Begonia ‘Alice Faye’

A registered Australian cane hybrid

Begonia ‘Alice Faye’ was raised by Lyla Kilpatrick in Western Australia in 1988 from ‘Lenore Olivier’ × Begonia hydrocotylifolia. The American Begonia Society registered the cultivar in 2022.

It arose directly from that horticultural cross and has no single wild locality. Its background is therefore horticultural, with ancestry from a cane hybrid and Begonia hydrocotylifolia.

Care for cane-forming foliage plants

Watering

Begonia ‘Alice Faye’ has a close network of fine roots supporting upright canes. Dense compost stays wet around the cane bases and becomes harder to water evenly as it ages. Water Begonia ‘Alice Faye’ when the upper layer of the substrate has dried while the centre of the root ball still feels faintly moist. On the plant, check the centre of the root ball as well as the surface.

Light

Place Begonia ‘Alice Faye’ beside a large east-facing window, or a short distance from a south or west window behind a sheer curtain. Protect the leaves from stronger direct sun, which increases the risk of scorch.

Temperature

Do not let leaves touch a winter pane or place the root ball in the path of an open-door draught.

Fertilising

Feed Begonia ‘Alice Faye’ with a balanced complete houseplant fertiliser at a low dose while it is actively making leaves or shoots. If the plant is flowering as well as extending its canes, keep the same dilute balanced feed and avoid switching to a high-phosphorus formula.

Common problems with Begonia ‘Alice Faye’

Large rounded leaves droop or fold down

Before watering, press the mix below the surface to check its moisture. If it is partly dry and the pot feels light, water thoroughly and let it drain. If the mix is wet and several leaves remain drooped, inspect the roots for rot or compaction.

A tall cane leans under the broad foliage

Begonia ‘Alice Faye’ develops taller, increasingly branched canes carrying medium to large rounded leaves. Add a loose support before a firm stem creases, or shorten an overlong cane just above a node. Cut back immediately if the bend is dark, wet or soft.

An older cane stays bare after leaf loss

Cane begonias may keep firm bare sections after older leaves fall. During active growth, shorten the cane above a healthy lower node to encourage branching and root the healthy top as a stem cutting. If the same stem keeps losing leaves, inspect its base for damage.

Dark, soft tissue at the cane base

Soft, wet or sour-smelling tissue indicates active stem decay. Follow the damage up the cane and cut where the inside is firm and healthy. Root the healthy top separately. Remove the affected base and inspect neighbouring canes and roots before the damage spreads.

Begonia ‘Alice Faye’ is toxic to people and pets

• Keep this plant away from children, cats and dogs.
• The roots and rhizomes contain the highest levels of soluble oxalates, and the sap can irritate skin.
• Chewing may cause mouth irritation, drooling, vomiting or stomach pain. Contact a veterinarian or medical professional if symptoms develop.

When was Begonia first published, and what does it mean?

Begonia honours Michel Bégon.

Carl Linnaeus established the genus Begonia in 1753 in Species Plantarum, page 1056.