Begonia dregei

It is a quite rare variety, whose name was chosen in honor of the German collector J.F. Drège, who first discovered it in South Africa, although it is also commonly known simply as "Maple Leaf Begonia". It has a swollen stem at the base like a caudex, from which numerous woody branches and leaves with serrated edges branch off with wonderful shades of emerald green on the upper surface and bright red on the lower one. Due to its appearance as a small tree that does not exceed 30 cm in height, it is often used as a bonsai to decorate indoor spaces. The eye-catching white summer flowers, in which the white of its two or five petals (depending on whether the flower is male or female) contrasts nicely with the large central yellow pistil, for a delicate and yet at the same time lively effect!