Begonia bowerae

Eyelash Begonia, Miniature Begonia

Native to the tropical forests of Oaxaca and Chiapas in southern Mexico, Begonia bowerae is a compact rhizomatous begonia grown for its emerald green leaves, which are marked with chocolate-brown blotches and edged with fine white bristles — the distinctive 'eyelashes' that give it its common name. It spreads via a creeping rhizome and builds into a low, mounding form, making it an effective groundcover in a closed terrarium. One of the more forgiving begonias to keep, it tolerates lower light and does well in the steady warmth and humidity of an enclosed setup.