Jane's Indoor Begonia and Succulent
An Apalachin, New York, gardener shares her indoor collection of begonias, succulents, and cacti, along with her care tips and favorite plants.
Jane, a longtime GPOD contributor from Apalachin, New York, has been gardening indoors since the 1970s. Her large collection focuses on succulents, cacti, and begonias, displayed creatively with travel mementos.
She uses a three-tiered lighted plant stand purchased about 25 years ago to house much of her succulent and cactus collection. Supplemental light helps maintain the plants through colder months. Jane enjoys planting succulents in bonsai containers, decorating them with stones and shells from her travels.
Begonia Care and Varieties
Jane overwinters her begonias on a wrought-iron stand in front of a sunny window. Some smaller plants go into old fish tanks that act as terrariums. In summer, the iron stand moves outdoors under an awning, where the begonias thrive in the humidity.
She grows several named varieties, each with distinct characteristics. The following table details the begonias mentioned in her collection.
| Begonia Variety | Type / Key Features | USDA Hardiness Zones |
|---|---|---|
| 'Lime Fever' eyelash begonia (Begonia bowerae 'Lime Fever') | Chartreuse leaves with dark markings, fine 'eyelash' hairs | 10-11 |
| 'Marmaduke' (Begonia 'Marmaduke') | Rex begonia, rhizomatous, known for colorful foliage | 10-11 |
| 'Cracklin Rosie' (Begonia 'Cracklin Rosie') | Cane-type, upright bamboo-like stems, dark leaves | 10-11 |
| 'Snowcap' (Begonia 'Snowcap') | Grows below 'Cracklin Rosie' on the stand | 10-11 |
Jane cuts back her 'Cracklin Rosie' begonia each winter. She roots the stem cuttings and sells the young plants at her annual Master Gardener plant sale.
Succulents, Cacti, and Special Specimens
Jane states she has never met a succulent she didn't like. Her collection includes euphorbias and echeverias paired with stones from her travels.
One favorite is a yellow crown of thorns (Euphorbia milii, Zones 10-12). Jane says it proved particularly resilient after falling from her second-story deck. The plant bounced right back. Its pale yellow structures are colorful bracts surrounding much smaller true flowers.
She creates themed plantings. A warm-toned echeveria is paired with stones collected in Sedona, Arizona. Blue-gray echeveria rosettes share a container with shells from Mexico. Stones from Petrified Forest National Park adorn a cactus container.
A Long-Term Bloomer
A standout specimen is a carrion flower (Stapelia gigantea, Zones 9-10). Jane has grown it since purchasing it from a closing greenhouse in 1979. She says it blooms only about every five years. Each flower is an event.
The five-pointed blooms can reach up to 16 inches across. They mimic the smell of decaying flesh to attract pollinating flies. When the plant decides to bloom, Jane moves it outside to spare her house from the smell.
