An ornamental deciduous plant type is the begonia maculata, which is a large perennial shrub. The exotic culture is loved by gardeners for its decorative appearance. The flower is quite unpretentious to care for and can serve as an excellent decoration for an apartment or a greenhouse.
begonia maculata plant Description
Begonia Maculata belongs to the group of reed begonias or cane (Cane-like begonias). For its appearance, the flower received another name – spotted or speckled begonia.
Live and in the photo, the Maculata begonia looks very impressive and amazes with its considerable size. An adult specimen can grow over one meter in size. This is the largest variety of Caine begonias.
The plant is characterized by a hard, straight, thickened stem. The main feature of a tropical plant is large green leaves, on which white spots and peas are located in a pattern. The back of the leaf is reddish.
Speckled begonia blooms in summer. The pink or white blossoms hang down like bunches of grapes.
The species is represented by hybrids begonia maculata wightii and begonia maculata argentea. The first is distinguished by white, like acrylic spots, and the second by silvery-white patterns. In the photo, they look almost the same.
What you need to know before buying Maculata begonia?
| Adult plant size | Can reach over 1m |
| Life span | On average 2-3 years |
| Bloom | Blooms in white or pale pink bunches almost all year round |
| Scent | Sweet pleasant scent |
| Security | Not poisonous |
| Difficulty leaving | Unpretentious |
| Uniqueness | Rare plant |
| Where can you buy |
begonia varieties similer to begonia maculata
Some novice gardeners confuse this variety with other similar varieties, which also have a similar pattern on the leaf plates.
Coral
Coral begonia or Corallina (B. corallina) has a similar pattern on the leaves, but the white dots are smaller and more often located.
Angel wings
Begonia angel wings (B. angel wings) has specks, but differs in an elongated leaf shape. The leaves look like folded angel wings, the name is appropriate.
Tamaya
Begonia Tamaya (B. Tamaya) is a bush very reminiscent of a tree. It is a hybrid of Begonia corallina and Begonia albo-picta. It is similar in color to Maculata, but the leaves are smaller and narrower, and also has a straight trunk.
Silvery
Silver speckled begonia is similar to the Maculata plant, but they are different varieties. Silver begonia (B. silver) is characterized by more serrated leaf plates. The specks on the leaves are not white, but rather silvery and densely arranged. Sometimes the picture merges, as in the photo below, and it is difficult to distinguish individual points.
Begonia scepter or Begonia royal scepter
Similar to begonia maculata, the species begonia aconitifolia and begonia sceptrum were recently considered different species, but now they are combined into one, and the observed differences are considered acceptable random variations within the same species.
Aconitifolia
Begonia aconitifolia (B. aconitifolia) has a maple-like leaf type. In adulthood or during flowering, the spots disappear.
Septrum
Begonia Septrum (B. sceptrum). This thick-stemmed species has a wide leaf shape, and also has a pattern: white specks are combined into vertical stripes.
Rex
Also, the variety Rex (B. rex) is different from the Maculata begonia, although it also has a partial similarity. In the Rex variety, the surface of the leaves is not smooth, like that of Waste, but velvety, there are villi along the edge of the plates. Also, the shape and color of the leaves of the Rex variety are different.
Where to place begonia maculata indoor?
A tropical perennial is unpretentious, so home care for the waste begonia is quite simple. Not everyone can afford to grow this variety in a small house, since the plant is large and spreading, it needs a lot of space.
It is best to place a pot or planter with an ornamental shrub on the floor. You need to choose a place so that the plant has enough natural light.
begonia maculata Care at Home
| Type of agro-operation for begonia care | Description of conditions and actions |
| Watering and humidity | Requires regular watering to keep the soil always moist, but in winter you can reduce watering |
| Organization of lighting | Loves diffused sunlight and may require backlighting in winter or a change of location (closer to the window) |
| Compliance with the rest period | In winter, reduce watering and do not fertilize |
| Creation of temperature conditions | The temperature should be between 17 ° C in winter and 25 ° C in summer |
| Pruning | Held once a year |
| Production of soil mixture | A slightly acidic light soil is required: leafy earth, peat, sand, turf, perlite, bark. |
| Fertilization | Special fertilizers for begonias should be used (no fertilizers are applied in winter) |
| Transfer | In springtime, when the previous pot is filled with roots |
| Chemical treatment | Insecticides: aphids, spider mites; fungicides: gray mold, powdery mildew |
Soil Mix for begonia maculata
It is only necessary to grow perennials in suitable soil. The composition of the soil should include such components as leaf and sod land, peat and coarse sand, perlite, bark. The soil should be slightly acidic.
The finished substrate should be loose so that the root system can be supplied with air and moisture.
You also need to worry about the drainage layer. Broken bricks, pebbles, pieces of polystyrene can be used as drainage.
Lighting and humidity
A tropical plant likes to be in a well-lit place. Do not allow direct sunlight to fall on the leaves of the bush, which can cause burns. If the flower does not have enough light, the shrub will stop blooming, begin to stretch upward and lose its attractive appearance.
In winter, the culture may lack lighting, so it can be supplemented with fluorescent lamps.
This type of begonia is very fond of being in humid air. To humidify the air, you can place a humidifier near the flower pot.
It is absolutely impossible to spray the plant. The moisture remaining on the leaves of the plant can cause gray rot and other diseases.
Watering
Representatives of begonias are moisture-loving crops, so you need to ensure that the soil is always slightly moist. In hot summer, the plant can be watered as often as possible. During the dormant period, the number of waterings can be reduced.
You need to water the flower at the root so that splashes of water do not fall on large leaves.
Experienced gardeners recommend using rain or meltwater at room temperature for irrigation. You can water the shrub with tap water, but the water should be soft and filtered.
begonia maculata Fertilizer
In the spring and summer season, the shrub needs to be fed with liquid fertilizers about once a month. During the dormant period, it is not necessary to fertilize the perennial. As for fertilizers, it is better to use special fertilizers designed for begonias. Such fertilizers contain the right amount of trace elements necessary for the proper growth of the shrub.
Transplant
Begonia with spotted leaves should be transplanted only when the flower has grown and it becomes cramped in the old pot. It is best to plan a transplant at the end of winter-early spring. It is at this time that the active growth of the plant begins. It is necessary to transplant the culture by transferring it from one pot to another.
Since waste is a large crop, it is necessary to choose a suitable, stable pot that can support the weight of the flower.
After transplanting, the begonia should be watered thoroughly.
Pruning
In order to rejuvenate the flower, give it a neat and well-groomed look, you need to periodically prune the plant. Pruning should be done in early spring. You can limit yourself to pinching the culture. Once a year, an exotic plant blooms with variegated inflorescences.
After they have faded, old peduncles must be removed. You also need to get rid of old, rotten leaves in a timely manner.
begonia maculata pests and diseases
Spotted begonia is easy to care for. However, with improper care, the flower can get sick and even die. Powdery mildew and gray rot, which appear due to an excess of moisture, are common diseases of tropical plants. With powdery mildew, white spots appear on the leaves. With gray rot, the leaf plates are covered with gray mold.
Immediate measures must be taken to save the flower:
- The affected parts of the shrub must be carefully trimmed and the irrigation regime adjusted.
- The trimmed parts of the perennial should be treated with fungicides.
Aphids and spider mites are common pests of tropical crops. Parasites feed on the plant sap of a tropical plant, therefore, if the flower is not removed from pests in time, the culture will wither and die. You can get rid of pests with the help of insecticides.
A healthy and well-groomed plant will delight the owners for a long time with its attractive and unusual appearance, as well as rapid flowering.
