Scientific/Botanical Name:
Genus: Begonia
Specie: B. lucerna
Variety/Cultivar:
English Name:
Common Name:
Angel Wing Begonia, 'Lucerna' Begonia, 'Corallina de Lucerna' Begonia
Botanical Family:
Name in Latin: Begoniaceae
Name in English: The Begonia Family
The Plant
Origin: Brazil
Growth Habit: Arching, Bushy, Clump-forming, Spreading
Flower: monoecious, quite showy and long-lasting- brilliant, coral-red, drooping clusters
Blooming Period: Summer
Leaf: smooth, silver/white-spotted leaves with their red undersides are especially attractive. leaves are narrow ‘Angel Wings’, often red-veined.
Usage:
Ornamental house plant and seasonal garden plant
Care and Handling
Soil: general potting , but can handle heavier soil which makes it good for garden planting
Amount of water: moderate
Nutrition: feed with regular fertilizer
Special handling: likes humidity. Does not like cold weather. Pinching tips and pruning outer stems in the growing season gives a bushier plant, good for hanging.
Special feature/remarks:
Named in honor of Michel Begon, 1638-1710. He was a French promoter of botany and one time official superintendent of Santo Domingo (Haiti). What makes this specimen unique is its connection to one of the world’s most famous scientists, Albert Einstein.
When crossed with other begonias it produced what are known today as the Superba Hybrids.