Begonia 'Sterling Moon' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
Sterling Moon Rex Begonia

Begonia 'Sterling Moon'

£21.99
Overwinter under coverShade-tolerantEvergreen
Pot size
17cm / 2L £21.99

FREE tracked delivery on orders over £60

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Description

Few foliage plants stop you in your tracks quite like Begonia 'Sterling Moon'. This is a rex begonia at its most theatrical, with broad, asymmetric leaves washed in moonlit silver and outlined by inky, near-black veins and margins. The effect is metallic and almost luminous in shade, lifting dim corners of a patio or shaded courtyard where flowering plants struggle to perform. Grown for its leaves rather than its modest pale pink blooms, it brings the lush, jewel-box quality of a rare houseplant out into the summer garden.

Why you'll love it

  • Striking silver and dark green foliage with real architectural presence
  • Compact, clump-forming habit, perfect for pots and shaded displays
  • Thrives in the shade where many exotics will not
  • Doubles as a covetable houseplant once the season cools

As a tender rex begonia, Sterling Moon is best treated as a patio plant for the warmer months and a houseplant for the rest of the year. Stand it outside once nights stay reliably above about 10C, choosing a sheltered, shaded position out of harsh midday sun, which can scorch and bleach those prized silvered leaves. A north, east or west-facing spot with bright, indirect light keeps the markings at their boldest. Grow it in a free-draining, peat-free or loam-based compost with added perlite or bark, and water when the top of the compost feels dry, keeping the rootball lightly moist but never soggy. It loves a little humidity, so summer days outdoors suit it perfectly.

Expect a neat plant of roughly 20-30 cm tall and 25-40 cm across, ideal for a feature pot, a shaded table display or a sheltered doorstep. Because it is not frost hardy (RHS H1c), bring it back indoors or under heated glass well before the first autumn frosts, keeping it above 10-15C through winter. Please note that, like all begonias, it is toxic if eaten and can be harmful to cats, dogs and horses, so site it thoughtfully.

If you have searched for a standout rex begonia or a more unusual hardy begonia alternative for shade, Sterling Moon delivers drama in a small footprint. Every plant is nursery-grown and hand-selected for healthy roots and strong, well-marked foliage, ready to settle in and shine.

Live Arrival Guarantee

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, and every plant is checked before it ships. On the rare occasion something is not right on arrival, we will make it good, provided the plant is still in its original nursery pot.

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What to Expect

Seasonal by nature: what to expect

  • Grown outdoors, the way nature intended. Weather-tested and hardened in real UK conditions, so they thrive in your garden. A few marks on the older leaves are normal, the sign of a tough, real plant rather than a flaw.
  • It follows the seasons. Depending on when you order, your plant may arrive cut back, dormant or leafless. That's healthy: dormancy is the ideal time to plant.
  • Posted, not posed. Big leafy plants like bananas and gingers may be trimmed or gently folded to travel safely. It does the plant no harm, and it powers away again in spring.

Not sure what to expect from yours? Dormant, cut-back or weather-marked plants are all perfectly healthy and normal. Read what to expect through the seasons

Delivery & returns

Order by 1pm Monday to Friday for same day dispatch. Every plant travels in protective, plant-safe packaging with tracked delivery.

Changed your mind? See our Return Policy.

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How to care for Sterling Moon Rex Begonia

Give me sun with a little shade and bring me under cover before the frosts.

In their words

What our customers say

Arrived just like the photos - maybe even fuller. Healthy, well-acclimated, and straight into my collection with no issues.

Emily P.

Flawless leaves, stunning variegation, and clearly cared for by experts. It’s already a talking point in my home office.

James R.

Hard to find rare plants that are pet-safe. Ours arrived in perfect condition and looks amazing without any worry.

Sophie L.
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About Sterling Moon Rex Begonia

Begonia 'Sterling Moon' needs partial shade and moist but well-drained soil. It is frost tender and must come under cover for winter.

Good for

Architectural Exotic Borders Shade

Hardiness

TenderVery hardy

Tender (H2): down to around 1°C. Tolerates cool conditions but not frost; protect or bring in over winter.

