Alma

Begonia rex ‘Amber Love’

Orange furry leaved rex Begonia, Painted-leaf Begonia, King Begonia

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• Alma likes...

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    Light watering

    Water Alma when the top two inches of her soil feel dry. You can use our finger dip test if you need help figuring this out. Avoid getting water on her leaves and water from below if that’s easier.

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    Medium light

    Alma likes lots of bright filtered light to thrive. Too much direct sun in the middle of the day could scorch her delicate leaves, so place her near but not next to a window.

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    Humidity

    Alma is happy in high humidity so avoid putting her near hot or cold drying draughts, whether from windows, fans or heaters.

• Quick facts

  Botanical name

  Begonia rex ‘Amber Love’

  Nickname

  Orange furry leaved rex Begonia, Painted-leaf Begonia, King Begonia

  Plant type

  Indoor

  Plant height (including pot)

  30-40cm

  Pet/baby safe

  Toxic if ingested

  Nursery pot size

  12cm

• About Begonia rex ‘Amber Love’

  If you haven’t yet started collecting Begonias, now is the time. There are over 500 cultivars of Begonia rex alone, and the variety of colours and patterns available is dazzling. Once you know how to look after them, they’re easy to grow and even easier to propagate. 

  ‘Amber Love’ does not disappoint. This compact, decorative little plant is almost hard to define. Its velvety leaves emerge green but darken as they mature into shades of orange, amber and bronze. They’re covered in soft fine hairs that give the leaves a translucent shimmer. These hues will be more vibrant in brighter light, so if yours are looking dull, try moving your plant to a slightly lighter spot. 

  Begonia rex are tropical plants native to India and Southeast Asia so won’t enjoy temperatures below fifteen degrees Celsius and are sensitive to low humidity and draughts. While they do flower, they’re mostly grown for their foliage, which takes a lot of work to produce. To keep Alma happy and healthy, feed her with a liquid plant food that is high in nitrogen once a month throughout spring and summer.

  It’s also important to give her a regular spring clean. Every now and again, pick through Alma’s leaves, pinching out any that are dead or dying. This will let in light and air and prevent any nasties like pests or diseases from taking hold. Because her leaves are quite dense and fleshy, it’s best to water her from below. Make sure that any excess water drains through before popping her back in her decorative pot. We don’t want any soggy bottoms that could lead to root rot. 

  Did you know?

  With over 2,000 species, Begonia is one of the largest groups of flowering plants in the world.