How to Propagate an Angel Wing Begonia

The angel wing begonia is beloved for its large, showy, winglike leaves–dark green with silver speckles and crimson undersides–and for its delicate flowers that range from white to red. The angel wing is a hybrid created by crossing Begonia aconitifolia with B.coccinea. It requires six to eight hours of indirect light per day and regular watering, but it is generally considered an easy houseplant to maintain. Propagating angel wing begonias from cuttings is also easy, allowing you to cultivate more of these striking tropical plants for yourself or your friends.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

things you’ll need:

• Containers
• Rooting medium
• Gardening shears or scissors
• Potting soil

1. Choose which type of rooting medium and container you prefer to use. Cuttings from an angel wing begonia can easily be rooted in either water or a commercial rooting compound such as perlite. If rooting in water, choose a small container, such as a baby food jar, so the plant’s natural rooting hormones will not be diluted.
2. Choose a stem that has at least two healthy leaves at the top. Look for nodes along the stem, which appear as swellings. Look closely to discern whether you are seeing a scar or a node. A scar is a small flat surface from which a leaf or flower has fallen.
3. Cut the stem halfway between two nodes with scissors, giving yourself 2 to 4 inches of stem to place in the medium.
4. Place the cutting in a container filled with your chosen medium and keep it in a warm, humid area with lots of indirect sunlight. If you are using a medium other than water, keep the medium moist with regular light watering. In approximately six weeks your cutting should have new leaves and adequate root growth for replanting.
5. Plant the rooted cuttings in a small pot with a soil formulated for begonias. Replant in successively larger containers when the root ball fills the new pot.