Can you grow Rex begonias? I have a hard time, but I have been going crazy over here about my Jurassic Pink Shades Rex Begonia! I can’t get enough of it.

Maybe because I wake up every morning to the sun shining through its amazing leaves. Or maybe because it’s a Rex begonia and in the past, I haven’t been able to grow them.

Have you grown one of the Jurassic Series Begonias? They are amazing and I’m going to show you why!

Beginnings of my Rex begonia

I brought this plant home in the spring of 2021. I couldn’t find a picture of it on my east front porch where it resided all last summer. Below is a picture of it from when I brought it in on November 4, 2021.

You can see why I brought it in. I put it in the bathroom on the floor under the sink. It was inside near a window close to where it had been growing on the porch all summer.

I figured it would look good for a bit and then slowly die down. The Gryphon begonia next to it did not fare as well, though it did limp through and went back on the porch this summer. It is finally looking gorgeous, just in time to bring it back in for the winter. It may stay outside…..

Rex begonias love an east window

Below is the plant moved to its new home in the upstairs east window in mid-December of that year. I decided it needed a better place than under the sink in the guest bath. Begonias love east morning light and it gets plenty here. 

Below is the plant in March of 2022. It came out of the winter looking good. 

Rex begonias and their care

This plant does better than my previous Rex begonias because after talking to Brett Weiss from Gabriella Plants in Florida I found out these plants have been hybridized to do better in a home setting. Brett talks about the Jurassic series on their podcast, Every Plant Has a Story episode #25.

They also carry many of the Jurassic series begonias and you can purchase them and have them sent to your home. I’ve found that if I let this plant begin to wilt and then give it a good drink, it does well. Water it how a succulent is watered, watering thoroughly and then allowing it to dry out almost completely.

Below is a time-lapse I did on Instagram when I let it get too dry. There were consequences;  yellowing leaves, crispy edges, and dead leaves, but it came back.  It was a hot weekend and I didn’t water it before I left. Read here why second-floor plants may need different care.

More varieties

I knew nothing about this plant when I purchased it, other than it was gorgeous and I love them on my front porch, which is a perfect spot for them. 

I have since found out there are many more varieties and if I had room, I would buy them all. There is more room in this window, but it is on my husband’s side of the bed. He prefers to get where he needs to go without tripping over a million plants, so one it is and I’m happy with that. Should I rearrange the bedroom?

These amazing plants are Ball Ingenuity introductions and there are many varieties to choose from including this size plant as well as larger and smaller ones. Included are Jurassic Jr, Jurassic Dino which has small leaves and habits, and the really big ones called Megalo.

Order some from Gabriella Plants or look for them next summer in your local garden center. You won’t be disappointed, especially if you’ve had problems with Rex begonias in the past, like me.

Let me know if you’ve grown a Jurassic begonia or if you order one from Gabriella Plants. 

Have a great week, plant friends!