Halloween Ready, With Fiercely Good Looks: The Fierce Begonia

We all have our favorite holidays; Halloween is not one of mine. But that doesn’t mean I don’t decorate for it. And this year, I have a fiercely perfect plant to use for this purpose: Begonia ferox, or the Fierce Begonia.

Most years in October, I find myself filling pumpkins with mums, using cascading plants as green “hairdos” to grace funny jack-o’-lantern faces, and marveling at weirdly attractive plants such as the Venus Flytrap. But this year, I have to say that all I really need for making the most of October’s funky holiday is one collector-worthy Begonia: Begonia ferox.

Now, I love Begonias for their ease of care. They are tropical and succulent, needing warmth and good humidity and loving some high-quality liquid fertilizer. But they typically don’t need much more. Some are all about the flowers; others have foliage that is their selling point. The Fierce Begonia belongs in the latter category, with foliage that is like nothing most people have seen. 

Blistered leaves: The foliage of Begonia ferox is what is called “bullated” foliage… blistered, with nooks and crannies that develop as the leaves mature. This means that immature leaves first look like your everyday smooth and green foliage, nothing too far from what we would expect. A little maturity creates ripples in those green leaves, with the ripples eventually developing into fairly significant craters and raised portions. Then, KAZOWEE! The deep craters begin to show small, dark cones…. Cones!

Are these cones in the shape of Halloween-worthy hats…? You know the kind I mean, the kind of hats that go well with brooms fit for transport. Well, to push the point of the Halloween-worthiness of Begonia ferox… sure. But plant lovers are always surprised to find that these little low-lying cones are not spiky or sharp at all. They are fierce in looks only.

The Fierce Begonia adds to the fierceness of its looks with tiny hairs that emerge from the little cones which are part of its foliage. Is the overall look off-putting? Not in the least. You can play up all the oddities of the Fierce Begonia throughout the spooky season, and then once Halloween passes, I assure you that you will be left with a rather stunning and unusual collector’s piece of a plant.

Begonia ferox really does have a fierce beauty. Decorative bullation, attractive green plus rich brownish tones, a good shine to the foliage: The Fierce Begonia is actually truly eye-catching. On a plant table in a spot with significant humidity or in a terrarium amid other unusual specimen plants, the Fierce Begonia will serve you well all year. It is a rare Begonia that many have not yet seen, and plant collectors who have seen it want it.

I share my Halloween-related thoughts about Begonia ferox at the risk of making light of a plant that truly is a collector’s piece, a rare beauty that plant lovers and Begonia lovers in particular absolutely love. But my words are actually shared in love. I think Begonia ferox is incredible. If this October holiday were not looming, I would take its looks as wild, fiercely attractive, and somehow rich due to its coloration. I would want this plant in a visible section of a plant display, with prime seating all year long.

Fierce beauty. All amusing connections aside, that is what Begonia ferox, the Fierce Begonia has. Have some fun with it in October, and then marvel at it for the rest of the year. Rare, unusual, eye-catching: Begonia ferox is quite a plant.