Growing up I remember my Mom was always excited to find a basket of angel wing begonias for sale. I wasn't thinking of that last year when I found some pretty angel wings for my Mother's Day sale. I picked them up and planted them in terracotta colored pots. They were perfect. It was when my sister commented about how Mom loved angel wings that I remembered her always looking for them in the spring. Last Mother's Day several people made remarks to me about angel wings and remembering their mothers on Mother's Day. Now angel wing begonia's are what I'm looking for in the spring. In a small way, they're a memorial to my Mom. I know they're the same for others who'll be missing their mothers this Mother's Day.
Angel wing begonias are also know as Begonia x coralline, or the cane begonia. They are one of the easiest begonias to grow inside. Some angel wings have showy flowers, others have beautiful polka-dot leaves. You can recognize a begonia by their asymmetrical leaves, and the angel wings by their paired, wing-shaped leaves.
To ensure that your angel wing flowers, keep them in bright indirect light. Depending on the cultivar, angel wing begonias flower in late winter through autumn. Some may bloom multiple times throughout the year. The polka-dot varieties that don't bloom as readily can be kept in lower light conditions. Fertilize with a houseplant fertilizer every 2 weeks throughout the spring and summer months. Keep their soil moist, but not soggy. Allow the soil to dry between waterings.
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