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Of all the begonias I have had, and there have been many, the most attractive to me is the angel wing begonia.
I love the leaves and their colors! Not to mention the beautiful flowers that can range from white to orange, pink and red.
Begonias aren’t that hard to grow, but I’ve found that there are some things that make them happy and some things that make them sad.
These plants are perennial shrubs that can be planted throughout the year. They like moist but well-drained soil or loam and are great for growing indoors.
Contents
Why is my Angel Wing Begonia hanging down?
There are really only two reasons why your angel wing begonia is hanging down, namely:
- Submarine
- give too much water
Once the soil or potting soil dries out, the begonia begins to sag.
Conversely, if they are overwatered and their roots are left in too wet soil, they will rot and also fall off.
There are other reasons for wilting, such as transplant shock, overheating, and disease. The most likely cause is too much or too little water when those pretty leaves start dropping.
Submarine
If you let the soil dry out, you’ll notice your plant will sag and wilt in no time.
Dig into the ground with your fingers and see how dry it is. If the first two inches or more are dry, your plant needs water.
Your begonia will need more than a few drops of water. It should be well soaked until the excess water runs out of the drainage holes in the bottom of the pot.
Do this slowly so the soil has time to absorb what it needs. In a day or two, you will miraculously see your plant come back to life!
give too much water
This is something that can actually kill your begonia and unfortunately it can happen very quickly so it’s best to avoid it.
Constantly soggy soil will be a breeding ground for infection, and the roots will certainly rot.
There are signs that your plant has been overwatered, such as leaves turning yellow, leaves drooping and feeling soggy, and stems breaking easily.
It’s easy to overwater your begonia if the plant is in a dimly lit area, as the soil will stay moist longer.
Also make sure the pot has plenty of drainage holes in the bottom and that the drip tray, if you use one, is emptied regularly.
The soil should be of a type that drains well and not like clay which retains water.
If you need help watering your plant, try this Automatic drip irrigation kit.
Why is my angel wing begonia losing leaves?
Since begonias are prone to root rot, you’ll find them letting you know they’re not happy soon enough. They do this by dropping their leaves.
If your plant is soggy or overwatered, it will bend over and then drop its leaves.
Since begonias are considered succulents, if you look closely you will see that the stems are mostly water, so being too wet only encourages mold and mildew. The leaves will eventually rot and fall off.
If you like this article, check out our article on Why are my croton leaves hanging down?
why my Angel Wing Begonia leaves curls?
The main reasons for angel wing begonia leaf curling are:
- bad lighting
- give too much water
- Submarine
- harmful
- Diseases
Besides being affected by diseases, curled leaves are easily cured. Often all you have to do is check the light conditions and adjust your watering routine.
If your plant has trouble finding light, try East to help control lighting.
harmful
aphids they are the biggest threat to your begonia. They feed on the leaves of the plant and deprive them of essential nutrients.
They then leave a substance on the plant that stimulates fungi.
You will see telltale signs of aphids, in fact they are visible to the naked eye. Dish soap mixed with water can be sprayed on to remove them.
If the infestation is heavy, you may need to purchase insecticidal spray from your garden center.
The Begonia Biller – Fungal Disease
Stem and root rot in begonias is the main culprit here. This is a fungal disease that affects them.
It spreads through moisture, such as damp soil and cold weather. This is why they are often grown indoors in warmer climates.
You will know your begonia is infected with a fungal disease when the leaves begin to curl and the stem begins to droop to the point of collapse.
This is a difficult position for any begonia lover because the plant does not recover from it. Your best course of action is to get rid of it and start fresh with a healthy plant.
Other Common Angel Wing Begonia Problems
Like most houseplants, angel wing begonias have a few common issues that are more of a nuisance than a threat.
- powdery mildew
- mealybugs
- white fly
powdery mildew
You’ll recognize it immediately, because that’s exactly what it says. It is a gray or white powder that forms on the leaves, stems and flowers.
It can be difficult to treat, but a commercial fungicide will take care of it. You can avoid this by not placing too many plants too close together, which restricts air circulation.
mealybugs
If you look at the underside of the leaves, you can see an area that looks like a piece of thin cotton.
Pesticides usually don’t help here, so you’ll need to buy insecticidal soap spray and apply it frequently for it to be effective.
white fly
These are normally large enough to be seen with the naked eye, they leave a waxy area on the leaves.
Unfortunately, you can’t control them with pesticides, so you can use an insecticidal soap spray to keep them away. Be sure to soak the whole plant.
final thoughts
As with any plant you bring into your home, you need to be careful where you place them. You also need to know which ones are harmful to children and pets and which ones are safe.
With angel wing begonias, all plant parts are moderately poisonous, so that should determine where you place your plant.
The roots of this plant are very poisonous, so be sure to keep your cat away from them.
This plant is easy to care for and with a little knowing what it likes, there’s no reason to wonder why your angel wing begonia is hanging.
Before you go, here are some more related articles that I encourage you to read below to help you solve more of your gardening problems:
How to solve your problems with wood sorrel (purple clover)?
How do you keep your dieffenbachia leaves from hanging down?
Why are your Bird of Paradise’s leaves hanging down?