Tips and Tricks: Angel-wing Begonia
January 22nd 2023
I woke up this morning to the sun shining through my blinds and filling my room with warmth. Days like these are a blessing during the cold, winter months and I like to imagine that the plants around my home appreciate them as much as I do. When I moved to North Carolina, I began to realize how different my houseplants react to slightly warmer temps and significantly more sunshine in the wintertime. Farther north, I noticed that most of my plants produced little to no growth during this time, especially when only 15-25 minutes of sunlight are recorded during the entire month of December - yikes! Some plants are highly adaptable to their environments, and with the right amount of care, will survive colder weather and less sunshine. One of these plants, which has become a favorite of mine, is an Angel-wing Begonia.
Angel-wing Begonia
Native to South America (sub-tropical & tropical climates)
Bright indirect light (65-75 degrees Fahrenheit)
Perennial (red and pink flowers)
1-10’ in height
In September of 2021 I was gifted a cutting from an angel-wing begonia plant (see below), which was potted in a small terracotta pot.
September 2021
When I moved to NC, the plant had about 7-8 leaves on it, and as we approached winter, I expected to see a small amount of growth on the plant. I placed it the corner by a westward facing window, and made sure that it received bright indirect light during the day. I watered the begonia once a month, and typically only a couple cups of water. Much to my surprise, the plant slowly began to push out new growth from two stems and within five months, was around 18” tall. In March, I decided to repot the begonia into a significantly larger pot with good drainage and enough room for the plant to push out more roots. I created a soil blend that was slightly more acidic and airy, to mimic that of a tropical environment. This blend consisted of one cup perlite and one cup orchid mix to every 10 cups of indoor potting mix. I watered the plant throughly and until water ran out of the bottom.
March 2022
Angel-wing begonias have the potential to grow up to 10 feet tall, when given the proper care and maintenance. That being said, they can also become leggy and sparse if they do not receive enough sunlight or if they are not pruned regularly. I first noticed this around 2 months after repotting my begonia, because two stems rapidly grew upward and outward - the plant appeared unstable. I recognized that the continuation of growth in this way would cause instability and possibly a plant that could grow out of control in a household setting. Eventually, if left alone, angel-wing begonias will stalk and become more tree-like.
May 2022
In May, I decided to prune my plant. I dug up the courage to cut the stems in half, just below a node where a leaf was, and propagate them. I placed the two cuttings in a large vase of water, which I kept on my windowsill for 6 weeks or so. Roots first appeared on the cuttings after 3 weeks, and rapidly grew after that.
June 2022
Meanwhile, the places on the plant that were previously cut calloused over, and pushed out new growth from the nodes beneath them. While my cuttings propagated, the plant naturally filled itself out. After 6 weeks of propagating (changing the water every week), the cuttings were ready to be planted with the original begonia. I removed the entire plant, and repotted it in the same pot, with the cuttings included, and watered thoroughly. The plant appeared more full and extremely healthy.
July 2022
I allowed the plant to grow for 3-4 months during the summer, which produced another 2 feet of new growth. I found that the plant liked to dry out almost completely before watering again, and during the summer I was watering the plant every 4-5 weeks, or when the top 6” of soil were dry. In the winter months, this may be slightly longer. Begonias do not typically droop when dehydrated, and often times the first sign of the plant needing water is pale, thin leaves and a stunt in growth. When this begonia is receiving sufficient indirect light, proper water intake and warm temperatures, I typically see new growth every few days, even during the colder months.
October 2022
My Angel-wing, which started as a cutting a little over a year ago, is now reaching 5 feet tall. Every other day, a new leaf pokes through along the stems, and there has even been new growth pushing through the soil at the base. I attribute this amount of growth to the pruning and propagating process, and am continually amazed by the plant’s ability to regrow itself stronger than before. I have since added a stake, for stability purposes, and cut off unhealthy leaves as needed. I plan to prune the plant again in the spring, and will continue to monitor its health and growth. Angel-wing begonias can live indefinitely indoors, with the right care, and I hope to bring mine along in whatever journey life takes me.
January 2023
“ Choose only one master - Nature.”
~ Rembrandt
