Begonia herbacea comes originally from Brazil where its natural habitat consists of humid, sunny locations, preferably surrounded by moss. Its leaves are produced by a rhizome that can be as long as 10 centimetres. Their veins, shape and wavy red edges make them look like feathers. They also have several white spots. Begonia herbacea can produce more than ten flowers at a time, each with three white tepals and a hint of pink.

Begonia herbacea is an epiphyte. In other words, it grows on the surface of other plants in the wild. It is best cultivated in a terrarium. It prefers a temperature of around 24⁰C and certainly no lower than 5⁰C or higher than 30⁰C. For the best results, humidity needs to be 70% during the daytime and 90% at night. If this proves difficult, place a dish under the pot containing a small amount of water. Moss around the rhizome will also help retain moisture. In other cases, allow the potting compound to dry out slightly before giving the plant more water. Good air circulation in the terrarium helps to make begonias less susceptible to infection and disease. Fertilising every two weeks with standard plant food will help stimulate growth. The best growing medium consists of a mixture of peat and another coarse component such as perlite. Go to “Plant accessories” for more information about this other products for your houseplants.