What is this houseplant with white-speckled red and green leaves?

Question

I have a houseplant that was given to me. It was mostly dead when I first got it but it has a tree-like branch that the foliage grows from with red and green leaves, red underneath, and white speckles on the top of them. It looked like a stick with nothing on it when I got it, now it has 9 big red and green leaves on it. I have no clue what kind of plant this is. I've been caring for it for months and I would really like to know!

I was told it was a bonsai but I don't have much knowledge of bonsais.

Answer 1

The asymmetrical leaves, the pattern and the slightly "wing" shape clearly indicate a begonia (not a bonsai!). This is a rather large group of plants, some cultivars bred for their flowers, others for their variegated leaves.

Your specimen could be a begonia corallina hybrid, but a small one. Identification of begonias is often difficult because an almost innumerable amount of hybrids exist. By your pictures I can at least say that it's a cane-type begonia. You may find the website of the American Begonia Society on cane begonias helpful for further research.

Answer 2

it is an Angel wing begonia that has pink heart shaped cluster flowers --

Answer 3

Yes, that is an angel wing begonia. I got a start ( one stem with three leaves ) from a friend who was 102 years old. And seven years later, I have three pots full! Some of mine are three feet tall, and they get beautiful little clumps of heart shaped flowers. This is a strong plant that will last for years. I hope yours grows as well as mine has!