Begonia Izumo no Kiraboshi Variegated Care

About: 

Variegated Begonia Izumo no Kiraboshi, also known as "My New Favorite Plant." Is an absolutely stunning hybrid Begonia from Japan featuring dark green serrated-edge leaves dotted with white spots. Variegation presents in an array of colors from yellow to orange and pink. Leaf backs are a very deep burgundy. 

Family: 

Begoniaceae

Light Requirements: 

Moderate light is best for these guys. Mine are grown at about 100-200 PPFD (µmol/m²/s) and seem to be doing quite well. If you notice the green parts of your leaves are going a bit washed out, it's likely getting a bit more light than it prefers. If you notice browning on your variegated bits, then perhaps not enough. 

Temperature & Humidity: 

65 - 75° F (18.3 - 23.8° C) / 60% + Humidity.
It's not a theory I've tested yet, so take it with a grain of salt, but I'm pretty sure they would also do alright in normal household humidity. They're one of the few Begonia that (knock on wood) haven't given me much trouble in shipping, even without humidity domes, so they do seem to be pretty tolerant to changes in their grow conditions.

That said, as with any plant, I would try to aim for bringing them by no more than 10% at a time until they're where you want them to avoid unnecessary stress.

Watering: 

Keep soil evenly moist but not waterlogged. Mine get a drink every 5ish days, but this can vary a lot based on your grow conditions.

Grow Media: 

A well-draining substrate is preferred. Mine are grown in this Begonia Mix but any loamy mix should work fine (Honestly, they don't seem to be very particular.) For semi-hydro, I prefer standard Pon over LECA.

Growth Rate: 

Provided they're getting a decent amount of humidity, I've found them to be pretty fast growers. In less ideal conditions, I would expect slower growth.

Propagation: 

I actually find these pretty easy to propagate. They do well in moss, soil, coir, or in semi-hydro using Fluval Statum or a Fluval mix. (So, whatever is your preference really.) I've recently switched to propping them in a coir mix and have had good results. 

Propagation is done via stem cuttings - I recommend one leaf / node per section.

Keeping your props warm and humid will definitely go a long way to helping kick start growth. Even though my plant tents' humidity levels are kept pretty high, I do these guys in prop bins and they grow like crazy. It stays so humid in there, I don't even think I've ever watered them lol. 

Toxicity: 

Mildly toxic if ingested. Please keep out of reach of children and pets. 

Additional Information: 

Some people claim that keeping this plant at temperatures on the cooler side can help bring out more pronounced variegation but, personally, I'm weary of those claims. Sellers will frequently try and push lower variegates at a higher prices telling buyers that changing x, y, or z about their conditions will bring out better color and it's almost always (excuse me) bullshit.

(Note: Part of the confusion might also be coming from the fact that there are some species of Begonia whose colors -do- change in cooler temperatures, but that is NOT to be confused with variegation. In those cases, the cold is triggering the production of anthocyanin pigments causing the appearance of more vibrant reds or purples.) 

I've grown these in both low (68º) and high (82º) temperatures and while they are definitely happier in the lower range, it made no difference in the amount of or quality of variegation. If you want a plant with good variegation - Get a plant with good genetics. 

If you have any questions, or some advice of your own to offer, please feel free to comment below. 

Thanks so much for stopping by!