Question
1.Recently a friend gave me some cuttings from a plant she called "Angel's Wings". The cuttings rooted easily and I now have a beautiful plant, in bloom. The blooms look alot like the ones on a bleeding heart plant, the leaves are green with white specks, scalloped edges, there are 2 together and they do resemble wings. Can you help me identify this plant and what I need to do for it? I have animals inside and keep the plant up for fear that it may be poison.
2. I have a prayer plant that was growing and blooming like crazy. I removed it from the container which is approximately 12 inches across the top, sloping to 6 inches at the bottom, and 5 inches deep and replaced the soil and pretty much killed it. A small sprout pops up and I water it, then in a few weeks it dies back. I would pitch it, but it was a beautiful plant and still seems to want to grow, for awhile. What can I do to help it along? Also I cut back the roots when I replaced the soil, would a smaller pot help?

Answer
Johnnie,

#1, It is an angel wing begonia. It likes bright light, watered twice a week during summer and once a week during winter. You can get a picture at this site.

http://www.flowerservant.com/begonia_coccinea_plant-care/?page=catalogue/catalog...

There's good information for begonias at the Astro Branch Web site: http://absastro.tripod.com/culture.htm
Another good site is Brad Thompson's Begonia World:
http://members.aol.com/Btbegonia

You can also get good info from the American Begonia Society Web site: http://www.begonias.org

2. You probably damaged most of the roots and in that big a pot it is having a hard time recuperating.  Why did you change the soil? Most house plants like to be rootbound and there is no need to change the soil. The prayer plant could have stayed in that pot for 10 years. At this point the pot is way too big for what is left of this poor plant. When you water all that soil the poor plant is way too wet and the roots rot. If it were mine I would move it to a pot at least half as big or to a hanging basket, being very careful too not do any further damage to the roots. Then keep it on the dry side. When it send out new sprouts give it just a little water so the roots can still breath. Do not water more than once a week then only until the soil is just slightly moist. In the winter water it once every 2 weeks.  There is a good chance it will survive if you keep it on the dry side.

Good luck.
Darlene