That the plant genus Begonia takes no common name speaks to the Begonia’s prolific status among plants. Native to tropical and subtropical environments around the world, species of Begonia are usually flowering herbs, and they tend to be perennials.
Someone might suspect a flowering plant of belonging to the Begonia genus if its leaves are large and variegated, and if each leaf is asymmetrical (shaped differently on either side). These suspicions can be confirmed if there is evidence of both male and female flowers growing on a single plant (Known as being monoecious).
Angel Wing Begonia
The Angel Wing Begonia is a hybrid cultivar, which means that it’s the result of two different species of Begonia cross-pollinating, therefore creating a new subspecies with both types of genetic material. This particular cultivar originated in California.
The Angel Wing Begonia is evergreen. Angel Wing plants tend to be quite large. Each ‘section’ of the plant displays a pair of symmetrical, inward-facing leaves, and an arc of small flowers is draped between some of these pairs. The exact shape of the leaves on an Angel Wing is variable; the hybrid nature of the cultivar means that one set of genetic material may be more dominant than the other. However, they are usually large and – not surprisingly – shaped like wings. The edges of each leaf are often grooved. Each leaf of the Angel Wing has a deep green base, and some Angel Wing plants are variegated. Depending on the Angel Wing’s parent plants, this can display as white spots or a maroon undertone but is always eye-catching! The petals on the draping flowers between some pairs of leaves cup delicately around the stamen of the flower and grow in various shades of pink.
An Angel Wing Begonia should always be given plenty of water so that the soil is perpetually moist. The soil itself can be a regular, pre-mixed soil for potting. Angel Wing Begonias should never be exposed to direct sunlight but will thrive in partial shade. As befitting of a plant from California, the Angel Wing should be kept in minimum temperatures of around 15 degrees Celsius and ought to be misted occasionally for humidity.
Plant Care
Bright indirect light, best with partial shade
She likes it moist, but give her time to dry out before topping up
Regular potting mix
The prognosis is not great if ingested, so best to keep out of harm’s way
Angelic by name, but not quite so angelic by nature. Don’t let those angel shape leaves fool you, this girl requires a little more patience and some great fertilizer if you want her to bloom to full potential
