Begonia Aequatorialis

Description

Sizeable, golden-eyed, ivory-white flowers open on tall stems above fleshy leaves. Resembling an anemone rather than a typical begonia, this extremely rare plant is endemic to the high tropical or subtropical montane forests of Equador, where it is threatened by habitat loss and classified as vulnerable by IUCN. (The International Union for Conservation of Nature). In colder areas the plant may be cut to the ground, but the tuber invariably sprouts again the following spring.

Sowing Advice

These seeds have been cold-stored and should be sown on receipt. Sow very thinly onto the surface of a pot containing a mixture of peat, sterilised fine soil or loam, and grit, and very gently water the seeds in. DO NOT cover them with compost. The seed tray is then best left in a warm well-lit spot and kept moist. Germination usually takes only 4-8 weeks at most, but may take much longer. Plant out in well-drained moist soil. The dust-like seeds have been added to Fuller's Earth to enable you to sow it.

Key Facts