Begonia oxyanthera is a creeping begonia found in tropical lowland forests and humid montane forests of certain African countries. It produces numerous thin, red stems that can be several metres long. Begonia oxyanthera has almond-shaped leaves that taper to a point. Both male and female flowers grow from the stem just below the leaf. The flowers are pinkish white and have eye-catching yellow stamens or pistils.

Begonia oxyanthera requires little attention. It needs plenty of light but strong sunlight will dry it out. It needs an ambient temperature exceeding 10⁰C and under 30⁰C. The best temperature to encourage healthy growth is between 22 and 25⁰C. Humidity needs to be 70% during the daytime and 90% at night. Always allow the potting compound to dry out before watering again. If the level of humidity in the room is low, place the pot in a dish containing water. Add liquid fertiliser every two weeks to feed an actively growing plant. A mixture of peat and perlite creates the kind of growing medium the plant requires. Go to “Plant accessories” for details of this and other potting mixtures. It is advisable to train the relatively fragile stems or allow them to trail from a hanging pot or basket.