How to Propagate Rex Begonias

Rex begonia is a lush and exotic plant. It does flower, but the small blossoms are no match for the richly patterned foliage. There are several ways to propagate begonia plants, but the easiest and most popular is through leaf cuttings. Propagating rex begonia this way is simple, quick and guarantees a new plant that is identical to the one from which you took the leaf. Rex begonia cuttings taken from leaves do not require much in the way of care, so this method is an excellent choice for beginners.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

things you’ll need:

• Utility knife
• Cutting board
• Rooting hormone
• Seedling flat
• Perlite
• Water
• Opaque plastic bag
• Small pots
• Stick
• Rubber band

1. Slice a healthy leaf from your rex begonia plant. Use a utility knife to avoid bruising or tearing the leaf.
2. Lay the leaf facedown on a clean cutting board.
3. Slice the leaf into four wedge-shaped sections, ensuring that each section contains a vein. Cut so the narrow end of the wedge is at the main stem.
4. Fill a seedling flat three-quarters full with perlite. Do not touch the perlite; it is a sterile medium. Just pour or scoop it directly from the bag or box into the seedling flat.
5. Dip the stem end of each leaf wedge into some rooting hormone.
6. Insert one leaf cutting in each pot, placing the narrow, stem-side end in the perlite.
7. Water the leaves, but do not soak them.
8. Place opaque plastic bags — like plastic grocery bags — over each pot to help filter sunlight and retain heat.
9. Keep the leaf cuttings moist. After about eight weeks, the cuttings will be rooted and ready for transplanting.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are propagating rex begonias outdoors, poke a stick through the center of the seedling flat. Affix the top of the plastic bag to it with a rubber band to keep the bag from blowing away.

• Do not set rex begonia leaf cuttings in direct sunlight, or they will burn as they try to root.