Angel Wing Begonia
Begonia Coccinea
Angel Wing begonia plants, first found in South America, make up a large portion of the cane begonia group. All cane begonia plants have long stems with “joints” on them. The leaves and flowers of begonia plants grow out of these joints. Angel wing begonias have large, “angel wing” shaped, dark green leaves, often with metallic silver specks. The underside of the plant leaf is usually a deep red. Angel wing begonias produce hanging clusters of delicate flowers in red, white, orange, or pink. The intensity of the color of the flowers and leaves depends upon how much light the plant gets. Angel wing begonias are beautiful, easy- care, flowering plants that brighten your home all year. They are considered poisonous and should be kept away from pets and children. Read more about common houseplants that are poisonous in my book Don’t Feed Me To Your Cat! A Guide to Poisonous Houseplants
Angel Wing Begonia
Light
Angel wing begonias like bright indirect lightVery few houseplants should be placed in direct sun. High light refers only to bright indirect light since direct sun often burns the leaves of indoor houseplants. An area that is too hot and dry encourages Spider Mites and causes blooms to quickly fade. A northern exposure really doesn't provide enough light for high light plants. These plants need to be placed directly in front of an east-facing window, within 1-3 feet of a west-facing window, and within 5 ft. of a south facing window. A high light area has over 300 ft. candles of light. but no direct sun. Proper light helps the leaves and flowers develop a more intense color. Insufficient light causes the plant to become leggy and prevents flowering. When light is too intense, the edges of the leaves curl and turn brown.
Water
Be careful not to over-water! If the plant is in a small pot, allow the top 1” of soil to dry out before watering. In a larger pot, allow the top 2”-3” of soil to dry out. Angel wing begonia containers must have drip holes in the bottom for proper drainage and the plant should never sit in water. When over-watered, the leaves turn yellow and fall off.
Fertilizer
Feed monthly in the spring and summer when ian angel wing begonia is actively growing with a liquid plant food high in potassium. Fertilize every other month during the rest of the year. To prevent leaf burn, feed begonias when the soil is damp and always dilute the food to 1/2 the recommended strength.
Temperature
Angel wing begonias do well when the temperature is 65°-75°F (18.3°-23.9°C). Temperatures below 50°F (10.0°C) damage leaves and flowers.
Humidity
Average household humidity is sufficient, Never mist a begonia plant; wet leaves encourage powdery mildewPowdery mildew is a plant disease that puts a grayish white powder on plant leaves and stems. View a picture of this plant disease and learn how to treat it. and Leaf Spot DiseaseHow to identify and treat Leaf Spot plant disease. See a picture of Leaf Spot disease and learn how to prevent leaf spot disease from attacking your plants.s.
Flowering
bright indirect lightVery few houseplants should be placed in direct sun. High light refers only to bright indirect light since direct sun often burns the leaves of indoor houseplants. An area that is too hot and dry encourages Spider Mites and causes blooms to quickly fade. A northern exposure really doesn't provide enough light for high light plants. These plants need to be placed directly in front of an east-facing window, within 1-3 feet of a west-facing window, and within 5 ft. of a south facing window. A high light area has over 300 ft. candles of light. and a fertilizerPlants need fertilizer only when they are actively growing. Slow growing plants in low light require very little plant food. Too much fertilizer is worse than not enough. Most plants prefer a water soluble plant food at 1/2 the recommended strength. Plants that are in bloom or dormant should not be fertilized. Houseplant food contains nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). A fertilizer containing these elements in equal proportion is considered a balanced plant food. Nitrogen helps in photosynthesis and encourages the growth of leaves and stems. Potassium and phosphorus also help in photosynthesis and aid in root and flower development. Most fertilizers have trace elements of other minerals that are lacking in the soil but are necessary for good plant growth. Fertilizers have a high salt content. If a plant is not producing new leaves and doesn’t absorb the fertilizer, salts build up in the soil. These salts can burn the roots, discolor the leaves, and cause new growth to be small.
high in potassium help an Angel wing begonia produce more flowers. Remove dead or fading flowers as soon as they appear.
Pests
Mealy BugsLearn how to identify and treat Mealy Bugs, a houseplant pest that leaves sticky, white, cottony residue on houseplants. are the main pest that infects this plant. Do not use toxic pesticides on a begonia, they will damage the leaves. I recommend using the " green solutionIf you don't want to use a commercial chemical product to treat plant pest problems try the “Green Solution.” This is a mixture of water, alcohol, biodegradable liquid soap, and mineral oil. Always test any spray on one or two leaves to be sure it won’t damage the plant. Depending upon how severe the infestation is, you can use these ingredients in varying proportions. If there are only a few pests, dip a Q-tip in alcohol and gently swab them off. For a more widespread problem, start by using a spray of warm water mixed with a few tablespoons of biodegradable soap. If that doesn’t cure the problem, make a solution using 8oz. water & 8oz. alcohol, add two tablespoons of biodegradable soap and two tablespoons of mineral oil. Spray all areas of the plant. Use this solution on leathery leafed plants (except palms), never on fuzzy leafed plants like African Violets or Begonias. For palms, omit the alcohol from the Green Solution. Never spray a plant that’s sitting in the sun or one with very dry soil.
" (recipe is in the Glossary of the website) or a commercial insecticidal soapInsecticidal Soap is defined as any of the potassium fatty acid soaps used to control many plant pests and diseases. This product is typically sprayed on plants in the same manner as other insecticides. It works only on direct contact with the pests. The fatty acids disrupt the structure and permeability of the insect cell membranes and the insect quickly dies. Soaps of this kind also work well on fungus infections such as botritis and leaf spot as well as on common houseplant pests such as spider mite and mealy bug..
