Temperature
50–75°F
Keep away from winter window glass and heating vents.
Strawberry begonia
Saxifraga stolonifera
Strawberry begonia wants medium light and water every 5 to 10 days, once the top inch is dry. Non-toxic to cats and dogs.
Light
Medium
LowMediumBright indirectDirect
A north or east window within four feet. It is neither a begonia nor a geranium, and it wants cooler conditions than either.
Water
Every 5–10 days
Baseline for a 6-inch pot indoors. Check first: water when the top inch is dry, not on a schedule.
Humidity
45% and up
Wants 60%. Struggles in dry winter air.
Difficulty
Easy
Scores 2 of 5: Scores 2 of 5: it throws out runners with plantlets on the end exactly like a strawberry, which makes it the easiest plant here to propagate. It prefers a cool room and sulks above 75°F.
Habit
Spreading
Grows to 6–12 inches. No support needed.
Non-toxic to cats and dogs
Eating a large amount of any plant can still cause mild stomach upset.
Detail for cats → Detail for dogs →
What each authority says
- ASPCA
- No record page found under any name tested.
- NC State Extension
- Entry exists and records no poison data.
Light
Medium light. A north or east window within four feet. It is neither a begonia nor a geranium, and it wants cooler conditions than either.
Water
Every 5 to 10 days in a 6-inch pot, when the top inch is dry.
Treat the interval as a starting point and the test as the actual instruction. Pot size, light level and season all move the number.
| Method | keep evenly moist |
|---|---|
| Test before watering | the top inch is dry |
Soil and potting
Two parts potting soil, one part perlite.
Repot roughly every 1.5 years, or when roots come through the drainage holes and water runs straight through without absorbing.
Common problems
Ranked by how often each turns out to be the cause for this species. Each links to a diagnosis page with the causes ranked for this species.
- Brown crispy edges monitor
- Yellow leaves this week
- Drooping act today
Pest and disease guidance for this species consulted at the Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder, checked 2026-09-12.
Pests
Recorded for this species. Each links to identification and treatment.
- Aphids this week
- Spider mites act today
Propagation
Runners in soil or water. Roots in 14 to 28 days.
| Preferred method | runners |
|---|---|
| Medium | soil, water |
| Time to root | 14–28 days |
| Node required | No |
| Best season | Spring and summer |
Sources
- North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — Saxifraga stolonifera (consulted; entry exists and records no poison data.) Checked 2026-09-12.
- Wikidata entity Q159002 — taxonomy and entity identity.
- Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Plants of the World Online — Saxifraga stolonifera Accepted name; family Saxifragaceae. Checked 2026-09-12.
- Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder — Saxifraga stolonifera Pest and disease guidance. Checked 2026-09-12.
- Photograph: Stan Shebs, Wikimedia Commons , CC BY-SA 3.0.
Compiled and edited by Tony Valcarcel · 2026-09-02
Tony Valcarcel is the editor and publisher of this database, not a horticulturist
or a veterinarian. Every fact above is drawn from the sources listed, and
toxicity severity is reported only where one of them stated it.
How this is sourced.
Last updated 2026-09-02