Begonia Erythrophylla or Beefsteak Begonia

Begonia erythrophylla or Beefsteak Begonia is a hybrid that was created in Germany during the 1840’s. It is one half Polka Dot Begonia (Begonia maculata)! I didn’t realize this until doing the research for this post. Now I can see that the Beefsteak begonia inherited the Polka Dot Begonia’s white veins, the slight teardrop shaped leaf and the reddish coloring on the back of the leaves. The common name of this begonia is definitely unfortunate. Since erythrophylla doesn’t roll off the tongue, BEEFsteak begonia it is. 😝 The magical feature of this plant is that its leaves look like deep-green, lily pads. In addition to that sweet gift, the blooms spike in bunches of tiny, pink flowers.

Beefsteak begonias are fast growers. This makes them such fun companions. They are also easy to propagate! Simply cut off a leaf and stick the stem in a clear vase with water near a window. In just a few weeks you’ll see enough root growth to plant it in some dirt. One reason why this plant grows so fast is its specialized root system. Instead of growing vertically, it has modified roots or rhizomes that creep horizontally. These creeping roots have the capability of forming a new plant. Grasses like St. Augustine grow in this same way.

I would put this house plant in the “extremely easy to care for” category. Find a spot in indirect light and water whenever the soil is dry to the touch. For my santa fe folx; this plant would love to live next to your humidifier as its parents are from rainforests in Mexico and Brazil.