Begonia Pavonina - Care And Propagation

Welcome to our guide to the Begonia Pavonina, covering all you need to know about care and propagation…

Begonia Pavonina Care Summary

Light needs:	Medium to bright indirect sunlight.
Watering needs:	Check soil weekly, water if top 60% or more is dry.
Fertilizer:	A balanced feed every 2 or 3 weeks in spring and summer.
Soil:	A mix of 75% potting compost and 25% perlite.
Humidity:	60%.
Temperature:	16°C to 30°C (61-86°F).
Where to buy:	Try our list of Rare Plant Shops.
Other names:	Peacock begonia.
Common issues:	Leaf burn from too much sun, irregular watering.

Introduction

The Begonia Pavonina aka the Peacock Begonia is known for the metallic-blue glimmering hue to its leaves. It grows in the wild in Malaysia.

Light Needs

Give the medium to bright indirect sunlight, no direct which can easily burn those leaves.

How Often To Water Begonia Pavonina

Check the soil each week and water it when most of the soil dry, like the top 60% or so is dry. You do not want to water log them, but at the same time they like to be kept moist and not dry out.

Tip: aim to keep the soil slightly damp, but not soaking wet.

Fertilizer

A balanced fertilizer is ideal, feed them every 2 or 3 weeks in the spring and summer, but make sure it is really well diluted more so than on the packet as they can get fertilizer burn on their leaves.

Soil

They do well in a good potting compost with some added perlite to aid drainage. A mix of 75% potting compost and 25% perlite works well.

When to Repot Begonia Pavonina

They grow quickly and may need repotting regularly. Check them at Easter time and pot them up a size if the roots are getting crowded.

Humidity

60% and above is ideal, they love a humid environment.

Tip: Begonia Pavonina are quite sensitive when it comes to humidity, especially if it drops too much. Try to maintain it at about 60%, plus or minus 10%.

Temperature

Aim for 18°C-24°C (65-75°F) for most days but keep them above 5°C (41°F) at night or they can get cold damage.

How to Propagate Begonia Pavonina

Take stem cuttings with a couple of leaves and a node, let the wound heal for a day and then put them in water to root. Keep the cuttings humid and well lit (but not direct sun), and they should root well over the forthcoming weeks. Once they’ve developed after a month or two, pot them up into soil.

For more on begonias see our begonia category with all our care guides.

Is Begonia Pavonina Toxic?

They are toxic to cats and dogs if eaten, seek vets advice immediately if you think your pet has eaten any.

Other Names

Peacock begonia.

Where To Buy

Try our list of Rare Plant Shops.

FAQs and Common Problems

They can get leaf burn from too much sun, and get problems from over or under watering, so maintain a regular watering schedule, but do not water them unless they need it.

Tip: be careful of fungal issues, the air needs to move over the leaves or they can get fungus easily. If you see any spots or fungal problems, cut the level of and treat with a general purpose fungicide spray. Because of the high humidity requirements you might be tempted to put them in a plant cabinet, but they are not ideal unless you have a fan in there moving the air.