Begonia Iron Cross
Begonia Iron Cross, scientifically known as Begonia masoniana ‘Iron Cross’, also known as Iron Cross Begonia or Mason’s Begonia, is one of the most instantly recognizable foliage begonias in cultivation. Native to southern China and northern Vietnam and introduced to cultivation in 1955, this striking plant is famed for its bright green, heavily textured leaves marked with a bold reddish-brown cross-shaped pattern reminiscent of the German Iron Cross. The leaf surface is bullate—covered in raised, blister-like bumps tipped with fine, scabrous points—giving it a dramatic, almost prehistoric texture. An evergreen, rhizomatous perennial, Begonia ‘Iron Cross’ has earned the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit, making it both a collector’s favourite and a proven ornamental performer.
Description
Begonia Iron Cross, scientifically known as Begonia masoniana ‘Iron Cross’, also known as Iron Cross Begonia or Mason’s Begonia, is one of the most instantly recognizable foliage begonias in cultivation. Native to southern China and northern Vietnam and introduced to cultivation in 1955, this striking plant is famed for its bright green, heavily textured leaves marked with a bold reddish-brown cross-shaped pattern reminiscent of the German Iron Cross. The leaf surface is bullate—covered in raised, blister-like bumps tipped with fine, scabrous points—giving it a dramatic, almost prehistoric texture. An evergreen, rhizomatous perennial, Begonia ‘Iron Cross’ has earned the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit, making it both a collector’s favourite and a proven ornamental performer.
