Begonia dregei Variegated
Variegated Dwarf Grape Begonia
Typical UK price
£9
Limited data
Price by size
- Sold, 90 days
- 1
- Middle half
- -
- Last sold
- 3 Sep 2026
- On record
- 2
Cutting/cormEstimate
7cm1 sold
12cmEstimate
MatureEstimate
- Sale
- Typical
- Middle half
- Estimate
for a 7cm pot
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About Begonia dregei Variegated
A variegated sport of the caudiform South African species, sold as cuttings rather than caudex divisions. Buyers should confirm variegation is present on mature growth rather than juvenile leaves only. Begonia dregei Variegated shares the same underlying form and growth habit as Begonia dregei (small, asymmetrical, rounded to ovate leaves with shallow lobing and crenate margins on swollen caudex base, slender multibranched stems above growth), with cream-white marbled variegation across the small, rounded, crenate-margined leaves, contrasting with the reddish stems and swollen caudex base.
Native range
Variegated colour-break cultivar of Begonia dregei, South Africa (rocky slopes and forest margins, eastern South Africa)
Classification
- Genus
- Begonia
- Family
- Begoniaceae
- Type
- Variegated
- Growth habit
- Caudiform, multibranched shrubby
- Form of
- Begonia dregei
Morphology
- Leaf shape
- Small, asymmetrical, rounded to ovateEgg-shaped leaves, with the wider end near the base. with shallow lobing and crenate margins
- Leaf length
- 3-8 cm
- Leaf width
- 3-7 cm
- Petiole colour
- Reddish, unaffected by leaf variegation
- Venation
- Visible palmate venation on small blades
- Texture
- Thin to semi-coriaceous
- Variegation
- chimericVariegation caused by a cell mutation. Often produces high contrast but can be unstable and revert to all-green. cream-white marbled variegation on an otherwise plain green species
- Growth habit
- Swollen caudex base, slender multibranched stems above
Recent UK sales
For sale in the UK
By month
| Month | Median | Sold |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 2026 | £9 | 1 |
| May 2026 | £11 | 1 |
Before you buy
- Check the caudex is firm, not soft — the main failure point on this species
- Don't mistake seasonal leaf drop for a dying plant; ask the seller whether it's recently been through a dry rest
- Confirm the substrate isn't waterlogged at the point of sale, a common and avoidable stress on this species
- It tolerates handling and transport better than the thin-leaved terrarium begonias, so condition on arrival is a fair indicator of how it's been grown
Begonia dregei Variegated care
- Substrate
- A gritty, fast-draining mix — 50% coarse perlite or pumice, 30% potting compost, 20% coarse grit — closer to a succulent mix than the leafier begonias' blend. Standing moisture around the caudex is the main risk.
- Watering
- Allow the substrate to dry out fully between waterings, and reduce further over winter dormancy. This is the one begonia in the collection that's more often overwatered than under.
- Humidity
- Average room humidity, 40-60%, is fine — unlike most begonias in this collection, dregei doesn't need misting or a humid cabinet.
- Feeding
- Feed lightly during active growth only — a quarter-strength balanced fertiliser once a month — and stop entirely once the plant slows down or drops leaves for its dry-season rest.
- Repotting
- Repot only when it has clearly outgrown its pot, using a container just slightly larger than the root and caudex mass. Terracotta suits it better than glazed or plastic, since it lets the mix dry faster.
Common problems
Caudex rot
Cause: Substrate that stays damp, particularly over winter
Fix: Cut back watering immediately and check the mix is draining freely; repot into a grittier mix if water is pooling
Leaf drop mistaken for decline
Cause: A normal seasonal dry-period response
Fix: Reduce watering further rather than increasing it — the plant is resting, not dying
Leggy, stretched growth
Cause: Insufficient light
Fix: Move to a brighter spot; dregei tolerates more direct light than the shade-loving forest-floor begonias
Gear for this plant
- Natural Rooting Powder, 3 x 75gRooting hormone powder for stem and leaf cuttings.
- Precision Bonsai Pruning Scissors, 200mmFine-bladed snips for clean node cuts when taking a cutting.
- Digital Hygrometer & ThermometerLCD humidity and temperature gauge for checking a grow spot against a plant's target range.
How to propagate Begonia dregei Variegated
- Methods
- Leaf cutting, Stem cutting, Rhizome division. Step-by-step guide
- Difficulty
- Easy. Forgiving of missed waterings, average home humidity, and imperfect light. A solid pick for beginners or low-fuss collections.
- Time to establish
- 3-5 months
- True from cuttings
- Yes. Cuttings keep the cultivar's character.
- Notes
- Propagates from stem cuttings taken in the growing season and left to callus for a day before potting into a gritty, fast-draining mix; leaf cuttings are slower and less reliable on this drier-growing species than on the genus's forest-floor relatives.