The Begonia Maculata is a plant that is often known as the Polka dot Begonia. This is a gorgeous plant that can look beautiful inside any home. It gets its name due to the unique silver spotted leaves and the red coloring on the bottom.
This plant is going to do its best in potting soil with good drainage. A mixture of clay and sand seems to do the best, as does a temperature with a very slight variance between 67 to 70 degrees and lots of humidity. While this plant will require some specialized care to make it bloom and look beautiful, you will like the pale pink and white flowers that greet you in the winter and spring, providing you with the best house plant around.
Begonia Maculata Plant Care Guide
This plant will need some specialized care to help it do well in the world and provide the blooming that you would like. You will likely need to give it a few tries to get the look that you want. Some of the things to consider about plant care for this flower include:
Soil
This plant will do best in a mixture type of soil that includes loamy soil, clay, and sand. Make sure the pot has a good amount of drainage with it. Be careful with root rot by adding a layer of pebbles to the bottom.
Light
Begonia Maculata plant likes to have more shade. A room that is well-lit but away from direct sunlight will help keep the leaves as vibrant and pretty as possible.
Watering
You need to strike the right balance between how much water to give this plant and how much is too much. The soil should always be damp, but not overly wet or you will end up with a plant that has root rot. It is better to leave a little dry and look for signs of wilting before adding more water in.
Temperature
The Begonia Maculata is a tropic plant so it will not like cold conditions at all. try to keep it between 67 to 70 degrees. A little bit warmer will work, but try not to get this too much cooler or you will harm the plant.
Humidity
This can be the hardest part for a plant that is kept inside. You may need to leave the Begonia Maculata plant in the bathroom or the kitchen because they have higher levels of moisture. You can also leave some water near the plant so it will evaporate and cause some of the humidity that your plant needs.
Fertilizer
You will need to add fertilizer to this plant every two weeks. This helps encourage some of the growth that the leaves need and will give you prettier blooms as well. You should dilute the solution though to make sure the plant does not get too much.
Propagation
Through cuttings, Begonia Maculata can be propagated easily. This is best to do when blooming is minimal, so the middle of winter is a good idea. To do this, you will just need to cut off the stem with no flowers, right below the bud. Remove the lower leaves and dip them into some water, leaving them there until some roots begin to form. Then add to some soil and let it grow.
Potting of Begonia Maculata
The correct potting can help them plant to grow. The right pot will decide how big this plant will get. You will need to do frequent repotting to help this plant not get squished in the beginning.
Begonia Maculata / Polka Dot Begonia Propagation (2-3 Steps)
Propagating the Begonia Maculata is not a difficult process, which can make it a great plan for those who would like to take good care of their plant or get more of it all at once. You should start the process in winter because that will make it more successful and gives you more options to do the work. Some of the steps that you can use to propagate this plant include:
Step 1
Find a stem on the plant that has no flowers. You can then cut off the stem, making sure it is done right below the bud. Remove the lower leaves from that stem as well.
Step 2
Place that stem into a jar of water. Let it stay there for a bit so it has time to form its own roots. This will not take too long.
Step 3
When you start to notice the roots are farming, take the whole thing and plant it into a mix of soil made out of clay, loam, and sand. Water it just a bit to make the soil moist, but do not oversoak it and wait for it to grow.
Types and Varieties of Begonia Maculata
There are estimated to be more than 2000 types of begonias depending on their color, how much they grow, and even the types of leaves that they will have. The most common options will include options like:
- Wax begonias
- Cane begonias
- Rhizomatous begonias
- Rex begonias
- Tuberous begonias
- Cocktail series wax begonia
And this is just the start of the list. With all of these options available, you are certain to find the right type of begonias to suit your needs and ensure that you get a beautiful flower that looks great around your home.
Common Problems with Begonia Maculata / Polka Dot Begonia
Temperature
The biggest problem that comes with this plant is not giving it the right temperatures, humidity, and sunlight that it needs. First, we need to stick with the temperature. It has a very narrow range from 67 to 70 degrees. This makes it impossible to grow the plant from outside the home. You will also need to use caution to make sure the plant stays at a good temperature and there is not a lot of variation.
