Photo credit: In Search of Small Things
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Begonia darthvaderiana is a rhizomatous species from Malaysia. Alternate and asymmetric oval leaves, with a dark violet/red/black coloration, and a striking yellowish-silver border. Monoecious (male & female flowers on the same plant). It is highly sensitive and it is recommended to keep it between 10 to 26C with a high humidity (>80%, if not 90%). Although growers have reported plants able to tolerate up to 30C and humidity in the 70% range, this likely a specific cultivar.
Incidentally, darthvaderiana does not have spots on it’s leaves at any time. However, it retains the potential for spots when hybridised with non-spotted begonias. If your young B. darthvaderiana leaves have spots, it may be a sign it’s a hybrid.
| Species | B. darthvaderiana |
|---|---|
| Region | South East Asia |
| Country | Malaysia |
| Year published | 2014 |
| Date of Origin | 2013 |
| Plant Type | Rhizomatous |
| Section | Petermannia |
| Chr 2n | - |
| Endangered Status | - |
| 🌡️ | 10 to 26C although can tolerate up to 30C in some cases anecdotally |
| 💦 | High Humidity (>80%) |
| Care notes | Well draining substrate |
Photo credit: In Search of Small Things
Photo credit: In Search of Small Things
Photo credit: In Search of Small Things
Photo credit: In Search of Small Things
Photo credit: In Search of Small Things
Photo credit: In Search of Small Things
Photo credit: In Search of Small Things
Photo credit: In Search of Small Things
Photo credit: In Search of Small Things
Leaf melt Photo credit: In Search of Small Things
Ashing Photo credit: In Search of Small Things
Photo credit: In Search of Small Things
| Species / Cultivar | B. darthvaderiana |
|---|---|
| Form Varieties | |
| Author | C.W.Lin & C.-I Peng, Phytotaxa |
| Publication Date | 2014 |
| Date of Origin | 2013 |
| Place | Sri Aman, Lubok Antu, Batang Ai, Sarawak, Borneo, Malaysia |
| Habitat | Deep shade of wet forested cliffs mixed among other shade-dwelling vegetation at 130-200m alt. |
| Section | Petermannia |
| Chr 2n | - |
| Plant Type | Rhizomatous |
| Synonyms and Comments | Etymology: referring to the Darth Vader character in “Star Wars” movies because of its dark appearance; Black Knight |
| Reference | Hughes M. et al., Asian Begonia 76, 2018 |
| Description | Alternate and asymmetric oval leaves, with a dark violet/red/black coloration, and a striking yellowish-silver border. Monoecious (male & female flowers on the same plant) |
|---|---|
| Male Flower | 2 elliptical, coral-pink, almost red, 6 to 8 mm long tepals |
| Female Flower | 5 elliptical reddish-pink tepals, 7 to 9 mm long |
| Plant Hardiness | Notoriously fickle. Suffers from melt and failure easily. Likely has specific nutritional requirements requiring non-sterile growing medium in the long term. |
| Sun Tolerance | Bright indirect light |
|---|---|
| Pests Diseases | |
| Temperature | 10 to 26C although can tolerate up to 30C in some cases anecdotally |
| Humidity | High Humidity (>80%) |
| Propagation Method | |
| Comments | Resembles B. chlorosticta in growth, & temperamental nature |
| Offspring of: | NA |
|---|---|
| Female Parent Of | B. Queen Constellation |
| Male Parent Of | B. Botanicaz 1 |
| B. Magiya | |
| B. Dark Lord | |
| B. Matalic Dragon | |
| B. Seraph | |
| In Cultivation? | Yes |
References:
Photo Credits: In Search of small things