Begonia deliciosa is a shrub begonia. It has large, dark-green leaves speckled with silver spots that become more pronounced as the plant ages. The undersides of the leaves are a remarkable reddish orange colour that almost seems to give off light. Stems protruding between the leaves bear numerous fragrant pink flowers, usually around springtime. Begonia deliciosa produces both male and female flowers. In emergencies such as wartime, it has been eaten as food but under normal circumstances this is not advisable as it is extremely bitter.

Begonia deliciosa comes originally from the tropics so to be at its best it needs a warm and humid environment. It requires plenty of light but should be kept away from very bright strong light which causes it to dry out. The best temperature is around 25⁰C, certainly no lower than 10⁰C or higher than 32⁰C. Humidity needs to be 75% during the daytime and 95% at night. A terrarium is ideal to meet all of these requirements. The growing medium must not be allowed to dry out. A dish placed under the pot with a quantity of water or sphagnum moss around the base of the plant will help keep the potting medium moist. The best growing medium consists of peat mixed with perlite. Go to “Plant accessories” for more information and one-stop shopping. Plant fertiliser may be added to the water twice a month. If Begonia deliciosa becomes too big it can be pruned.