Diseases
Yellow halos on the leaves are a sign of Leaf Spot DiseaseHow to identify and treat Leaf Spot plant disease. See a picture of Leaf Spot disease and learn how to prevent leaf spot disease from attacking your plants., a plant bacteria that occurs when plant leaves stay wet or the soil is too soggy. As with all fungal and bacterial diseases, better air circulation, well-drained soil, dry leaves, and less water help control Leaf Spot DiseaseHow to identify and treat Leaf Spot plant disease. See a picture of Leaf Spot disease and learn how to prevent leaf spot disease from attacking your plants.. Never mist a plant if Leaf Spot DiseaseHow to identify and treat Leaf Spot plant disease. See a picture of Leaf Spot disease and learn how to prevent leaf spot disease from attacking your plants. is suspected. You can use a commercial FungicideLearn what fungicides are and how they are used to treat fungal and bacterial plant infections. or the or the homemade remedy of putting a tablespoon or two of baking soda and a teaspoon or two of mineral oil in a spray bottle of water. Shake the solution well and then spray all areas of the plant.
Soil
Angel Wing begonias like a rich soil that’s a little heavier than the soil used for other begonia plants. A heavy soil helps support the large root system and tall stems. I often use an African Violet mix.
Pot Size
Angel wing begonias like to be a little root-bound. Use a container with drip holes in the bottom that is an inch or two larger than the root ball. Select a heavy clay or ceramic pot that can support the plant as it gets taller.
Pruning
Prune the older growth yearly during the winter or early spring. This prevents the plant from becoming leggy. New canes (stems) should be left alone. This is also a good time to re-pot your begonia if it has out-grown its existing container. Throughout the year, pinch off dead flowers as soon as they appear.
Propagation
Stem CuttingsLearn how to propagate plants using stem cuttings, leaf cuttings, cane cuttings, and branch cuttings. are the easiest way to propagate an angel wing begonia. Cut a 3”-5” section from a non-flowering stem. The piece should have two to four nodes on it. Dip the cut end of the stem into a small amount of Rooting HormoneRooting Hormone helps plant cuttings produce new roots and is very important to use if you want your propagation attempts to be successful. Always dip the cut end of a stem or leaf into water and then dip it into the rooting hormone before planting it. Tap off any excess powder since too much hormone is worse than too little. and plant it in a small container of perlite or sand. Plant about 3 stems per pot to have a bushy plant.
Poisonous Plant Info
Why doesn't my Angel Wing begonia get flowers?
Angel Wing begonias need very bright indirect lightVery few houseplants should be placed in direct sun. High light refers only to bright indirect light since direct sun often burns the leaves of indoor houseplants. An area that is too hot and dry encourages Spider Mites and causes blooms to quickly fade. A northern exposure really doesn't provide enough light for high light plants. These plants need to be placed directly in front of an east-facing window, within 1-3 feet of a west-facing window, and within 5 ft. of a south facing window. A high light area has over 300 ft. candles of light. in order to bloom. They also require quite a bit of plant food. Feed your Angel wing begonia monthly with a fertilizerPlants need fertilizer only when they are actively growing. Slow growing plants in low light require very little plant food. Too much fertilizer is worse than not enough. Most plants prefer a water soluble plant food at 1/2 the recommended strength. Plants that are in bloom or dormant should not be fertilized. Houseplant food contains nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). A fertilizer containing these elements in equal proportion is considered a balanced plant food. Nitrogen helps in photosynthesis and encourages the growth of leaves and stems. Potassium and phosphorus also help in photosynthesis and aid in root and flower development. Most fertilizers have trace elements of other minerals that are lacking in the soil but are necessary for good plant growth. Fertilizers have a high salt content. If a plant is not producing new leaves and doesn’t absorb the fertilizer, salts build up in the soil. These salts can burn the roots, discolor the leaves, and cause new growth to be small.
high in potassium diluted to 1/2 the recommended strength. Increased light and food should encourage your begonia to bloom more.
Why are the leaves on my Angel Wing begonia turning yellow? Does it need more plant food?
The leaves on an Angel wing begonia usually turn yellow and fall off when the plant is over-watered. Allow the top few inches of soil to dry out before watering. Keep the leaves dry; yellow marks could be the start of Leaf Spot DiseaseHow to identify and treat Leaf Spot plant disease. See a picture of Leaf Spot disease and learn how to prevent leaf spot disease from attacking your plants..
Can I leave my Angel Wing begonia hanging outside in an enclosed, unheated porch during the winter?
Leaving your begonia hanging in an enclosed porch for the winter depends on how low the temperature gets. Angel wing begonias are easily damaged when temperatures go below 50°F (13°C). If the temperature on your porch stays this, you can leave your plant where it is; if not, you need to bring your begonia inside until the weather warms up.
How do I stop my Angel Wing begonia from getting crunchy, brown edges on its leaves? Does it need more humidity? Should I mist it? Too much food??
Sounds like our angel wing begonia needs more humidity. I never recommend misting houseplants. I think that keeping the leaves of indoor plants wet encourages plant diseases such as leaf spot. To increase the humidity around a plant, set your begonia on a wet pebble tray. Be sure the begonia is sitting on the pebbles and not in the water. You can also place a small humidifier in the room.
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