PlantFiles: Beefsteak Begonia
Begonia 'Erythrophylla'

This might possibly be the best begonia houseplant available. It is vigorous, healthy, problem-free and tolerant of any hardship or neglect you can think of. But if you treat it well--bright, indirect light; fluffy and airy soil with steady moisture; a mild dose of balanced fertilizer with trace elements once in a while; and occasional repotting--it will grow into the largest, lushest and most beautiful of specimens. It will be the plant that visitors to your home will comment on and ask about. People will beg for a start. Guests, even those who "know about plants," will overlook all the other exotic rarities in your home and make a bee-line to check out your beefsteak begonia. This is truly an amiable, heirloom quality hybrid.

Rhizomatous type hybridized in Germany, 1849. This popular begonia is was produced by crossing B. hydrocolylifolia X B. maculata.
Makes an excellent houseplant and is easy to care for. Mine goes to a covered patio for the summer and comes back inside for winter. Propagates easily from leaf cuttings or rhizome cuttings.

I love begonias, but especially the beefsteak (as we call it in Alabama). It has been years since I had one and they are so very rare that I had trouble locating another. I have a cutting but don't know how to root and plant it successfully. HELP!!
Thanks, Alabama

I have a Beefsteak Begonia plant that is about 2 feet around and about 16-18 inches tall. I got my cutting from my grandma, about 4 years ago. It now has 10 bloom stalks on it! The biggest leaf is about 8 inches around. The plant can go for a while without water. When the soil is pulling dry from the rim of the pot; that is when I water it. and not too much water, either. I have fed it on occasion; but not every time I water it. It is my favorite plant. I have about 60 plants. The majority are; begonias, hoyas and Rhipsalis cactuses.

I just love this plant, letting the soil dry slightly before watering again has worked for me, otherwise if you forget to water the plant it will wilt, when you water it it perks up, its a great plant to have. They are considered rare, I haven't had much success in finding them in my area, Glasshouse Works has nice ones, I just recently purchased one that is like the beefsteak, same family, but spirals instead. very nice..

This is a Begonia that has been around for a long time and was very popular several decades ago when I first acquired mine.

Beef Steak is a Rhizomatous Begonia. If acclimatized first, they can take full sun with no problem, but should be given some shade when cuttings or new rhizomes are planted. Flowers profusely in the Spring and on and off until late fall here in 10a.

In southeast Alabama (U.S.) we refer to this as a "Beefsteak Begonia" or "Beefleaf Begonia" because if it gets the right amount of sunlight - enough to change its color but not scorch its leaves - it will turn bright maroon on top of the leaf as well as on the bottom. The center where the stalk meets the leaf stays a light to white green. It looks a great deal like a sliced ribeye with a center bone; hence the name. They were once very popular and easily located in this area, however I have not seen one since mine died nearly 7 years ago. This information is about the begonia with the latin name "hydrocotylifolia"