Elephant-ear begonia
Begonia scharffii
Also called Begonia haageana, Scharffii and Elephant ear begonia
Houseplant · BegoniasA BIG EASY CANE BEGONIA that flowers nearly all year in pale pink, over leaves furred like a peach and red underneath. It gets tall and top-heavy — pinch it at about 40cm and take cuttings from what you remove.
Care at a glance
- Ease
- Easy
- Water
- Every 6 daysDrench and drain — water the whole surface until it runs from the holes.
- Light
- Medium to bright indirect
- Feed
- Every 30 days
- Humidity
- Average to high
- Hardiness
- Indoors, or out in high summer RHS H1B, to 10°C
- Size
- 1 m tall · 0.6 m across
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Origin
- Brazil
Is it safe for pets and people?
PetsToxic to pets
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.
PeopleHarmful if eaten
The whole plant; the underground parts most of all.
Checked against ASPCA and RHS on 2026-09-22.
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.