Gryphon begonia

Sun

Partial shade or bright, filtered light; gentle morning sun is suitable, but avoid strong afternoon sun.

Water

Keep moderately moist, allowing the surface of the compost to dry slightly before watering again. Water less during cool weather and indoors in winter.

Soil

Humus-rich, freely draining soil or potting mix; avoid heavy, waterlogged ground.

Height

1-2 ft (0.3-0.6 m)

Spread

1-1.5 ft (0.3-0.45 m)

Foliage

Evergreen. Large, asymmetric, deeply lobed leaves with pointed tips, silver markings over dark green, and reddish undersides and stalks.

Growth

Moderate to fast in warm weather.

Care needed

Low

• Deer resistant
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   0.5 ft (0.15 m)

2. After 1 year

   1.5 ft (0.45 m)

   full size

Full size in one season.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Toxic

Growth rate

Fast

• Plant outdoors only after frost has passed and nights are consistently mild.
• Use containers with drainage holes and empty saucers after watering.
• Water the potting mix rather than repeatedly wetting the leaves.
• Apply a balanced liquid fertiliser at half strength every two to four weeks during active growth.
• Shelter from strong wind, which can tear leaves and snap fleshy stems.
• Bring plants indoors before cold autumn nights if you want to keep them.

Pruning. Remove damaged leaves and spent flower stems at their bases with clean scissors. Pinch growing tips in spring or early summer if plants become leggy.

Early spring

Repot overwintered plants if rootbound and trim weak or damaged growth.

Spring

Start purchased seed indoors in warmth, or take stem cuttings from a healthy overwintered plant.

Late spring

After frost risk has passed and nights are mild, acclimatise plants gradually to a sheltered outdoor position.

Summer

Check container moisture regularly and feed lightly during active growth.

Early autumn

Inspect for pests and bring plants indoors before nights become cold.

Winter

Keep in bright, indirect light away from cold glass; reduce watering and pause feeding if growth slows.

• Use as the main foliage plant in a shaded patio container, with trailing plants around the rim.
• Repeat through sheltered summer bedding to provide silver-green contrast without relying on flowers.
• Pair with fine-textured ferns to emphasise its large, sharply lobed leaves.
• Grow in pots beside a shaded entrance, then move indoors for winter.

Garden styles it suits: Modern tropical, Tropical, Modern courtyard, Urban city garden, Small-space and Victorian.

Plant it with: Coleus, Impatiens, Wishbone flower, Boston fern, Japanese painted fern and Trailing lobelia.

Wildlife: Grown mainly for foliage and offers little dependable nectar or pollen; it is not a useful choice for supporting native wildlife.

• Root and stem rot: use a freely draining mix, avoid standing water, and let the surface dry slightly between waterings.
• Scorched or torn leaves: move out of strong afternoon sun and shelter from wind.
• Powdery mildew or grey mould: improve airflow, remove affected material, and avoid persistently wet foliage.
• Mealybugs and spider mites indoors: inspect leaf undersides and stem joints, isolate affected plants, and treat with a labelled insecticidal soap.

Begonias are toxic to cats, dogs and horses if eaten, with the greatest concentration of harmful oxalates generally in underground parts. Chewing foliage or stems can also cause mouth irritation, drooling and vomiting. People should not eat any part; ingestion can irritate the mouth and digestive tract, and sap may irritate sensitive skin.

• Rex begonia (Begonia Rex Cultorum Group)

  Most have broader, less deeply divided leaves, often with stronger pink, purple or spiral patterns; Gryphon has conspicuously finger-like lobes.

• Palm-leaf begonia (Begonia luxurians)

  Its leaves are divided into many long, narrow segments and are mostly plain green; Gryphon has broader, silver-marked lobes and a more compact habit.

• Iron cross begonia (Begonia masoniana)

  It has rough, puckered, broadly heart-shaped leaves with a dark central cross, rather than deeply cut silver-and-green foliage.

The genus Begonia honours Michel Bégon, a French administrator and patron of botanical collecting.

Propagation. Take stem cuttings with at least one node in spring or summer and root in a lightly moist, airy propagation mix. Purchased Gryphon hybrid seed is another option; seed saved from your plant may not produce matching offspring.

Accepted botanical name

Begonia

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.