Begonia boliviensis 'Red'

Begonia boliviensis is a plant in the begonia family, Begoniaceae, which was introduced to Europe in 1864 by Richard Pearce who discovered it in the Bolivian Andes, although the plant had previously been identified by Hugh Weddell in the same region but not introduced.

Begonia boliviensis is of special historical interest to gardeners, being one of the species used by John Seden in the production of the first hybrid tuberous begonia raised in England, B. × sedenii.

The plant originates from montane cloud forests on the eastern side of the Andes in Bolivia and Argentina. It is typically found in rock crevices and slopes near streams, where plant competition is low.

It was exhibited for the first time at the International Horticultural Show in Paris, in May 1867, when it attracted much attention from both botanists and horticulturists, "more than any other plant then brought to that magnificent exhibition."