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Full Specimen Plate

Begonia burkillii

Name: Begonia burkillii
Brand: Begonia

Burkill's Himalayan Begonia

LightLow to medium indirect light (100-200 foot-candles)

Humidity75% to 90% RH

Temperature14-23 C; cool-growing, stressed above 25 C

Size15-25 cm height, leaf blades 12-20 cm

Growth RateSlow to Moderate

DifficultyModerate to Advanced

Recommended Gear

Natural Rooting Powder, 3 x 75gRooting hormone powder for stem and leaf cuttings.
Precision Bonsai Pruning Scissors, 200mmFine-bladed snips for clean node cuts when taking a cutting.
Digital Hygrometer & ThermometerLCD humidity and temperature gauge for checking a grow spot against a plant's target range.

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WildArunachal Pradesh, Eastern Himalaya, India (shaded river valleys, collected during the 1911-1912 Abor Expedition)

7cm Target Price

£15.00

EstimatedFewer than 3 recorded sales. The figure comes from retail stock or the genus price tier, so treat it as a rough guide.

Target Price Guide

Select Plant Size

7cm Target Price

Base

£15.00

EstimatedFewer than 3 recorded sales. The figure comes from retail stock or the genus price tier, so treat it as a rough guide.

No UK sold listings recorded yet. This figure comes from retail stock or the genus price tier.

About this target price: The figure above is the current market rate for an established 7cm whole pot specimen. Other sizes show their own recorded sale price where enough recent sales exist, or an estimate calculated proportionally from this one otherwise.

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Retail Price?The average price across tracked UK retailers (nurseries and specialty stores).

Not tracked

Not currently stocked by tracked UK retailers

How prices are calculated: The target price uses online sold listings converted to GBP at current exchange rates, excluding extreme outliers to ensure a fair-value guide. Falls back to UK retail average when auction data is unavailable.

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Description Market Propagation Care Guide In the Wild Field Notes

Begonia burkillii Morphology

leaf ShapePeltate, obliquely elliptic to ovateEgg-shaped leaves, with the wider end near the base. with an acute apex

leaf Length12-20 cm

leaf Width7-12 cm

petiole ColorReddish-brown, peltately attached 1-2 cm inside the margin

venationPalmate primary veins radiating from the peltate insertion

textureSmooth and satin-like with optical iridescence

variegationChocolate-brown interveinal blotches on a mintVariegation featuring a speckled, marbled, or light pastel-green pattern.-green background

growth HabitCreeping rhizome spreading across the substrate surface

About Begonia burkillii

Stephen Troyte Dunn published Begonia burkillii in 1920, naming it after British botanist Isaac Henry Burkill. The plant is native to Arunachal Pradesh in the Eastern Himalaya of Northeast India, where it grows as a lithophyte along shaded river valleys. It exhibits elliptical peltate leaves with a mint-green base marked by chocolate-brown blotches and an iridescent blue sheen in dim light. Unlike lowland tropical species, this montane begonia requires cool temperatures and declines when exposed to heat above 25 C.

Native Range

India

Market Hub

Begonia burkillii Sold Prices & Live Market

What the Target Price above is based on: eBay sold prices by plant size, live listings, and retailer stock.

No eBay sales recorded yet. Sold listings are collected as they appear on eBay.

Before You Buy

Species-specific things to check when evaluating a listing

Confirm the buyer can maintain cool temperatures below 24 C during summer months
Check the peltate petiole insertion for firm attachment without rot
Examine chocolate-brown markings for clean margins free of fungal spotting
Verify the rhizome is firm and anchored by roots

Propagation Guide

How to Propagate Begonia burkillii

Methods

Leaf cutting Rhizome division Petiole rooting

Propagation Difficulty

Moderate?Rewards a consistent watering and light routine, but tolerates the occasional lapse. Suited to growers with some houseplant experience.

Time to Establish

10-12 weeks

True From Cuttings

Yes

Cultivar character is preserved through vegetative cuttings

Leaf cuttings root reliably under cool conditions between 18 C and 20 C; avoid warm propagation boxes.

Care Guide

Begonia burkillii Care Guide & Growing Conditions

Substrate

Airy mix of kanuma, pumice, chopped sphagnum moss, and aged leaf mold

Watering

Maintain even moisture; allow top layer to dry slightly before watering with pure rainwater

Humidity

Maintain 75% to 90% relative humidity in a cool growing area

Fertilising

Apply dilute balanced fertilizer at one-quarter strength once per month during spring

Repotting

Repot in early spring into wide shallow pans to accommodate horizontal burkillii rhizome growth

Common Problems

Problem

Sudden leaf collapse and rhizome softening

Cause

Ambient temperatures exceeding 25 C combined with saturated substrate

Fix

Move to a cooler room below 22 C and increase airflow while easing watering

Problem

Fading of blue iridescence and chocolate markings

Cause

Excessive light exposure breaking down shade-adapted pigment structures

Fix

Move to deep indirect shade below 150 foot-candles

Field Reference

In the Wild

Field Notes

12 September 2026

Field Notes: The Abor Expedition of 1911-1912

Begonia burkillii was discovered during the 1911-1912 Abor Expedition into the Himalayan foothills of Arunachal Pradesh by Isaac Henry Burkill. Stephen Troyte Dunn published the formal description in 1920 at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. In its native habitat, it clings to moss-covered rocks along shaded gorges where cool mountain air settles. The leaf exhibits structural iridescence, an optical feature that enhances photosynthesis under dim forest canopies.

Written at AroidAtlas research station— Aroid Atlas

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