Angel Wing Begonia Care: How To Grow An Angel Wing Begonia Houseplant

Potted Green And Red Leaved Angel Wing Begonia Houseplant
(Image credit: Photography by Adri)

The angel wing begonia is commonly named for the shape of its leaves. Numerous cultivars of the angel wing begonia houseplant offer many sizes and heights. Begonia x coralline, or the cane begonia, is known as one of the easiest begonias to grow inside. There is an angel wing begonia houseplant for most indoor situations. Growing angel wing begonias inside can provide a dwarf plant for the desk, or a large bushy, shrub-like floor plant, reaching 5 feet (1.5 m.).

Angel Wing Begonia Flowers

Learning how to grow an angel wing begonia indoors provides a houseplant with attractive year-round foliage. Speckled or streaked foliage appears on glossy green leaves with red tints or backing. An angel wing begonia houseplant blooms in pendulous clusters of flowers if located in the right area. Large clusters of flowers in a range of white, orange, pink, or red appear on the happy angel wing begonia houseplant. When growing angel wing begonias indoors, the right lighting and fertilization promotes flowering.

Angel Wing Begonia Care

The right angel wing begonia care encourages flowers to bloom throughout the year as well as healthy growth. Plant the angel wing begonia in a soil or soilless mix high in organic material. The angel wing begonia houseplant likes moist soil, but not soggy. Allow the soil to dry between waterings. Locate the angel win begonia houseplant in bright indirect light, in moderate temperatures. When growing angel wing begonias for the attractive foliage, flowers may not be desirable. If this is the case, place them in low light areas. Plants located in low light conditions will grow, but will not likely flower. Feed with a houseplant food high in nitrogen to promote larger leaves when growing angel wing begonias for foliage. Growing angel wing begonias for flowers requires a different type of fertilization than those grown for foliage. Angel wing begonia flowers need a fertilizer slightly higher in phosphorus than those grown just for foliage. Fertilize every two weeks. Depending on the cultivar, the angel wing begonia flowers in late winter through autumn. Some may bloom multiple times throughout the year. Repot yearly in spring. Move to a slightly larger pot each year. Add pebbles or broken pot shards in the pot to aid in drainage. Now that you've learned how to grow an angel wing begonia, experiment with different cultivars. All are attractive and low maintenance when grown in the right area.

Becca Badgett
Writer

Becca Badgett was a regular contributor to Gardening Know How for ten years. Co-author of the book How to Grow an EMERGENCY Garden, Becca specializes in succulent and cactus gardening.