Not frost hardy (RHS H1c), so Sterling Moon is grown as a tender patio and houseplant. Stand it outdoors in a shaded, sheltered spot once nights are reliably above about 10C, then bring it back under glass or indoors well before the first autumn frosts. Read moreShow less

Not frost hardy (RHS H1c), so Sterling Moon is grown as a tender patio and houseplant. Stand it outdoors in a shaded, sheltered spot once nights are reliably above about 10C, then bring it back under glass or indoors well before the first autumn frosts.

Position

Partial shadeNorth-facingEast-facingWest-facingSheltered
Best in bright shade or dappled, indirect light. Keep it out of harsh midday sun, which scorches and bleaches the silvered leaves, and avoid deep gloom, which dulls the markings. Read moreShow less

Best in bright shade or dappled, indirect light. Keep it out of harsh midday sun, which scorches and bleaches the silvered leaves, and avoid deep gloom, which dulls the markings.

Soil

LoamMoist but well-drainedAcid pHNeutral pH
Grow in a free-draining, peat-free houseplant or loam-based compost with added perlite or fine bark. It dislikes heavy, waterlogged soil and prefers a slightly acid to neutral mix. Read moreShow less

Grow in a free-draining, peat-free houseplant or loam-based compost with added perlite or fine bark. It dislikes heavy, waterlogged soil and prefers a slightly acid to neutral mix.

Watering

Water when the top couple of centimetres of compost feel dry, keeping the rootball lightly moist but never sodden, and ease off in winter. It enjoys humidity, so summer days outdoors or a humidity tray indoors suit it well; avoid wetting the foliage. Read moreShow less

Water when the top couple of centimetres of compost feel dry, keeping the rootball lightly moist but never sodden, and ease off in winter. It enjoys humidity, so summer days outdoors or a humidity tray indoors suit it well; avoid wetting the foliage.

Mature size

Height20-30 cm
Spread25-40 cm

Reaches full size in 1-2 years

Growth habit

Clump-forming

Flowering

Jun-Sep · Pink

Seasonal colour

Foliage

Evergreen (stays evergreen only when kept frost-free over winter)

Pruning

Grown for its foliage. Pick off faded or damaged leaves through the season, and cut spent growth back to the crown after frost; keep it frost-free over winter and it will reshoot in spring.

Toxicity

Toxic if eaten; harmful to cats, dogs and horses (contains soluble calcium oxalates, most concentrated in the underground parts); sap may irritate skin

Native range

Garden origin (Rex cultivar; parent species native to NE India and the eastern Himalaya)

Family

Begoniaceae

Also known as

Begonia 'Sterling Moon'

Genus

Begonia →
Good to know

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Begonia 'Sterling Moon' hardy in the UK?

No, it is a tender Rex-type begonia (RHS H1c) that cannot survive frost. Treat it as a patio plant for summer and overwinter it indoors or under heated glass at a minimum of around 10-15C.

Where is the best place to grow it?

Give it bright but indirect light in a sheltered, shaded spot, whether that is a north or east-facing patio corner in summer or a bright windowsill out of direct sun indoors. Too much sun fades the silvery markings and too little dulls them.

How big does Sterling Moon get?

It stays compact, typically reaching around 20-30 cm tall and 25-40 cm across, which makes it ideal for pots, shaded containers and shady patio displays.

Is it grown for its flowers or its leaves?

Mainly for its foliage. The shimmering silver leaves edged and veined in dark green are the star turn; it may throw up small pale pink flowers, but these are a modest bonus rather than the main feature.

Is this begonia safe around pets?

No, like other begonias it is toxic if eaten and can be harmful to cats, dogs and horses, with the most concentrated compounds in the underground parts. Keep it out of reach of curious pets and children.

Does my plant come with a pot?
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.
How big will my plant be when it arrives?
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.
What makes your plants different from the supermarket or garden centre?
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.
What should I do when my plant arrives?
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.
Will my plant survive being shipped?
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.
Meet the family

Everything about Begonia

Begonias are among the most beloved houseplants for their vibrant colours and unique foliage. Whether you’re a seasoned plant enthusiast or a beginner, learning how to care for your Begonia can ensure it thrives for years. This guide will take you through...

More about Begonia care
Begonia Care Guide
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Packaged with Care

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Backed by our Live Arrival Guarantee.

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Begonia 'Sterling Moon'
£21.99