Begonia - Floccifera

INTRODUCTION:

Begonia Floccifera is a native Begonia to Southern India particular in the Tirunervely & Travancore region where it is found in the humid forest of the Western Ghats around 1000m of altitude.

Commonly known as Wolly Begonia, it name derives from the Latin word 'floccus' and 'fero' meaning wool bow and to carry - referring to the wolly features of the foliage and the petioles.

CHARACTERISTICS:

This is an Evergreen rhizome Begonia, the foliage appears to be succulent with some woolly substance appearing at the underback and also at the petioles. This Begonia can grow very big and bushy based on the space available for it to grow.

If you would like green colored foliage begonias, I would recommend this one.

This is quite hardy, the leaves due tend to grow huge and they are hardy.
I had yet to see them succumb to root rot or crown rot.

I realized that I grew this as one singular plant without propagating any spares due to the plant size and garden space. Guess one is more than enough when the leaves spans huge like fans cover above all my small plants.

They do then to have fine hairy surface on the leaves, I wonder what is that purpose for.

The flowers are tiny and forms in a nice singular spray.

Gives a nice sweet fairy light bells like show in my small garden.

These tend to grow big, I wouldn't recommend this for small & compact garden space.

Updates on 18 Nov
(It's been 2 months and I wanted to follow-up on the progress of this begonia)

This rhizomes, furry foliage seemed to love the semi-partial sunlight area.

I'm concerned as its exposed strongly towards the open area where it's now facing the rainy season.

Somehow, even after the daily heavy rain - it still appears strong. 

At does shoot out long flower spike which is quite showy spray and now all of them had seeded.

I'm still considering whether to trim off these branches as the plant can focus on the growth rather than the seed formation.

Begonia Common Names and Images

Do click on the Link Above ☝

Here is the link where I had put together a list of all the begonias that I had come across. A database of all the different types & their characteristics. Please click on the link on the title above for the post.