Iron cross begonia
Begonia masoniana
Also called Mason's begonia
Houseplant · BegoniasThe cross is not a marking on the surface, it is the leaf's own colour beneath the bristles — it does not wash off and it does not fade in shade. What does fade it is sun, which bleaches the green around it to grey.
Care at a glance
- Ease
- Hard
- Water
- Every 6 daysDrench and drain — water the whole surface until it runs from the holes.
- Light
- Medium indirect — never direct sun
- Feed
- Every 30 days
- Humidity
- High
- Hardiness
- Indoors, or out in high summer RHS H1B, to 10°C
- Size
- 0.35 m tall · 0.35 m across
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Origin
- Southern China and northern Vietnam
Is it safe for pets and people?
PetsToxic to pets
Affects dogs, cats, horses.
PeopleNot checked yet
Nobody has checked this one against a source for us yet, so treat it as unknown rather than safe.
Checked against ASPCA and RHS on 2026-08-05.
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
- White dust on the UPPER leaf surface first, in a still warm room — this genus gets it from stagnant air, not from damp soil.Powdery mildew · disease
- The green around the cross goes grey and papery on the side facing the window. The cross itself does not fade; the leaf around it does.Bleached crosses · disorder