Begonia cucullata
wax begonia

Non-Native in Florida

Wax begonia is an ornamental, stepping out of bounds. If the above pics had been taken in South America, where this plant is from, all would have been fine. But these pics were taken in a Florida road-side ditch, miles into the country. They were growing in water, surrounded by another non-native plant, taro (Colocasia esculenta).

Wax begonia is occasionally found in parts of the "northern and central peninsula west to central panhandle" (Wunderlin 1998). It is recorded in Florida and Georgia (Kartesz 1999).

The UF/IFAS Assessment lists plants according to their invasive status in Florida. View the list here.

Click here to see the herbarium specimen image of the UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA HERBARIUM DIGITAL IMAGING PROJECTS.