Humidity
The humidity is important. Even though you need to keep the temperature steady and relatively cool, this plant likes a lot of humidity to grow. This is why many plant owners should keep it near the bathroom or kitchen to help out. Other methods, like leaving some water out, can help the plant get the moisture it needs.
Sunlight
Be careful about the sunlight that you give. This plant likes shade and can burn up with too much sunlight. This is why growing it inside can help. Leave it near a window so it can get some sunlight, but ensure that it gets some of the shade that it needs to.
Pests, Disease, and Toxicity in Polka Dot Begonia Plant
The goal is to grow some beautiful begonias that will not get sick and grow like crazy. But like any plant, there are times when a disease or pest is going to happen. Taking the right steps will help to prevent these issues and can make the plant stronger than before. Some of the common problems with this plant include:
Leaf spot and blight
This will include water-soaked areas that have yellow halos and can kill the plant one leaf at a time. You need to get rid of the plant that has this infection.
Botrytis Blight
This is where the cuttings will rot at their base. You may notice that tan spots are showing up on the leaves and there can be a gray fungal growth on them. You can fix this by maintaining lower humidity and making sure the plants have plenty of circulation.
Foliar nematode
This is a red pigmentation that will show up on the infected leaves. Sometimes bronzed areas will develop on the leaves and leave some brown spots. You need to avoid overhead irrigation and splashing on the plants. Discard the plants that are not doing well.
Powdery mildew
This is a white fungus that can develop on the plant’s stems, flowers, and leaves. You should check up on the plant often to make sure that you catch it early. Using fungicide will protect the plants the most.
Pythium rot
Seedings start to die and there are shiny blackened areas on the stems. You need to plant it in a pasteurized potting media and do not overwater the plant.
Viruses
This can show pale yellow ring spots on the leaves, mottling, and malformed leaves. You need to purchase plants that do not have these symptoms and get rid of the ones that do.
Pests
Aphids love this plant as do other types of pests. You need to use pesticides to help keep them away from the plant and check the plant often to see whether this is a cause for concern or not.
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Tips to Healing the Problems of the Begonia Maculata Plant
There are different steps that you can take to help make sure the plant is going to grow strong. Prevention is the best option here because once many of the diseases above start showing up, you will usually need to throw out the plant, with the exception of some pests.
Watering is often going to cause some of the common diseases in your Begonia. Careful watering is a good thing to do here. If possible, use filtered water to help and only water the Begonia Maculata when the soil is dry. Put your finger in. if it is still wet, then you can wait. A regular schedule, such as once a week, can help out here.
If you work with humidity around the plant, you will need less water too. If you see that the tips of the leaves are getting brown, the air is too dry or you are not watering enough. If the leaves start to turn yellow, you may be watering too much.
Choosing the right fertilizer is important here as well. It will help provide the plant with some of the good nutrients that it needs, preventing nutrient deficiencies that will harm the plant. Apply a good fertilizer about once a month during the growing season to help the plants.
Outside of some of the water issues that can cause fungus and other issues on the plant, pests are going to cause a lot of issues for your plants. You need to always be on the lookout for these pests to see what issues they cause. Spider mites, mealy bugs, scale, and whitefly are some of the most common pests that will get in.
Check any new plants before you bring them home to see if pests can be a problem. You can even quarantine them for a few days to make sure once you bring them home. There are several all-natural pesticide recipes that you can use that will keep the pests away without damaging the begonia in the process. Applying these on occasion can keep the plant healthy and may avoid some of the common pests before they have a chance to munch down on your plants.
What the Begonia Maculata Looks Like
The striking appearance of the Begonia Maculata is going to make it one of your favorite plants in no time. This is a perennial plant that will have white and pale pink blossoms two to three times in most years. On the top of the leaf, you will notice that it is green while the bottom is a deep red.
The leaves can also evolve. They often go from olive to emerald green and often have some bright spots speckled along the top. This plant will be able to blook throughout all times of the year, but late winter to the end of spring are the most common times. The flowers will sprout in clusters of one single stem too.
Conclusion
The Begonia Maculata is a great plant to keep around your home. The vibrant colors and beautiful leaves will make it one of your favorites in no time. Keep some of the planting options from above in mind and you will quickly see how great this plant will look in your home.
