My water balance is crucial, and getting it wrong is a primary reason for my distress. If my soil becomes too dry, I will go into survival mode. To conserve water and energy, I will sacrifice my leaves and buds, starting with the newest and most tender growth. They require the most resources to maintain, so I let them go first. Conversely, if my caretaker is too generous, my roots will sit in saturated soil. Without oxygen, they will begin to rot and decay. A rotten root system cannot absorb water or nutrients, so despite the wet soil, I cannot drink. This creates a paradox where I am dying of thirst while standing in water, and my leaves and buds will drop as a result.
I am a creature of habit. A sudden shift in my surroundings is a significant shock to my system. If you recently brought me home from a nursery or moved me to a new spot in your house, I am simply reacting to the change in light, temperature, and humidity. This is often called "transplant shock," even if I'm still in the same pot. My internal systems are working hard to adapt, and during this stressful period, I may shed some foliage and abort flower buds to redirect energy toward adjusting my root and leaf functions to the new conditions. Please be patient with me as I acclimatize.
Light is my food source. If I am not receiving the right amount or intensity, I cannot photosynthesize efficiently. Most of my begonia cousins prefer bright, indirect light. If I am placed in deep shade, I become leggy as I stretch for light, and my growth is weak. Without enough energy, I cannot support all my leaves and will drop them, often starting with the lower ones. My flower buds, which require a massive energy investment, will be the first thing I abandon. On the other hand, too much direct, harsh sunlight can scorch my delicate leaves, causing them to dry out, turn brown, and fall off.
As a tropical plant, I thrive in humid air. The average home, especially during winter when heating systems are running, can be extremely arid for me. Under these dry conditions, I lose water too rapidly through my leaves (a process called transpiration). If the humidity is consistently low, I cannot pull enough water from my roots to replace what is lost through my foliage. This causes my leaf edges to turn brown and crispy, and eventually, the entire leaf may yellow and drop. My delicate flower buds are particularly susceptible to dry air and will often dry up and fall off before they ever have a chance to open.
While less common than the other issues, a lack of nutrients or a pest problem can also cause me to drop foliage. If I have been in the same soil for a long time and am not receiving any supplemental feeding, I may simply not have the nutritional resources to support both foliage and flower production. Furthermore, pests like spider mites, mealybugs, or aphids are tiny vampires that suck the sap from my stems and leaves. This weakens me significantly and disrupts the flow of water and nutrients, leading to yellowing, wilting, and leaf drop as I struggle to cope with the infestation.
