Begonia Leaves Dropping?

5 years ago

I recently got this begonia and it was doing really well for a while, but recently it's started to drop a lot of leaves. I tried moving it to a shadier spot and then moved it back onto sun and nothing has helped. I have also regulated its water schedule and don't water until soil is completely dry (about once a week). I'm thinking it might be sun scorch but am not positive. Does anyone have any advice? Additionally, does anyone know what type of begonia this is? It was given to me by a friend who didn't know what type it was.

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hc mcdole

5 years ago

Coleus are excellent companions for begonias and the seeds dropped have naturalized in my backyard (often get several the next year coming up).

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Comments (14)

ele0101
Original Author
5 years ago
This is a photo of the fallen leaves:
floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
5 years ago
Your plant isn’t a begonia. I believe it’s a Coleus aka Solenostemon but it could possibly be Perilla.
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ele0101
Original Author
5 years ago
Thank you!! I was starting to believe it wasn't a begonia after extensive research and being unable to find any photos of begonias that resembled this one. I put too much trust in my friend! Coleus is a perfect match, thanks for the help. Now if anyone knows why these leaves are dropping...
daxeek
5 years ago
Coleus likes moist (but not soggy) soil. Water it before it dries out completely. If it gets hours of direct sun, it could be a combination of too much sun and not enough water to help the plant withstand it.

Does its pot have a drainage hole?
ele0101
Original Author
5 years ago
It doesn't, but the pot is made of unfinished plaster, so I thought excess water could be absorbed by the pot itself. Do you think I should drill one in? That makes sense though! I'm going to move it a bit farther from the window and water more often and see how it does.
daxeek
5 years ago
If drilling is possible without breaking the pot, yeah! Most plants prefer to have drainage holes, and Coleus is definitely one of those. Having excess water sitting in your pot can lead to root rot.
ele0101
Original Author
5 years ago
Thanks! Will try to drill the hole.
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
5 years ago
If it is outside, the leaf drop is completely natural. Coleus are very sensitive to colder temperatures and once night time temps drop below 50F, the plants will start declining and begin to drop foliage rapidly. If you want to overwinter, you can bring inside and grow as houseplant until it is warm enough next spring to move back outside.
Sophia Elizabeth
5 years ago
Definitely a coleus- I’ve been looking for a coleus “inferno”- the leaf color on coleus is awesome! And yes they like shadier spots. The dry-ness I see on some of the tips of your fallen leaves makes me wonder if he needs a little more humidity in the air? Houses are very dry this time of year, I won’t be surprised if I have to add a humidifier myself for all my Pilea plants :( I see that dry-crinkly-ness on the edges of my Pilea Dark Mystery and silver cloud when I don’t mist them enough and then they will drop the affected leaf. Coleus May be different though of course!
Sophia Elizabeth
5 years ago
Hc McDole- omg those plants are absolutely gorgeous I’m jealous!!!!
Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
5 years ago
Compare to 'Henna' Coleus, specifically.

The PH of the unsealed plaster could be contributing to this plants' unhappiness.

Coleus like moist soil, high temps & at least some direct sun. The farther north one goes, the weaker the rays become, so an hour of Alaska winter sun is probably similar to 15 mins of winter exposure in FL. Anyone who needs to bring Coleus inside to protect from cold will see the best results by putting them in their most sunny available spots, as long as those spots don't get cold enough for frost.

If you are nervous, trim a stem or two and stick it in a jar of water. Put in sunny windowsill & make sure it doesn't go dry. That's the primary way I've been saving Coleus for decades, in OH at first, and now in AL. I like to have at least 50 in my yard over summer.
Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
5 years ago
Forgot pics.

2 that looked especially great this summer. Where the cuttings came from last weekend, in the 1st pic I put.
tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Tight roots will cause the pom pon or poodle look with most of the foliage concentrated near terminal buds at the ends of stem/branches. Also, I'd be very concerned about high pH (because of the lime content of the plaster used to mold the pot) if I was trying to grow anything considered even mildly ericacious.

Al