidity. However, try misting the plants more like in the rainforest and spraying into the immediate area rather than directly onto the leaves.

Propagation

Stecklinge einer Forellenbegonie
Friedrich Strauss

Trout begonias can be easily propagated using top cuttings. Use a sharp knife to cut off shoot tips around ten centimeters long below a leaf node. In the area of a leaf base, the cells have a particularly high amount of growth substances and regenerate quickly. Place the cuttings in a glass of water in a warm place around 20 degrees Celsius. As soon as the polka dot begonia has formed roots , you can pot the plants. Stem cuttings from Begonia maculata are placed directly in the soil. A stem cutting is a piece of the stem with at least one dormant eye. It is placed horizontally in soil, ideally in a propagation box with soil heat. Leaves quickly sprout from the dormant eye. The stem cutting forms roots downwards. Make sure that the moisture is carefully measured here too. Otherwise there is a risk of rot and fungal infestation.

Diseases and Pests

The best way to prevent mildew is to create optimal location conditions. Corky spots on the leaves are usually a result of too much moisture, particularly during the winter months when there is little air circulation and poor light. The most common animal enemies of begonias are thrips . The small, black-winged plant suckers are usually well hidden on the plant. They can often only be spotted with a magnifying glass. Ask your retailer about approved plant sprays for blister feet. An infestation with red spider mites is indicated by fine cobwebs on the plants. They feel most comfortable in dry, warm air, such as the air from heated rooms in winter. Therefore, ensure that the air in the room is more humid. They can be combatted with predatory mites. In the winter garden, an infestation with aphids can be treated with predatory gall midges. Useful lacewings can be placed on the windowsill or plant spray preparations can be purchased from specialist retailers. Aphids also appear under unfavorable conditions and can be recognized by sticky leaves, shoot tips and flowers.