Begonia Looking Glass - The Spectacular Silver Angel Wing Begonia
Absolutely stunning! Begonia 'Looking Glass' is hands-down one of the most spectacular cane begonias you can add to your collection! This gorgeous hybrid features large, metallic silver leaves adorned with striking olive-green veins on top and the most beautiful cranberry-red undersides that create an incredible contrast. Fast-growing and genuinely rewarding, this Angel Wing beauty brings a touch of sophistication to any indoor jungle!
What makes Looking Glass so special is its shimmering, almost mirror-like foliage that catches the light beautifully throughout the day. As a cane-type begonia, it develops an upright growth habit that adds architectural interest to your space, and when happy, it rewards you with clusters of delicate pink flowers! This is one of those plants that always gets compliments from visitors!
Why Choose Begonia Looking Glass for Your Collection?
- Absolutely Stunning Foliage! Those large, silvery leaves with olive veins and cranberry undersides are genuinely showstopping and create incredible visual interest in any display!
- Fast-Growing & Rewarding! This vigorous grower puts out new growth quickly when given proper care, so you'll see results from your efforts and watch your plant develop beautifully!
- Delicate Pink Blooms! When thriving, Looking Glass produces lovely clusters of pink flowers that add an extra dimension of beauty to an already gorgeous plant!
- Perfect Height & Structure! Reaching 30-60cm indoors, this cane begonia provides excellent vertical interest without overwhelming your space, and can even reach 1m+ with staking for dramatic impact!
- Light-Catching Metallic Sheen! The silvery, almost mirror-like quality of the leaves reflects light beautifully, creating a luminous effect that brings life to shadier corners of your home!
- Collector's Dream! This hybrid beauty is genuinely special and stands out in any begonia collection with its unique colouration and elegant growth habit!
Care Instructions for Australian Conditions
Light Requirements
Begonia Looking Glass absolutely loves bright indirect light! Position your plant near an east-facing window where it can enjoy lovely gentle morning light, or in a spot with filtered light throughout the day. In Australian homes, it appreciates a location that gets good brightness without harsh direct sun hitting the leaves, as too much intense light can scorch those beautiful silver leaves. If you notice the leaves losing their vibrant silver sheen or looking a bit pale, it might be asking for a brighter position!
Watering
Here's the key to success with Looking Glass: it's important to only water when it suits the environment your plant is living in - everyone's home is different! This cane begonia appreciates a good drink but really dislikes sitting in wet soil. Allow the top 2-3cm of the potting medium to dry out between waterings, then water thoroughly until it drains from the bottom. In our warm Australian summers you'll find yourself watering more frequently, whilst during winter your plant will need much less. A chunky, well-draining medium will dry faster than fine, peat-heavy mixes, so adjust accordingly! The leaves will tell you what they need - if they start drooping slightly, it's time for water, but if they feel soft or look dark, you might be overdoing it!
Temperature
Being a tropical beauty, Looking Glass absolutely thrives in warm conditions! It loves temperatures between 18-27°C, which works perfectly for most Australian homes. Keep your begonia away from cold draughts, air conditioning vents, and chilly windows during winter. The good news is that our warm Australian climate is absolutely ideal for this plant during spring and summer! Just protect it from any unexpected cold snaps and it'll reward you with gorgeous growth!
Humidity
Looking Glass definitely appreciates a bit of extra humidity, though it's more forgiving than some tropical plants! The best way to increase humidity is by grouping your plants together - they create their own lovely humid microclimate! Position your Looking Glass near other moisture-loving plants and they'll all benefit from each other's transpiration. You can also use a humidifier if you'd like to give your plant an extra boost, especially during our drier winter months. Just avoid misting the leaves directly as begonias can be prone to powdery mildew if the foliage stays wet!
Potting Medium
This is genuinely important for success! Begonia Looking Glass absolutely needs a chunky, well-draining mix that allows air to reach the roots. We love combining orchid bark, perlite, coco coir, coco chips, and a bit of vermiculite - this creates the perfect balance of moisture retention and drainage that begonias adore! Good drainage is crucial because Looking Glass is particularly sensitive to root rot. You want a mix that holds some moisture but never stays soggy. Adding some charcoal helps keep things fresh too!
Fertilising
To keep your Looking Glass growing vigorously and producing those stunning silver leaves, feed it with Growth Technology Foliage Focus at 3-5ml per litre with every watering during the growing season! This professional-grade nutrient gives your begonia exactly what it needs for gorgeous foliage development. Add Growth Technology Rootzone at 1ml per litre every 2-4 weeks to encourage strong, healthy root development and help prevent root issues. During winter when growth slows, you can reduce feeding to every second watering. Your plant will absolutely reward you with spectacular growth when properly fed!
