How To Turn A Simple Indoor Strawberry Begonia Plant Into A Beautiful Statement Piece

Although the strawberry begonia (Saxifraga stolonifera) is neither a type of strawberry plant nor a begonia, you can see where it gets its name from. It's beautiful, puffy heart-shaped leaves are textured and tactile, much like certain varieties of begonia, and its bright red runners spread just as quickly and prolifically as strawberry plants. This plant is often used in gardens as an easy to grow ground cover, but many of us also have these dotted around our homes in containers and hanging baskets. If you have one in your home, you can turn your strawberry begonia plant into a statement piece by letting it produce plantlets and letting them cascade. 

Strawberry begonias are one of the easiest houseplants to propagate, and this is because they love to multiply! Just like their strawberry namesakes, when these plants are outside in a garden bed, they create new plantlets that help the plant spread quickly. Grown inside with the ideal conditions, strawberry begonias are just as keen to produce plantlets. When they do, you can leave them on the plant to create a stunning, trailing appearance. Each plantlet will grow new foliage at the end of the bold, red runners, and the result is fascinating — kind of like a green jellyfish hanging out in your home. But if your strawberry begonia isn't producing plantlets, you need to ensure that it is happy and healthy.

If you are still waiting for the red, thread-like runners to emerge from the foliage of your strawberry begonia, you need to consider where your plant is located and if it is happy and in active growth. Your plant needs enough energy to produce its runners, which it gains from light, so place your strawberry begonia in a location with bright indirect light. You should also make sure that the temperature is around 50 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Vegetative propagation growth in plants, such as runners, is influenced by temperatures. A location that is either too cold or too hot for your strawberry begonia can impact its ability to send out its runners.

Getting your watering routine right can also help your strawberry begonia produce runners. These plants enjoy evenly moist soil, so water your plant deeply when the surface of the soil starts to feel dry. However, too much water or soil without decent drainage can lead the plant to suffer or get root rot, which will mean that it is not healthy enough to produce runners. Always water when needed, not on a schedule, to avoid overwatering. 

Finally, if your strawberry begonia is healthy, happy, and in the right conditions, you just might need to be patient! Plants go through developmental stages, with younger ones focusing more on growing leaves and roots rather than reproducing. So, if your strawberry begonia is young, give it time — soon it will send out runners to become that beautiful statement piece you want.