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.
In early spring, canes
that have stopped blooming should
be pruned back to two leaf joins. New growth will sprout from the
pruned stems.
- 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