Seasonal Care for Australian Conditions
Spring (September-November): This is when your Looking Glass really takes off! Resume regular feeding with Growth Technology nutrients, increase watering as temperatures warm up, and watch for lots of new growth and possibly flowering!
Summer (December-February): Peak growing season! Your begonia will be putting out lots of new leaves during our warm months. Keep up with regular watering as it dries faster, maintain consistent feeding, and ensure it's protected from any harsh afternoon sun. Group with other plants for humidity during hot, dry spells!
Autumn (March-May): Growth starts to slow as temperatures cool. Begin reducing watering frequency gradually and continue feeding but you can stretch it to every second watering. It's a lovely time to enjoy the mature foliage!
Winter (June-August): Your Looking Glass will rest during our cooler months. Reduce watering significantly - the mix should almost dry out between waterings. Cut back on fertilising and keep your plant away from cold windows and draughts. Don't worry if it drops a few lower leaves - that's normal! Just keep it cosy and it'll bounce back beautifully in spring!
Perfect For
- Intermediate Plant Collectors! Ideal if you've mastered easier plants and want a genuinely rewarding challenge with spectacular results - Looking Glass isn't difficult but does appreciate extra attention!
- Begonia Enthusiasts! An absolute must-have for anyone collecting begonias - the metallic foliage and elegant cane habit make it a standout specimen!
- Bright Indirect Light Spaces! Perfect for that east-facing window or bright bathroom where it can enjoy good light without harsh sun!
- Creating Architectural Interest! The upright cane growth habit provides beautiful vertical structure that adds sophistication to any indoor display!
- Foliage Lovers! If you're obsessed with unique leaf patterns and colours, those silver leaves with olive veins and cranberry undersides will absolutely make your heart sing!
- Statement Plant Displays! Looking Glass commands attention and makes a gorgeous centrepiece or feature plant that always sparks conversation!
Frequently Asked Questions
How fast does Begonia Looking Glass grow?
This is genuinely a fast-growing begonia when happy! During the active growing season (spring and summer in Australia), you'll see regular new leaf production - often several new leaves per month when conditions are right. With proper care, nutrition from Growth Technology Foliage Focus, and good light, your Looking Glass can put on impressive growth! Just remember that growth naturally slows during winter, so don't worry if things quiet down during our cooler months - that's completely normal!
Why are the leaves on my Begonia Looking Glass losing their silver colour?
If the gorgeous silver sheen is fading, your plant is likely asking for more light! Looking Glass needs bright indirect light to maintain that stunning metallic colouration. Try moving it to a brighter position - near an east-facing window is perfect! Also make sure you're feeding regularly with Growth Technology Foliage Focus, as proper nutrition helps maintain vibrant leaf colours. Too much direct sun can also bleach the leaves, so aim for that sweet spot of bright but filtered light!
Does Begonia Looking Glass need high humidity?
Looking Glass definitely appreciates extra humidity but it's more adaptable than some tropical plants! Around 50-60% humidity is ideal, which you can easily achieve by grouping it with other plants - they'll create their own lovely humid pocket together! If your home is particularly dry (especially during winter with heaters running), consider using a humidifier nearby. Just avoid misting the leaves directly as begonias can develop powdery mildew if foliage stays wet. Group planting is genuinely the best humidity solution!
Can I propagate Begonia Looking Glass?
Absolutely! Cane begonias like Looking Glass propagate really well from stem cuttings! Take a cutting with 2-3 nodes, dip it in Growth Technology Clonex Purple Rooting Gel, and place it in a well-draining propagation mix or even water. Use Growth Technology Clonex Clone Solution at 5ml per litre in the water or medium to encourage explosive root development! Keep the cutting warm and humid, and you'll see roots developing in a few weeks. It's genuinely rewarding to multiply this gorgeous plant!
Every plant we offer is carefully selected from our premium nursery stock and personally inspected for quality and health before dispatch, ensuring you receive a beautiful specimen ready to thrive in your Australian collection!
Please Note: As living plants, each specimen is unique and may vary in size, leaf count, and exact appearance from the images shown. The photos are representative examples of the quality and characteristics you can expect, but natural variations in shape, colour, and growth patterns make every plant one-of-a-kind. This individuality is part of what makes growing plants so special!
If you are from a quarantine restricted state & would like to purchase this plant we recommend using Paradise Distributors concierge service, make sure to contact them prior to purchasing: info@rareplants.net.au
Shipping & Greenhouse Collection
Let's Talk About How Your Plants Get to You!
