Dragon wing begonias–with their dramatic blossoms and glossy foliage–look like delicate tropical plants, but they’re not. These gorgeous plants perform well indoors or out, and they don’t demand much.
In my Denver garden and house, I’ve been propagating dragon wing begonias for years, and these cane-type begonias rank up there with my favorite plants. These begonias over-winter well indoors, don’t attract pests, and bloom constantly. The biggest drawback about these wing begonias is picking up spent blossoms that fall off the everblooming plants.
Dragon wing begonias are sturdy. As they mature, their jointed stems grow almost like bamboo. I have plants with watermelon pink blooms, and fiery red blooms. These begonias also come in white and orange; and if I see them in a greenhouse, I’ll snag one of each for my collection. From my original plants, I’ve started a number of others and have gifted gardening friends with these plants. I simply root cuttings in water, then poke them in soil.
In the garden, dragon wing begonias can take variable conditions. I keep mine in a spot with dappled light, but I gave some cuttings to a friend who says hers thrive in almost full sun. In high, dry Denver, these plants benefit from misting with a hose or keeping their containers on a saucer with some pebbles and water than can help create more humidity. That said, you can allow the soil to dry out a bit between waterings, and the plants won’t complain too much. I feed my plants with fish emulsion in the summer, maybe once a month if I’m feeling ambitious. Otherwise, they just get a top-dressing of compost from my bins. They flower on and on!
After midsummer and towards the end of the season, you might see dragon wing begonias on sale at your favorite greenhouses. Snap them up! Add dragon wing begonias to freshen your flowerbeds, containers, or hanging baskets. And before the first frost, bring them indoors, where the dragon wings will reward you with vibrant and vital tropical flowers even in the dead of winter.
••• “Cultivate your corner of the world.
You grow your garden; your garden grows you.” •••
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