Starting New Begonia Plants from a Leaf
Expand your houseplant collection with leaf cuttings of Rex, angel wing and other large leafed begonias.
Fill a container with a moist well-drained potting mix. It should be wide enough to accommodate a flattened leaf. Remove a healthy leaf and place it so the underside of the leaf is lying flat on the potting mix surface. Use a sharp knife to slice through several large veins. Anchor the leaf against the soil surface with hairpins or small stones.
Set it in a bright location out of direct sunlight. Loosely cover with an open plastic bag to increase the humidity. Water the soil thoroughly with tepid water and often enough to keep the soil moist.
New plants will eventually form where the veins were sliced and often by the leaf stem. Once the plantlets develop several true leaves, you can carefully dig, divide and replant them into their own containers.
A bit more information: You can also propagate these begonias with a leaf-petiole cutting. Remove the leaf from the plant, leaving the leaf stem (petiole) intact. Bury just the petiole in the potting mix. Leave the flattened portion of the leaf (blade) attached and above the soil surface. Roots and a new plant will start to grow in a month or two.
Related
Categories
Upcoming
Events & Webinars
August 6-16, 2026
Wisconsin State Fair
We Energies Energy Park, West Allis, WI
More information
August 29, 2026
Composting 102
Milwaukee Public Library - East Branch
Register here
Sept. 3, 2026
FREE WEBINAR:
Tree Planting and Care
Register here
Sept. 11, 2026
Illinois State Master Gardener Conference
Rockford, IL
Register here
Sept. 12, 2026
2026 Knowledge in Bloom Conference
Urban Ecology Center, Milw., WI
Register here
Sept. 17, 2026
FREE WEBINAR:
Fall Landscape Care and Planting
Register here
Sept. 26, 2026
Pruning Hydrangeas & Other Shrubs
Pasquesi Home & Gardens, Lake Bluff, IL
Oct. 6, 2026
Upper Midwest Invasive Species Conference
La Crosse, WI
Register here
WATCH ON-DEMAND WEBINARS
MORE UPCOMING EVENT DETAILS


