Gardening - Begonia Escargot


Begonia rex ‘Escargot’ is attractive and hardy. The name rex implies that it is difficult and possibly might eat you if you if you made yourself visible, but nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, this might just be the perfect house plant, as it resists diseases and insects. It handles all but the worst neglect.
Begonia rex ‘Escargot’ gets its name from the unique way that the leaf curls in on itself, creating a spiral effect that resembles the shell of a snail. Someone in marketing was definitely thinking when they devised the more sophisticated name of ‘Escargot’ over the less catchy "snail begonia". The name sells the plant, because as soon as I heard about it - I wanted it.
The deeply spiraled leaves of Begonia rex 'Escargot', marked in bands of silver and green, are the hallmark of this hybrid that drew quite an audience when it was launched.

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