Alright, so here's the deal with shipping - we try our best to send all our plants potted and ready to go, but sometimes due to larger orders or when we're moving through some big changes, we'll send some plants semi-bare rooted. If you haven't come across this before, it basically means we carefully remove a bunch of the soil before packing them up. I know that might sound a bit scary if you've never ordered plants online before, but trust me, this is actually a really smart way to do it! The main reason we do this is because it creates so much more room in the box, which means we can fit way more plants in one shipment for you. More plants in one box = more green goodness arriving at your door at once! The plants honestly handle the journey better without all that heavy, wet soil sloshing around too. Just make sure you've got some fresh potting mix ready to go when your green babies arrive, because they'll want to get tucked into their new home pretty quickly!
Now, let's chat about what actually fits in our boxes. We can safely fit about 4-6 plants in one box, or if you're stocking up on supplies, one box can hold 3 bags of medium plus 1L of Growth Technology. We really don't recommend adding heavy items with your plants though - it just puts extra stress on your precious plants during transit and limits how many we can fit. If your order ends up being heavier than our standard box can handle, we'll reach out to you about additional postage fees. We're always transparent about costs, no sneaky surprises!
When Does Everything Ship Out?
Here's how our timeline works - we process and ship orders the week after you place them. So if you order on a Tuesday, your plants will get packed and sent out sometime the following week. We ship Monday through Friday (because let's be real, we all need weekends to recharge!), and we're aiming to get your order out within 4-6 business days of processing. Sometimes things take a tiny bit longer because we're a small but mighty team, and we take absolute care in making sure every single plant is packed perfectly. Like, we're talking individual attention for each plant here. We don't rush this stuff!
Once your order ships, you'll get an email with your tracking number. If you haven't received that tracking email, it just means we're still working on your order - it hasn't left us yet. Please be patient with us! We promise we're working as fast as we can while still making sure everything is done right. We pack orders in chronological order to keep things fair for everyone, so no one's getting special treatment or jumping the queue. First come, first served, that's how we roll!
The Journey to Your Doorstep
All our orders ship with Australia Post, and here's something cool - they operate 24/7! That means even if your order gets sent out on a Friday afternoon, it's still making its way to you over the weekend. The postal system doesn't sleep, and honestly, that's pretty amazing for getting plants to you quickly. You can generally expect your plants to arrive within 2-7 days after we ship them, depending on where you are in Australia. Metro areas tend to be quicker, regional spots might take the full week, but either way, your tracking number will keep you in the loop the whole time.
And here's the thing that always blows people's minds - our plants are absolute troopers. We've tested this extensively, and they can genuinely survive in their boxes for up to three weeks if needed. Obviously we don't want them sitting around that long, but life happens, mail gets delayed sometimes, and we want you to know that your plants are prepped and ready to handle whatever the postal system throws at them. While we do our best to avoid delays, occasional unforeseen circumstances may slightly impact delivery times, but rest assured, your plants are packed with extra care and are tougher than you think!
Quarantine States (WA, NT, TAS)
We currently only ship directly to non-quarantine states. Unfortunately, biosecurity restrictions make it pretty complicated to send plants to Western Australia, Northern Territory, and Tasmania. But don't worry, we've got a solution for you! If you're from a quarantine restricted state and would like to purchase plants from us, we recommend using Paradise Distributors' concierge service. They're absolute legends and can handle all the biosecurity paperwork and requirements for you. Make sure to contact them prior to purchasing so they can give you all the details and help you out: info@rareplants.net.au
Come Visit the Greenhouse! (Rockdale)
If you're local or just love the idea of picking up your order in person, we've got you covered! Greenhouse collection from our Rockdale location is available the same week you make your purchase. Our opening hours are always changing, so make sure to check booking availability on our 'Visit the Greenhouse' page before purchasing. After you've paid for your order, just head over and book a time slot that works for you. You'll get to pick up your plants AND have a wander through the greenhouse while you're here, which honestly is such a vibe. Just please wear a mask if you're feeling unwell - it's a small space and we want to keep everyone safe and healthy!
Catch Us at Markets!
We do regular markets around Sydney and would love to meet you in person! If you'd prefer to skip shipping altogether and grab your order at one of our market stalls, just email us at info@growinggroundsaustralia.com and we can arrange collection at an upcoming market. It's a great way to chat plants face-to-face, see what else we've got on the day, and save on postage!
Questions? We're Here for You!
If you've got any questions about shipping, tracking, or literally anything else, please don't hesitate to contact us at info@growinggroundsaustralia.com. We love chatting with you guys and we're always happy to help troubleshoot, answer questions, or just talk plants!
Much love from the GG's Team 🌱
