Begonia Thelmae
Quick Stats:
Care Level: Easy
Light: Shade to Part-Sun
Humidity: 60-100%
Plant Size: Medium-Small (8-12 cm)
Terrarium Size: 10 gallons minimum
Placement: On Soil/Terrestrial
Introduction to Begonia Thelmae
This cute Brazilian begonia is a great beginner plant, and it looks fantastic in terrariums! The small leaves are bronze and deep green with a layer of fuzz and bright green veins. The undersides of the leaves are cherry red. The typical maximum size for the entire plant is 8cm tall by 6cm wide. It gets quite bushy as it fills in. This means it makes a great foreground or mid ground plant. It also has a tendency to send growth out trailing downwards, so it would be content in a hanging or magnetic basket built in into the background of your vivarium! If happy, it will reward you with small white flowers.
Lighting, Watering, and Humidity Requirements:
Thelmae likes full to partial shade, with a slight preference towards more shaded areas. It prefers any artificial lighting to be 20-40cm away from its tallest point, so the leaves don’t burn or become discolored. It should be planted in potting soil or peat, or a mix of the two, for best root growth. Water this plant from above with purified water from a sprayer to prevent water spots on the leaves. Keep the soil moist but not soggy. If the soil can be formed into a ball that retains its shape and doesn’t drip when squeezed, this is perfect. Like most begonias, this plant doesn’t like its roots waterlogged so don’t plant it in a water feature, but it does adore humidity in the air and is fine with very minimal drying-out periods between watering. This makes it excellent for dart frog terrariums or other humidity-loving species. It is also safe for all commonly kept reptiles and amphibians.
Terrarium Placement:
Thelmae should be planted loosely in substrate, with enough room for the roots to spread. To avoid a need to frequently repot, choose a pot that is double the depth of the greenery if you’d like to pot it (or put it in a cork round!). It can also be coaxed into climbing by a gentle hand. Since it likes to be 20-40cm away from the light source, if you choose to hang it in a basket or have it climb, you may need to do so from less than half the height of the terrarium. It’s also perfectly happy planted in the substrate at the bottom of the terrarium. As stated above, avoid excessively soggy soil, as it may cause root rot. Other than that, it can go anywhere you’d like as long as some shade is provided. It would be happiest peeking out from under an overhang to hide it from the light, or in the shade of a larger plant. It responds well to pruning of the stems and leaves if it gets too large and will look best off to the side, in the mid ground, or in the background if you’re only using small plants.
Maintenance and Seasonal Care:
This begonia does bloom seasonally, offering delicate, fuzzy white flowers between April and July in the wild. In your terrarium, if kept content, it may flower year round or in short bursts. It grows slowly and is exceptionally hardy, making it a great choice for keepers of every skill level. It is fine with pruning and will tolerate even the heaviest hand as long as lighting and watering requirements are met.
Cool Facts:
-This Begonia has small leaves compared to its relatives, which makes it excellent for terrariums.
-The leaves of Thelmae grow directly above each other, like shingles!
-If you tweak your lighting juuuust right, you can make the fuzz on the leaves shimmer.
