Begonia pavonina - Peacock begonia is found growing in the dim understory in the montane forests of peninsular Malaysia...
Begonia pavonina, also called as Peacock begonia, Begonia robinsonii, is a species of the genus Begonia. This species was described by Henry Nicholas Ridley in 1909.
IDENTIFY BEGONIA PAVONINA - PEACOCK BEGONIA
Begonia pavonina is native to Malaya. It is found growing in the dim
understory in the montane forests of peninsular Malaysia.
It is a rhizomatous perennial plant which reaching 40 cm tall and 20 cm wide. The 7-12 cm long leaves are round to oblong, asymmetrical and ending in a point. The heart-shaped, bright-green leaves with reddish undersides get a prominent bluish shade in light. This combination of dark-green and blue makes this plant popularly known as the Peacock Begonia. Due to a uniquely ordered arrangement of tower-like thylakoids in the chloroplast, light is slowed down in a quantum physics effect known as "slow light". Combined with an increased uptake of red-green light this increases the efficiency of photosynthesis by up to 10%.
The plants can blooms in spring to summer with small and white to slightly pinkish flowers. The flowers are not the main attraction of the plant.
BEGONIA PAVONINA - PEACOCK BEGONIA CARE AND CULTURE
Cultural information should only be used as a guide, and should be to be adapted to suit you. Your physical location; where you grow your plants, how much time you have to devote to their care, and many other factors, will need to be taken into account. Only then can you decide on the cultural methods that best suit you and your plants.
Light:
Begonia pavonina love shade. Long exposure to direct sunlight will typically burn flowers and foliage. Give them a good shady area to grow. However, do not deprive them of all sunlight. Ideally 75-80% shade is best. Extremely low light levels can shut down flower production. If that happens, move your plant to an area that receives more light and wait for flower production to resume.
When grown indoors the plant will take about as much light as you can provide them with - but not direct sunlight. Place plant in an area with good, bright, diffused light. Try to place the plant between 5 and 8 feet from a window.
Temperature:
Peacock begonia grow best with day temperatures of 20 to 27 °C and night temperatures of 15 to 18 °C. A high temperature will results in drying of the foliage and flowers and finally ends with the fading of the plant. A temperature below 12 °C will kill the plant. It is also be affected by temperature above 32 °C. Keep your plant away from heat ducts, ventilator grills and drafts.
Humidity:
Begonia pavonina need the humidity level of 60% - 80%. To increase humidity level, gently mist the plant. It's best to mist your plant in the morning so the water has plenty of time to evaporate before evening. Use a humidifier, or place your pot on top of a pebble tray with water coming halfway up the pebbles. Evaporation will provide extra humidity right where your plant needs it. In high level of humidity, good air ventilation should be ensured to avoid fungal diseases.
Substrate and growing media:
Peacock begonia grow best in a well-aerated medium with good water retention capability and with good drainage. A good medium needs to be able to anchor the roots and stem so that the plant will not topple over as it grows larger, yet provide sufficient moisture, nutrients, and aeration to the plant. Organic matter (i.e., wood shavings, sugar cane bagasse, tree fern chips, taro peel, macadamia nut shells, or coffee parchment), volcanic cinder, or an artificial medium (i.e., rockwool, polyfenol foam) can serve as a good medium to anchor roots for plant growth and flower production. It prefers slightly alkaline soil, so add a dash of lime to the mix if your water is soft (low in minerals).
At some point in time, your plant will need to be repotted. Symptoms will include severe root massing at the base of the plant, bulging on the sides of the pot (if it's plastic), and overall loss of plant vigor. Repot your plant early in the year, when new roots start to grow. Use a 6 to 7 inch (15-16.25 cm) pot filled half way with rocks. When repotting, as much as possible try to match the same media that your plant is already growing in. This will help your plant to root faster into the new media.
Watering:
Begonia pavonina like moist media, water the plant three times a week. However, over-watering can cause root damage and sudden yellowing of leaves. While the plant love moisture, they do not like saturated media. So make sure to monitor your watering. Light, frequent watering is preferred to heavy soakings. Let the soil dry out in between watering. If you live in a hot area, water about once every 2 to 3 days; if you live in a rainy area, then water as necessary. Don't forget a light misting on the leaves to help with the humidity.
Too much drying of the plant will cease the plant growth and burns the tip of the plant. In winter water should reduced, but the plant can not stay dry for long period.
Fertilizer:
Most growers use a slow time-release fertilizer monthly on their plants. Their roots are very sensitive to uncoated quick-release fertilizers, which can burn their sensitive roots. Even powder organic fertilizers can cause root burn. Liquid fertilizers may be applied as foliar applications or incorporated at lower concentrations into surface irrigation water. Most foliar fertilizers for orchids will work well. Consistency will be the key.
Pests and diseases:
Thrips will be your worst insect problem. They can damage flowers and leaves, causing large brown streaks. In severe cases, the leaves and flowers will become severely disfigured. Don't let it get to this point. The best method to control thrips is to monitor your plants and treat them quickly before they get out of hand.
Keeping your plant and their surroundings clean is good preventative measure. Pinching off unopen thripdamaged flower buds and disposing of them in a sealed bag is another good control measure. That way you will get rid of thrips feeding inside of the infested buds before they have had a chance to come out and disperse to other plants.
Propagation:
Begonia pavonina is best propagated via cuttings. Take a stem cutting of 2-4 inches long, with a few leaves on it. Use sterilize scissors or pruning shears and cut it just under a node. Once you have the cutting, you have two options. Allow it to root in water. Or, plant it directly into soil. Plant these cuttings in the moist growing mixture. You can use sphagnum moss, soil, or any common houseplant growing mixture. Place the setup in medium to the bright indirect sun. Additionally, keep the soil moist and water right after the upper layer gets about 70% dry. Roots start developing after the initial 3 weeks. This will be followed by baby shoots protruding out around the 4th week. With water propagation, don’t forget to change the water every week. This is essential to avoid fungus growth. Once the root system is developed, you can transfer the baby plant to soil or an appropriate growing mixture.
The plant can also propagated by seeds. Sow about 5 to 15 seeds on the top of the moist growing mixture. This could be a common houseplant mixture or sphagnum moss. Place the set up at a warm well-lit place with an ideal temperature around 23 °C. Keep the soil moist by spraying a mild mist of water. Wait for about 4 to 5 weeks of the germinating period and you will see tiny shoots protruding out from the seeds.
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