Begonia pteridiformis ‘Green form’

Begonia pteridiformis was discovered in 2009.  Native to Peninsular Thailand, it is found on wet limestone regions of lowland evergreen forest.  It is named for the unique arrangement of leaves that resemble a fern (Pteridi) at a quick glance.  It can reach a few feet tall and be grown in ambient humidity with some care. The bright red stems and green foliage contrast beautifully. The leaves are dramatically serrated with fine red hairs covering them.  It grows in a bush shape and can grow to be about two feet tall, but it would take a long time to get that large.  It is a fast-growing species once acclimated, and under the right growing conditions, but can also be finicky, prone to melting or dying off for reasons unknown to me.  A tuberous species, it does well when allowed to dry out slightly between waterings.  During dormancy, cease watering for a season and keep in lower light, and it will come back eventually. You can also harvest the ‘little potatoes’ and stick in a bag of barely moist moss and keep dark for 2-3 months.The last photo is representative of the plants available. They are growing in 2″ pots.