How to Start Angel Wing Begonias

Angel wing begonias have large, patterned leaves.

Angel wing begonias are tropical houseplants that enjoy average room temperatures of 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. This type of begonia has large green leaves with white markings. Delicate pale blossoms drape in clusters in the late winter and spring. Dwarf varieties grow 12 inches tall and others reach 36 inches tall. Angel wing begonias live four to five years unless propagated or started from stem tip cuttings. This lengthens the life of the angel wing begonia by cloning it in the spring or summer.

Things You'll Need

• Plant pot (4-inch)
• Soap
• Water
• Bleach
• Sharp knife
• Peat moss
• Sand
• Spray bottle

Instructions

1. Wash a 4-inch plant pot with soapy water. Rinse the container with one part bleach and nine parts water. Sterilize a sharp knife the same way as the plant pot. This eliminates hiding insect pests and prevents spreading plant disease.

2. Mix together equal parts of peat moss and sand to create a good-draining rooting soil containing organic material. Straight perlite or commercial seed starter soil may be used instead.

3. Fill the plant pot with your soil mixture. Spray water on the soil until it is thoroughly soaked. This keeps the lightweight soil mixture in place as you work.

4. Cut a 2- to 4-inch stem tip from the mother plant with a sharp knife. Choose a stem that does not have any flowers and has four to six leaves on it. The cut is made just below the node, which is where the leaves attach to the stem.

5. Remove the bottom two leaves to create at least 1 inch of bare stem. Insert the angel wing begonia stem cutting 1 inch into the soil mixture. Keep the cutting well watered until it starts to establish new roots and grow new foliage.

Tips & Warnings

• Feed the angel wing begonia every two weeks with fertilizer. Use a plant food high in phosphorous at half the normal monthly rate.

• Keep your angel wing begonia in an area with high, indirect light. Do not plant this houseplant in direct sunlight since it will cause damage to the leaves. Sun-damaged leaves turn a bleached color or shrivel up.

References

• University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture: Propagating Houseplants
• "The Complete Houseplant Survival Manual"; Barbara Pleasant; 2005.
• NODAK: Questions on Begonia