Angel Wing Begonia – Elegant Flowers, Spotted Foliage

The Angel Wing Begonia (also known as Begonia carollina and Cane Begonia) gets its name from its wing-shaped foliage. It is both a popular outdoor plant and houseplant due to its distinctive foliage and colorful flowers.

The blooms vary in color, from white to pastel pink and red hues. The leaf colors can range from deep mahogany to pale green, and often has white or silver accents or spots.

The Cane Begonia is an ideal outdoor container plant during spring and summer. It can be brought indoors during the fall and winter months – an ideal accent for fall and winter interior décor.

If kept indoors as a year-round house plant, the best growing conditions for this begonia plant include good air circulation, high humidity, constant moisture and a lot of indirect, natural light.

You can trim your plant if it becomes unwieldy, and use the cuttings for propagating new plants. For propagation, you just have to immerse the cuttings from the top of the plant in water or vermiculite. Once roots appear, you can plant the cutting in its own pot.

Angel Wing Begonia Care – Tips for Houseplant Care

Light

Bright, indirect light during spring and summer (avoid direct sun exposure). Angel wing begonia plants prefer bright light - with up to four hours of direct sun exposure in fall and winter.

Note that extremely bright sunlight can make the leaves curl or burn. Inadequate light could mean that you have a plant that grows tall but will not produce any blooms.

Temperature

Average indoor room temperatures are ideal (65 – 75 ° F / 18 - 24° C).

Fertilizer

Feed with a high-phosphorous plant food mixed at ½ the normal strength.

Water

Allow soil to become dry within 1 in / 2.5 cm of the surface between watering.

Soil

A light soilless mix such as African violet potting soil is ideal.

Repotting

Repot to a slightly larger container once a year in the spring. To improve drainage and increase weight, add pebbles or broken pottery to the bottom of the pot. Large angel wing begonias might need to be staked.

Longevity

This begonia species can last up to five years, or indefinitely when propagated from stem cuttings.

Propagation

Root non-blooming stem tip cuttings in a perlite, seed-starting mix in the spring or summer. Cuttings can also be rooted in an equal mixture of peat moss and sand.

Varieties

‘Looking Glass’ grows 12 – 36 in / 30 – 90 cm tall, featuring silver leaves with olive green veins and red undersides. ‘Cracklin Rose’ has dark red leaves speckled with pink. ‘Bubbles’ produces orange-red flowers. ‘Cecile’ has green leaves specked with white. The white flowered ‘Orococo’ is ideal for hanging baskets, and has ivy shaped, greenish-gold leaves edged with dark red.

Display & Uses

Display Cane Begonias as a houseplant in a location with high humidity and good air circulation. Outdoors, they can be planted directly in the ground or grown in containers for outdoor display.

Planting Angel Wing Begonias in the Garden and Landscape

The spotted foliage and bold flowers of cane begonia plants adds texture and color to gardens and landscapes. They can be planted directly in the ground or grown in containers for outdoor display.

• Select a planting site protected from the wind that receives bright, indirect sunlight.

• Amend the soil with moisture retaining organic material, such as peat moss. Begonias have shallow roots. Incorporate amendments into the soil to a depth of eight to ten inches.

• Angel wing begonias should be planted in the spring from either rooted cuttings or four inch pots. Space begonia plants approximately eight inches apart in rich, fast draining soil.

• Watering the soil immediately after planting will help to settle the soil around the roots.

• Keep the soil evenly moist throughout the growing season – usually spring through fall. Reduce water in the winter.

• Remember, angel wing begonias require moisture; however they also need a well-draining soil. Organic compost provides proper drainage; it has both moisture retaining and draining qualities.

• A slow-release fertilizer works best for begonias. Be sure to read labels carefully for application instructions. Begonias grow best when provided a continuous supply of nutrients.

• Angel wings can grow up to five feet tall. Consider supporting tall plants with bamboo, plastic or wooden stakes, or a tomato cage.

• Pruning the tips of angel wing begonias during the growing season keeps plants bushy and full. Remove the last two sets of leaves from the ends of long branches. This forces multiple growth tips to emerge further down the stem, which results in more branches.

• If you live in a cold location, protect angel wing begonias from frost by bringing them indoors for over-wintering. Plants can be brought outdoors when the frost has past.

• In the spring, propagate Angel Wings from stem cuttings. Cuttings should have a minimum of four leaf joints - two joints will be planted underground. Remove the bottom leaves. Add a rooting hormone to promote new roots to grow from the leaf joints.

• Place cuttings in a container filled with loose, rich soil. Enclose potted cuttings in a clear plastic bag to retain moisture. Mist inside the bag once a week, or when the soil feels dry to the touch.

Additional Begonia Plant Information

Begonia Plant Care - Basic Tips and Information

Plant Containers - Choosing the Right Containers for Your Plants and Flowers

Watering Plants - Tips and Techniques