Begonia ‘Escargot’

Begonia 'Escargot' (Begonia rex-cultorum 'Escargot') is grown for the leaf. Each one coils at the base into a tight snail shell spiral, banded silver over deep burgundy, and a settled plant holds a low mound of them about 35cm tall and 40cm across. It is a shade plant for a pot, indoors or under cover.

Why you'll love it

• Bought for the leaves, not the flowers. The flowers are small and insignificant, so this is a foliage plant first and last.
• The spiral is the whole plant. One pot of it reads as sculpture rather than greenery.
• It stays genuinely small. About 35cm tall and 40cm wide, which suits a 200mm pot on a shelf or a bathroom sill.
• It wants the light other plants refuse. Bright indirect light and partial shade give the strongest markings; direct sun bleaches and scorches the leaf.
• Humidity works in its favour. It is comfortable in humid tropical and subtropical air, where plenty of indoor foliage sulks.

Where it works best

Indoors. This is its main use. A bright room out of direct sun, a shaded east facing window or a well lit bathroom all suit it.

Pots, balconies and courtyards. Outdoors it needs a frost free spot with overhead shelter: a covered balcony, a shaded courtyard or under a verandah in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens.

Feature planting in shade. Grouped in matching pots along a shaded entry it holds attention. Keep it out of open garden beds, where wet soil and sun undo it quickly.

One caution. Begonias are toxic to cats and dogs if chewed, so place it above floor level in a home with pets.

Growing Begonia 'Escargot' in Australia

Position and climate. Bright indirect light or partial shade, never direct sun. It is frost tender, so outdoors it belongs under cover in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens, and indoors anywhere colder.

Soil. A free draining premium potting mix opened up with perlite or coarse sand. It grows from a surface rhizome, so use a wide shallow pot with drainage holes and let the rhizome sit on top.

Water and feed. Water once the top 2cm of mix is dry, drain fully, then empty the saucer. Water the mix rather than the foliage, since water sitting on these leaves invites mildew. Feed at half strength monthly through spring and summer.

Pruning. Snap tired leaves off at the base as they age. Growth slows in winter and a few leaves may drop, which is normal; ease back on watering and it flushes again in spring.

What to expect when it arrives

It is sold as tube stock: a young plant with a small rhizome and a handful of leaves rather than a full mound. Potted into a 150mm to 200mm container it fills out over a season or two.

Begonia leaves are brittle, so expect a bent or torn leaf on arrival even with careful packing. Remove it at the base and the plant replaces it. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• How to keep your indoor plants alive
• Browse the wider indoor plants range.
• Pair it with a pot or planter that drains freely.
• More tropical foliage plants for humid, sheltered spots.

Common questions

Is it safe around cats and dogs?

No. Begonias contain soluble calcium oxalates, toxic to cats and dogs if eaten, bringing on mouth irritation, drooling and vomiting. Keep this one on a shelf or plant stand if your pet chews foliage.

Why are the leaf edges going crisp and brown?

Almost always dry air or too much direct light. Move it out of the sun and lift the humidity around it. Crisp edges do not repair, but new leaves come through clean.

Can I grow it outdoors?

Only in a frost free position with overhead shelter, in tropical, subtropical or warm temperate gardens. It will not take frost, and water sitting on the leaves in a cold snap leads to rot.