Rex Begonia
Begonia rex 'Lima Love'
Rex Begonia
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£15.99
£15.99
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£20.00
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New to this plant? See how to care for it
Begonia rex 'Lima Love' is a compact, foliage rex begonia grown for its vivid, heart-shaped leaves. Each leaf is a bright lime green, dramatically veined and centred with deep burgundy-red, and the overlapping foliage builds into a neat, bushy mound. It is one of the most colourful and collectable rex begonias you can grow indoors, bringing bold pattern and colour to a bright shelf or windowsill.
Origins
Rex begonias are cultivated hybrids descended from Begonia rex, a species native to the humid forests of eastern Asia and hugely popular with Victorian plant collectors for its ornamental foliage. 'Lima Love' is a modern selection from the Beleaf series, bred for its bright lime-and-red colouring and neat, compact habit.
Soil and Substrate
Rex begonias have fine roots and dislike sitting wet, so they do best in a light, free-draining mix. Our Simply Houseplant Potting Mix is peat-free and airy, giving the roots the drainage they need while holding gentle moisture. Discover more in our Begonia collection.
Care
Give Lima Love bright, indirect light, warmth and high humidity, and water carefully at the base, letting the top of the soil dry slightly between waterings. Keep water off the crown and leaves to avoid rot, and expect growth to slow over winter as the plant rests.
Water
Water carefully at the base of the plant, keeping the soil lightly moist but never soggy, and let the top of the soil dry slightly between waterings. Rex begonias have fine roots that rot quickly if left standing in water. Try to keep water off the crown and leaves, as trapped moisture on the foliage can lead to rot and mildew.
Light
Give your Lima Love bright, indirect light to keep its lime-green and deep burgundy markings bold and well defined. Avoid direct sun, which will scorch and fade the delicate foliage. A spot near an east or north-facing window, or just back from a brighter one, is ideal.
Humidity
Rex begonias love high humidity and look their best at around 50 to 60% or more. A naturally humid spot such as a bathroom or kitchen suits them well, or group plants together and use a humidifier in drier homes. Avoid misting the leaves directly, as lingering water on the foliage can cause spotting and rot.
Temperature
Keep your Lima Love warm and steady, ideally between 18°C and 26°C. Protect it from cold draughts and avoid temperatures below 15°C. It may slow down or go semi-dormant over winter, which is perfectly normal, so ease back on watering until fresh growth appears in spring.
Begonia Care Guide
Read the full care guide →-
Lima Love is a Rex Begonia grown for its striking foliage rather than its flowers. Each heart-shaped leaf is a vivid lime green, patterned with deep burgundy-red veins and darker central markings, and the plant forms a neat, bushy mound as the leaves overlap.
It is part of the Beleaf series of rex begonias and stays compact, making it a colourful, collectable choice for a bright shelf or windowsill. You can browse the rest of our Begonia collection here.
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Rex begonias are a little fussier than an average houseplant, mainly because they like high humidity and are sensitive to overwatering. Get those two things right and Lima Love is very rewarding.
Water at the base and let the top of the soil dry slightly between waterings, keep water off the crown and leaves, and give it a warm, humid, brightly lit spot out of direct sun. Do not worry if growth slows over winter, as these begonias can go semi-dormant and will pick up again in spring.
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Lima Love is a compact rex begonia that typically reaches around 30cm tall with a similar spread, forming a rounded, bushy shape as the overlapping leaves fill out. This makes it perfectly suited to a shelf, desk or windowsill where its colourful foliage can be seen up close.
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No, rex begonias are toxic if eaten, so Lima Love is best kept out of reach of curious pets and small children. The most toxic part is below the soil, but it is safest to position the plant somewhere it will not be nibbled.
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Your plant will arrive in its nursery grow pot — the plastic pot it's been growing in. We don't include a decorative pot as standard, and there's a good reason for that: it means you get to choose one that fits your space and style, rather than being stuck with something that doesn't suit your home.
