Begonia listada is an easy-care species that is suitable as a potted plant and in the terrarium.

This Brazilian species is so distinctive that it has its own garden group: the shrub-like listada-type begonias with distinctive leaf pattern.

The species has an elliptical leaf blade that comes to a point at each end. It is covered with thick hairs that give it an incredible texture. The leaf surface is dark green with a white line down the middle. The back of the leaves is red. An average leaf measures 10 centimeters long and 2.5-4.5 centimeters wide. Sometimes the species can spontaneously mutate and produce arrowhead-like or triangular leaves on a stem, but this is not a stable mutation.

The growth habit is somewhat horizontal. It can become a beautiful hanging plant or be given plant support to grow upright. The sparse white flowers appear mostly in autumn and winter, and in bright light the buds are covered in pink hairs.

Botanical description

Begonia listada was determined to be a rare species that grows in Rio Grande do Sul, a state located at the southern tip of Brazil near Paraguay and Uruguay.

For many years the plant was labeled as B. listada hort. (hort. stands for horticulture and means that this is a garden name, not an official botanical Latin name).

When it was determined that this was an undescribed species and therefore had no official botanical name, Thelma O'Reilly of La Mesa, California, provided the Smithsonian Institution with a type specimen. From this plant, Dr. Lyman Smith and Dr. Dieter Wasshausen wrote a Latin description and legalized the name B. listada in July 1981. Begonia. Listada is spelled "...ta..." and means "striped".

The plant does not grow on limestone in nature, so calcareous substrates should be avoided. In its natural habitat, it grows in the southern tip of Brazil in humid, shady environments.

Care

Place in a location with partial shade and warm temperatures. B. listada likes bright light, but not intense direct sunlight. Strong sun can cause the leaves to curl or turn brown at the edges.

The plant thrives best in a loose and airy substrate. Long-fibered sphagnum moss with about 30-40% perlite is good. Do not use calcareous substrate as the species does not grow on limestone in nature.

Keep the humidity at least 60% or more permanently. If you can provide these conditions at home, it can be well cared for as a houseplant. In the terrarium, make sure that water droplets on the leaves dry quickly and that there is sufficient air circulation.

Keep slightly moist at all times, but be careful not to keep it too wet. It should never dry out completely. Fertilize about every other week with a mild plant nutrient at half the recommended concentration.

The species is very easy to propagate by stem or leaf cuttings. From a single leaf it quickly creates a compact, bushy plant.