Propagating Angel Wing Begonia
INSIDE : Take a look into the simple water method of Propagating Angel Wing Begonia plants. Because honestly, once you have one gorgeous Polka Dot Plant, you are going to need more!
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WHO who who doesn’t love Angel Wing Begonia plants?!!! I mean, they have the most stunning polka dots on their leaves that almost have a silver metallic shimmer to them.
I have two Begonia maculata plants and their unique leaves and spots are always a conversation piece.
Today, I am sharing my tips for how to propagate them. Because there needs to be more begonias in this world!
Love plants like me? You might like some of my other Plant Care + Tip posts.
How do you take cuttings from Angel Wing Begonias?
Once you have your plant for a while, you will start seeing it’s growth habit is pushing out tall shoots. They can quickly get leggy, which means the stem is growing long with the leaves spread far between. You can see this example perfectly below.
Where to cut Angel Wing Begonia plants
Thankfully, begonias can handle trims quite easily.
Start by using sharp clean hand pruners and carefully cut just above a leaf node.
After you plant gets pruned, make sure to stake the main stem if it doesn’t feel stable. And be sure to give it plenty of sunshine. The more light it receives, the less leggy plant you will be.
Your plant will should grow two new shoots or stems from the cut location.
Looking for more helpful tips like this for other plants? You would definitely enjoy my easy to read Happy Houseplants ebook ! Check it out today.
Can you propagate Angel Wing Begonias in water?
The quick answer is YES! Angel Wing Begonias can be propagated from stem cuttings. Start by taking the cutting from your plant around 4-6″ in length, this will ensure you have at least one node on the stem.
Remove any leaves on the lower portion of the stem before placing it in a jar. Fill the jar about 3/4 of the way full with water. Keep the jar in indirect light and watch over the next few weeks as roots start grow.
Check out my post about water propagation for other plants.
How fast do new roots grow on Angel Wing Begonias?
I was surprised how quickly my Begonia Maculata started growing roots. The growth below is after two weeks of cutting the original piece off. You can see small white roots starting to form.
A month later and the roots had really began to take off.
Two months later and these roots are going crazy. I definitely could have planted my new cutting earlier, but I forgot about him to be honest.
Begonia Propagation
Polka Dot Plant or Angel Wing Begonia, is a very simple plant to propagate.
Once you have taken a cutting from your plant and placed it in water for a few weeks, you will see those roots start to grow. The longer you leave the cutting in the water, the more roots it will grow.
You can see now in addition to growing TONS of new roots, he also has a beautiful new leaf as well.
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Begonia maculata
These are such gorgeous plants and I love that I now have three of them! Now it is time to get my cutting into some soil.
I love how they look all clustered together.
Update : I have now done a handful of cuttings and propagations. I just moved all of them into one bigger pot and am excited to see how they all grow together into a larger specimen!
Propagating Angel Wing Begonia
Take a look into the simple water method of Propagating Angel Wing Begonia plants. Because honestly, once you have one gorgeous Polka Dot Plant, you are going to need more!
Materials
- Mature Angel Wing Begonia plant
- Sharp Hand Pruners
- Glass of Water
- Pot with Soil
Instructions
- Start by taking the cutting from your plant around 4-6″ in length, this will ensure you have at least one node on the stem.
- Remove any leaves on the lower portion of the stem before placing it in a jar.
- Fill the jar about 3/4 of the way full with water. Keep the jar in indirect light and watch over the next few weeks as roots start grow.
Notes
-I was surprised how quickly my Begonia Maculata started growing roots. After two weeks you can see small white roots starting to form.
-A month later and the roots had really began to take off.
-Two months later and these roots are going crazy. You can see now in addition to growing TONS of new roots, he also has a beautiful new leaf as well.
Where can I buy Angel Wing Begonias?
These plants have just starting to roll out to the public. I have found them here and there at Big Box stores like Home Depot or Lowes. But there is a huge variety of them available at Etsy. Amazon just started carrying them, too… although they are still fairly pricey there.
Looking for more tips on propagating plants? Check these out…
- Water Propagation for Plants
- How To Propagate Pilea
- Propagating Angel Wing Begonia
- Propagating Hoya Kerrii
Looking for more plant care tips? You might be interested in these:
How to propagate Rubber plants
Angel Wing Begonia Plant Care
Freezing Basil in Ice Cube Trays
Propagating Hoya Kerrii
Fishbone Cactus Plant Care
Variegated String of Pearls Plant Care
You might like my other Propagation posts –
what is the bug or caterpillar that chews on my Angel Wing Begonias? How do I get rid of bugs that have been outside in summer? What to use?
I’m not sure what bug it might be, but I have always had good luck with Neem Oil sprays to help keep bugs off plants. And sometimes I bring plants into the garage for a few days before moving them from outside to inside… it gives bugs a chance to crawl away before coming into your home. Good luck!
Exactly where and how much should I cut from this plant?
Trying to find where I can send a picture. My plant is now about 4 feet tall and has 10 legs on it. Do I cut at the joints or above if I leave the rest of the leg in the pot will that also grow again?
This plant is at least five years old and was started from another plant which was very old . Angel wing is the only plant that ever blossoms for me so I don’t want to lose it. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.
Sounds like you have a beautiful plant to work with! I always cut just above a leaf node. And yes, after you cut your plant, you should see new growth from the legs left in the pot. I also put the pieces I have trimmed off in water and allow them to grow roots to make new plant babies. Best of luck!