Growth: 2 Feet Wide By 2-3 Feet High
Light: Full Shade To Partial Filtered Sun
Planting Zones: 10-11 As A Perennial, An Annual In All Other Zones
Of all the begonia varieties, the dragon wing begonia is one of the most unique. It's uses, care and pruning can be unique as well. In our opinion it's one of those "must have" plants to give your landscape a big pop of color - especially if they are planted in groups.
In this article, we want to talk about the plant in detail and give you some ideas on why we love it and how you can use it in your own gardens.
Characteristics Of The Dragon Wing Begonia
This variety of begonia is one of the largest of all begonia varieties, coming in at a very full 2 feet wide by 2-3 feet tall. This is a big plant. Some shrubs don't grow that big. Because of this, it can definitely make a statement - whereever it's planted. In fact, you might see it referenced as a shrub in some circles.
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It's flowers are very numerous and bloom on cascading drooping stems at the end of branches that sometimes cascade downward themselves. The flowers are not overly big, but because they are very numerous, they will put on a great show. The most common colors are red and pink, with red being the dominate color we see the most in stores.
Over the planting season the plant reblooms with new flowers. The old flowers will fall off as new ones are emerging. This makes it an excellent choice for continuous color throughout the growing season.
The foliage is another attractive quality. It's leaves are a deep green, interspurced with redish highlights, not unlike leaves on some other varieties of begonias. The foliage can be large - overtaking the stems and weighing them down. Hence their drooping nature.
One quality you should be aware of is when the dead flowers fall to the ground or floor, they can stain the surface if they are stepped on or smashed in some other way. This means cleaning up fallen leaves is a chore that should happen regularly. Of course if you plant them in gardens, this won't be an issue but planting in pots or hanging baskets might - especially if these pots or baskets are on a porch or deck.
Look for dragon wing begonias at garden centers. A few years ago we would see them in big box stores but lately these outlets have not been stocking them. If your shopping for them, don't confuse other begonias in hanging baskets with these. Sometimes they will look similar. Make sure you read the plant tag. If it's just identified as "begonia" it's probably not the dragon wing variety.
Other varieties don't cascade down in the same way so if you purchase the wrong ones you many be disappointed.
Is The Dragon Wing Begonia An Annual Or Perennial?
Like many other plants, the dragon wing begonia could be an annual or perennial, depending on your panting zone.
This plant likes warm weather and will not survive the cold. Therefore, it will come back only in zones 10-11. In all other zones it will die after first frost. Therefore, it would be an annual.
Since most of the country's population lives in zones other than 10-11, most people think of it as an annual so it must be replanted every year, or taken inside during colder months.
In theory you can overwinter dragon wing begonias insdie but in practice, is it worth the effort?
First, you must find the right location - a window that gets morning sun is preferable.
Second, the indoor temperature should be close to the outside temperature when bringing it in to have the best chance of success. Cooler rooms are generally better because warmer rooms in the winter tend to be dry and these plants like humidy.
Third, and most important, if you get it to flower indoors the same as it does outdoors, you will have flower debris littering your carpet or floor almost daily. Is it worth it for you to vacuum these flower peddles up? For us, it's not worth it. We purchase new ones every year. For you, it might be.
Where You Should Plant Dragon Wing Begonias
Dragon wing begonias do best in full shade or partial sun. They do not like hot, mid-day sun so be sure to locate them in an appropriate place.
We have the experience of planting them in wooded gardens where they get filtered sunlight, and in pots under the roof of our front porch with no direct sun. They have absolutely thrived in both of these locations for us.
They are also a great plant to use in hanging baskets placed on a front porch or on a shaded deck.
If you have a lot of shaded areas, these plants would be a great choice. Conversely, if your home and it's landscapes are mosty in full sun, you might want to think about other plants instead.
<h2> How To Prune For The Best Results
Pruning these plants couldn't be easier - and you don't even need pruners. Just snap off the stems at the nodes where they meat other stems.
This type of pruning is a good thing to keep the plant's size compact and under control. If you don't do this, the plant will keep growing to it's full size and be a little unruly, especially if you're using them in pots on a porch.
If you plant them in your gardens, there is no need for pruning at all unless you need to keep them a certain size due to the needs of your garden and the other plants around them.
It doesn't matter when you prune them. Do it at any time during the growing season that you feel it's necessary to get the look you want. It won't hurt the plant. It will only help it put out new growth and you'll find it will continue to grow quickly.
If you're planting them in gardens, you should consider their size when they've grown larger. Space them as you would small shrubs and anicipate them growing to fill the space. Don't forget though, if you're in an area where they would be an annual and die after the first frost, that part of your garden will be left empty during the off season.
They are also a great plant to use in hanging baskets placed on a front porch or on a shaded deck.] because of their cascading nature. Most of the time they will fill out the basket completely so no other plants need to be in the basket with them.
If you have a lot of shaded areas, these plants would be a great choice. Conversely, if your home and it's landscapes are mosty in full sun, you might want to think about other plants instead.
How To Prune For The Best Results?
Pruning these plants couldn't be easier - and you don't even need pruners. Just snap off the stems at the nodes where they meat other stems.
This type of pruning is a good thing to keep the plant's size compact and under control. If you don't do this, the plant will keep growing to it's full size and be a little unruly, especially if you're using them in pots on a porch.
If you plant them in your gardens, there is no need for pruning at all unless you need to keep them a certain size due to the needs of your garden and the other plants around them.
It doesn't matter when you prune them. Do it at any time during the growing season that you feel it's necessary to get the look you want. It won't hurt the plant. It will only help it put out new growth and you'll find it will continue to grow quickly.
Dragon Wing Begonia Care - Planting And Watering
As with most plants, if your planting in a pot, use a good potting soil, dig a hole and stick it in the pot, being sure not to cover the top of the root ball with too much potting mix.
In gardens, just dig your hole, add some soil amendments (more about that here) and plant.
If you're getting rain every few days, this should be enough to keep these plants growing. If not however, regular watering will help them stay healthy. This is especially true if they are planted in pots and located under a roof or some other covered location. In this case, watering every 2-3 days is good.
Dragon wing begonias can tolerate dry conditions to a point. Like any plants that can withstand drought, there comes a time when they'll need water anyway, so keeping them moist is always a good idea. If they start to droop over even more than usual, they need water and they will usually come back without any issues.
Indeed, this is truly one of the easiest plants to care for most of the time.
Find out more about when plants need watering by reading this article.
Dragon Wing Begonia - A Good Choice If...
If your goal is to have plants that bloom with colorful flowers, and you have some shady areas, dragon wing begonias are a great choice for you.
As you probably know, it can be difficult to find plants that bloom in shade, especially ones that bloom for the entire growing season. These plants however, will fit the bill and give you loads of red or pink color and loads of enjoyment.
As you know, begonias in general are a good choice for annuals that require little care and different varieties are suited for different planting environments.
Check out out guide on the different types of begonias and where you might want to use those in your gardens.
If you want to know more about other plants you can use in your gardens, check out our plant guide.
Happy gardening!
