Because their leaves are so beautiful, angel wings plants are becoming more and more popular for gardens and pots. The question is where to buy these pretty succulents. This whole guide will tell you all about the best places to buy your own angel wings plants.
What Are Angel Wings Plants?
First, let’s start with an introduction to what exactly angel wings plants are.
Angel wings plants belong to the species Senecio candicans also known as sea cabbage. They are tender perennials native to South Africa that get their name from their fuzzy heart-shaped leaves. The foliage emerges with a hint of burgundy but matures to a bright silvery-white shade.
In warmer climates, angel wings can grow up to 3 feet tall. But they also thrive as compact container plants. Their soft texture and bright color make them stand out in any setting. Angel wings work beautifully as a focal point mixed with other succulents or annuals.
While angel wings will occasionally produce small yellow flowers they are grown primarily for their distinctive foliage. They are not cold hardy and are treated as annuals in colder zones.
Buying Angel Wings Online
One of the easiest ways to get angel wings is to buy them from plant stores online. Looking online gives you a lot of choices and lets you buy plants that aren’t sold near you.
Angel wings can be bought on Etsy, Amazon, and eBay, which are all well-known online stores. You can also find them on sites that specialize in succulents and other cool plants.
When buying online, pay close attention to plant size descriptions. Angel wings are often sold as small 2-3 inch starter plugs. For fuller, mature plants ready for immediate display, look for listings with descriptions like “1 gallon” or “6-12 inches.”
Etsy sellers of succulents you can trust, like SucculentsBox and MountainCrestGardens, sell lovely, healthy angel wings that are ready to decorate your pots. On the web, big box stores like Walmart and Amazon also sell angel wings plants.
Be sure to check retailer reviews and growing guarantees when buying online. Carefully read shipping details too, since angel wings are fragile.
Check Local Garden Centers
Your local independent or chain garden center is another excellent option for finding angel wings plants in stock. Stores like Armstrong Garden Centers, Lowe’s, and Home Depot carry them seasonally.
Shopping in person allows you to hand pick specific plants and avoid potential shipping damage. It’s easy to inspect them for health, size, and overall quality before purchasing.
Early spring through summer is the typical season to find angel wings at garden centers. Be aware that stocks sell out quickly once they come in. Calling your local stores ahead helps you scope out availability.
While selection is smaller than online, a local nursery still gives you diverse angel wings varieties to choose from. You’ll often find both generic Senecio candicans and named cultivars like ‘Angel Wings’ and ‘Sea Cabbage.’
Order Directly From Growers
For the widest selection, you can order angel wings plants directly from commercial growers. Wholesale nurseries and greenhouses offer the most cultivar options since they propagate and breed new varieties.
Popular angel wings growers include:
- Proven Winners – Sells their branded ‘Angel Wings’ through retailers
- Plant Delights Nursery – Specializes in unique perennials
- Glasshouse Works – Carries hard-to-find tropical plants
The benefit of ordering direct is access to uncommon varieties beyond what retailers have. The drawback is buying in bulk since growers normally have minimum orders. Still, these specialty sources are worth checking out for angel wings collectors.
Grow Angel Wings From Seeds
Growing angel wings from seed is an affordable alternative to buying plants. Saved seed pods or purchased seed packets offer a more budget-friendly way to get lots of plants. The tradeoff is waiting months for seeds to germinate and develop.
Soak seeds in warm water for 24 hours before planting to increase germination rates. Sow seeds shallowly in sterile starting mix. Maintain a temperature around 70°F until sprouting, which takes 1-2 weeks.
Once seedlings emerge, provide bright light and careful watering. Transplant them once a few true leaves appear. Grow them indoors until they’re 4-6 inches before moving outside after the danger of frost.
Caring for Your Angel Wings
Angel wings require well-drained soil and lots of sun to thrive. Let the soil dry between waterings. While somewhat drought tolerant, regular deep watering encourages the best growth.
Apply a balanced liquid fertilizer every 2-4 weeks during the growing season. Watch for mealybugs, scale, and fungal diseases. Prune damaged leaves or leggy growth as needed.
