Begonia leaf drop

Firm stems and living buds give a begonia a chance to replace fallen leaves. A soft crown, collapsing stems, or sour wet mix requires treating damage rather than simply waiting after a move.

Firm stems

Check for a recent cold trip, changed light, or a dry root ball. Restore appropriate bright filtered light and water evenly when the upper mix starts drying. Some tuberous begonias lose their tops as they enter seasonal dormancy; identify the type before treating all leaf loss alike.

Soft stems

Remove collapsed growth with clean tools and inspect roots. Preserve sound stem or leaf cuttings only using a propagation method suited to that begonia. Discard tissue that is soft through its base.