Polka dot begonia
Begonia maculata
Also called Angel wing begonia and Spotted begonia
Houseplant · BegoniasThose cane stems snap easily and root just as easily. A broken piece is a free plant.
Care at a glance
- Ease
- Hard
- Water
- Every 6 daysDrench and drain — water the whole surface until it runs from the holes.
- Light
- Bright indirect
- Feed
- Every 30 days
- Humidity
- High
- Hardiness
- Indoors, or out in high summer RHS H1B, to 10°C
- Size
- 1.2 m tall · 0.6 m across
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Origin
- Brazil
Is it safe for pets and people?
Affects dogs, cats, horses. Signs: vomiting and drooling in dogs and cats; kidney failure in grazing animals. The part below ground is the most toxic.
The underground parts above all.
Begonias carry soluble oxalates, concentrated in the tubers. That is documented but is not in either catalogue this bank holds — ASPCA answers only about animals, and the RHS harmful list does not carry Begonia at all.
Checked against ASPCA and RHS on 2026-07-31.
A guide, not veterinary or medical advice. If a pet or a person has eaten a plant and you are worried, call your vet or doctor now — don’t wait for signs to appear. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
First signs of trouble
- A dusty white patch on the upper face of a lower leaf, usually starting at the edge nearest the wall.Powdery mildew · disease
- Leaves crisp at the very edge and fall from the bottom of the cane upward, leaving a bare stick with a tuft on top.Leaf drop from dry air · disorder