In zones 9-11, angel wings will grow year-round outdoors. Elsewhere, they should be brought indoors or propagated from cuttings before frost hits. With proper care, you’ll enjoy their wonderful foliage for years to come.
Where to Buy Angel Wings Plants: Key Takeaways
- Search major online retailers like Etsy, Amazon, and eBay for the widest selection
- Check your local nurseries and garden centers for in-stock availability
- Order directly from wholesale growers for more variety
- Grow angel wings from seed for a more affordable option
- Give them lots of sun, well-draining soil, and occasional fertilizer
With so many sources available, it’s easy to find beautiful angel wings to add charm and interest to your spaces. Just be sure to give them proper care once you bring them home. In the right conditions, angel wings will thrive for years, rewarding you with their stunning silver foliage.
Newly planted Senecio candidans Angel Wings Senaw in the ground should be watered during dry spells until established, when plants will be drought tolerant. In pots, water regularly to keep the compost evenly moist but take care not to overwater and ensure that any excess can drain easily away.
Once established, this plant is easy to grow and requires little care. Remove faded older leaves as they appear, otherwise the dead leaves could be a potential source of rot. Protect from excess rain, especially over the winter months, and in areas where temperatures drop below-5°C. Grow in a pot and move to a greenhouse, polytunnel, conservatory or porch for the winter.
Plant Profile: Senecio candidans – Angel Wings
FAQ
Where is the best place to plant angel wings?
They thrive in full sun but won’t tolerate moisture-retentive ground. Grow in a border, raised bed, rockery or in a pot.
Are angel wings a perennial or annual?
A frost-tender perennial; overwinter indoors or treat as an annual in cold winter regions. WATER: Allow soil to dry between waterings. SIZE: Fast growing; reaches 10 to 16 in. tall and wide.
Are lamb’s ears and angel wings the same?
Senecio Angel Wings is a clump forming evergreen perennial which grows to about 40cm in height. It produces large rounded, velvety silver leaves which have a texture very similar to that of lambs ears. Flat, terminal clusters of small, yellow flowers are produced in summer.
Can angel wings be in full sun?
Angel Wings needs well-drained soil with low to moderate moisture and full sun to part shade. Indoors in the winter, allow the soil to dry between watering. Fertilize yearly in the spring. Use this plant in mass plantings, borders, or as a container plant.
What is an angel’s wings plant?
Angel’s wings refers to the unique shape of the plant, which resembles two large angel’s wings. The plant is actually a type of succulent and is native to South Africa. The plant is an evergreen perennial that has large, even huge leaves distinguished by their gray-white or silver color.
Is angel wings a perennial?
The Angel Wings plant belongs to the Senecio genus and has the life cycle of a perennial, so taking care of it doesn’t require any intricate tips—just like the popular Pickle Cactus, a plant that belongs to the same genus.
Where can I plant angel wings?
In rock gardens, shallow troughs, and along the edge of a rock wall, this plant looks right at home. When some plants start to languish in the summer heat, Angel Wings is just getting started. Deer and rabbits don’t like its rough leaves, but gardeners will want to “pet” them because they are so soft they feel like puppy ears.
Are Angel Wing plants easy to grow?
The Angel Wings Plant is a stunning easy to grow succulent. Its foliage is unforgettable. Silver-white leaves have scalloped edges and are soft to the touch. It is a wonderful variety for containers and grows to be ten to twelve inches tall. The Angel Wings Plant has a mounded growing habit that stays neat.
How do you grow angel wings?
Like many felted silver plants, good drainage and abundant sunshine are important to achieve healthy, vigorous growth. This plant looks right at home in crevice gardens, shallow troughs and planted along the edge of a rock wall. When some plants start to languish in the summer heat, Angel Wings is just getting started.
What is angel wings Senecio?
Angel Wings® Senecio, A sensational, rounded plant with large, broad, toothy, silvery white, velvety leaves. Use to create a bold backdrop to green-leaved plan.