It also means you're not paying extra for a pot you might not want. The nursery pot is perfectly fine to keep your plant in for a while, just pop it inside a decorative cover pot or cache pot and you're good to go. When you're ready to repot (usually after a growing season or when roots start poking out the bottom), you can move it into something more permanent with fresh soil.
If you're not sure what size cover pot to go for, check the pot selector tool listed above, you'll want a decorative pot that's a centimetre or two wider than that to give it a comfortable fit. -
Every plant on our site includes the pot size (e.g. 12cm) and, where possible, an approximate height. That's the most reliable way to set your expectations, photos can sometimes make a plant look larger or smaller than it really is.
If you're thinking "that sounds quite small for the price," here's something worth knowing: younger, smaller plants almost always adapt better to your home than larger ones. They adjust faster to your light and humidity, put out new growth more quickly, and tend to establish stronger root systems long-term. A plant that grows into your space will usually outperform one that was already big when it arrived.
That said, every plant is an individual. The one you receive may vary slightly in height, shape, or fullness compared to the photo, that's the nature of living things, not a quality issue. We select healthy, well-established specimens, and if you ever feel your plant doesn't match what you were expecting, just get in touch and we'll take a look. -
There's a big difference between a plant that's been sitting under on a retail shelf and one that's been looked after and cared for by people who specialise in exactly this.
Our plants are grown in house or sourced from specialist nurseries, many of them varieties you simply won't find at your local garden centre or supermarket. Before anything leaves us, it's checked over by our horticultural team to make sure it's healthy, well-rooted, and ready to thrive in your home. We're not shifting volume off a pallet, we're choosing plants we'd want to keep ourselves.
When you buy from a supermarket, you get a plant and a generic care label. When you buy from us, you get the knowledge that comes with it, detailed care guidance, a team you can actually contact if something isn't going right, and the confidence that what's arriving has been looked after properly from the moment it was grown to the moment it reaches your door.
We're a specialist nursery first, not a retailer that happens to sell plants. That's the difference, and you'll see it the moment you open the box. -
First things first, unbox it as soon as you can. Plants don't love being in dark boxes any more than you would, and the sooner yours is out and breathing, the better.
Remove all the packaging carefully, give the soil a check with your finger, and water lightly if it feels dry. Then find it a spot with appropriate light, but avoid putting it straight into harsh direct sun or next to a radiator. Think of it like arriving somewhere new after a long journey: it needs a moment to adjust.
It's completely normal for your plant to look a little tired or droopy after transit. This is called transit stress, and most plants bounce back within a week or two. You might see a yellow leaf or some drooping, don't panic, and resist the urge to overwater or start repotting straight away.
Our advice for the first couple of weeks: leave it in its nursery pot, water it only when the top layer of soil feels dry, and let it acclimatise to your home's light, temperature, and humidity. Once it's settled in and showing signs of new growth, you can think about repotting or moving it to its permanent spot.
Every plant we sell comes with a care guide on the product page so you'll know exactly what it needs going forward. And if anything doesn't look right, get in touch with our team, we're always happy to help. -
Yes! and we go to serious lengths to make sure of it. Every plant is hand-packed by our team with protective wrapping and secure, custom-designed boxes to keep it stable and safe in transit. We've shipped hundreds of thousands of plants across the UK and our packaging methods have been refined over years to handle the bumps and jolts of delivery.
During colder months, we monitor weather forecasts and offer heat packs where needed to protect against frost. In extreme conditions, we may hold your order for a day or two rather than risk sending it out, we'd rather you wait an extra day than receive a stressed plant.
That said, plants are living things, and the occasional transit wobble can happen. If your plant arrives damaged or isn't in the condition you'd expect, just get in touch within 48 hours with a photo, and we'll make it right, whether that's a replacement or a full refund. No fuss.
The short version: we treat every box like it's going to someone who really cares about what's inside, because it is.
All plants are covered by our 7-day live arrival guarantee. We pack every order in protective, sustainable packaging designed to keep your plants safe in transit. Whether grown in our own nursery or sourced from trusted partner growers, every plant is checked before it ships. On the rare occasion something isn't right on arrival, we'll make it good, provided the plant is still in its original nursery pot.
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