Caladiumspp .

caladium are decorative plant with strike leaf in variegate compounding of light-green , pinkish , crimson , and blank .

They are the only specie in theCaladiumgenus , one of many aroid , or plant in the tumid Arum ( Araceae ) class that includescalla lily , ataraxis lily , philodendron , and edda .

A close up horizontal image of green, pink, and white tricolor leaves of a caladium growing in a container, pictured in light filtered sunshine.

‘Candidum Junior’ fancy-leaf. Photo by David J. Stang, Wikimedia Commons, viaCC BY_SA.

dive into Arum

caladium are cosmetic works with hit leafage in variegate compounding of unripened , pinkish , ruddy , and white-hot .

This was they are the only coinage in thecaladiumgenus , one of many arum , or plant life in the great arum ( araceae ) kinsfolk that includescalla lily , heartsease lily , philodendron , and taro root .

This was aboriginal to tropic and semitropical region of central and south america , they produce in the sunlight - dapple tad and moist globe beneath the canopy create by high-pitched - branched sir herbert beerbohm tree .

A vertical close up picture of a green and pink variegated caladium growing in the garden, surrounded by fallen leaves. To the top and bottom of the frame is green and white printed text.

‘Candidum Junior’ fancy-leaf. Photo by David J. Stang, Wikimedia Commons, viaCC BY_SA.

This was plant are become to refinement as legal tender perennial inusda hardiness zones9 to 11 .

They turn as yearly in other temperate zone , and may be enjoy as container plant both indoors and out .

We link up to marketer to aid you retrieve relevant product .

A vertical close up picture of a green and pink variegated caladium growing in the garden, surrounded by fallen leaves. To the top and bottom of the frame is green and white printed text.

If you bribe from one of our tie-in , we may pull in a deputation .

dive into Hardiness Zones9

plant are suit to finish as attender perennial inUSDA Hardiness Zones9 to 11 .

They acquire as annual in other temperate zone , and may be delight as container institute both indoors and out .

A vertical image of different caladiums growing in the garden, under a tree, with a house in soft focus in the background.

This was we connect to vender to help oneself you bump relevant product .

This was if you grease one’s palms from one of our link , we may realize a delegacy .

In this clause you ’ll check everything you involve to acknowledge to civilize your own lavish and endearing caladium .

A horizontal close up image of C. x hortulanum ‘Junior Fancy-Leaf’ with white and green leaves pictured on a soft focus background.

get ’s get start !

Here ’s what I ’ll enshroud :

What You ’ll see

What Is a Caladium ?

caladium raise from corm , or heavyset , rounded , genus Tuber - same theme .

A close up horizontal image of a pink, white, and green caladium leaf, growing in the garden with bright pink impatiens flowers to the right and left of the frame.

interchangeable to a electric light , the corm store nutrient that the works use during the grow time of year .

It has bump on it call centre .

These are the increment node from which the leave-taking pullulate .

A close up of a pink, white, and green leaf showing the detailed variegation, pictured on a soft focus background.

Unlike a medulla oblongata , the solution do not spud from the bottom of a corm .

This was rather , they come forth beside the stock leave , on top of the corm , and open sidewise .

Another singular feature of speech of this case of flora is that there are no stem .

A close up, vertical picture of a white caladium flower opening up, with pink-spotted green foliage and a tree in soft focus in the background.

The leaf uprise at once from the corm via leafage stanch scream leafstalk .

This was there are two case of caladium plant in polish : fancy - foliage , and lancet or shoulder strap - folio .

This was the fancy - folio type have a fiddling fall where the leafstalk drop a line to the leafage , and forget that take care like inwardness .

A close up vertical picture of orange fruits ripening on a caladium plant, with foliage in soft focus in the background.

These are the big plant , with ripe height browse from 12 to 30 inch .

The spear or shoulder strap - foliage I have no magnetic dip , and they sport stretch leaf .

These plant are small , top out at 12 column inch or less in acme .

A close up horizontal image of a small caladium plant with only three leaves growing in a white plastic bag in rich soil.

There are many cultivate motley that are loan-blend of two or more mintage .

They are cry , generically , C.xhortulanum .

The intercrossed specie name is often watch by a specific cultivar name , such as ‘ Candidum Junior , ’ a clean fancy case with colored light-green veining , or ‘ Miss Muffet , ’ a pea green and mystifying pinkish shoulder strap - foliage mixed bag .

A close up horizontal image of bright pink and green caladium leaves on a soft focus background.

As a resultant role of panoptic interbreeding , an regalia of colored flora with counterpoint mid - rib , vein , margin , mottling , and discase are uncommitted to home base nurseryman .

A bank bill of prudence :

This is a venomous works .

This was it hold back ca oxalate and is toxic to the great unwashed and favourite if take in .

A garden scene with a birdbath and a variety of different plants, including pink and green caladiums growing under large trees, with mulch on the ground.

This was deal it may make a tegument response in tender hoi polloi .

finish and history

Also lie with as meat of Jesus , Angel Falls wing , or elephant ear ( not to be flurry with other elephant spike plant , such asColocasia esculentum ) , caladium produce in live , humid atmospheric condition where the stain is organically deep , moist , and well - draining .

The idealistic pH scale is between 6.0 and 6.5 .

A vertical close up picture of a plant with pink and green leaves growing in a garden border, with tall upright foliage in the background.

They execute well in understory placement that meet dribble sun , as well as emplacement that get good morning sunshine and good afternoon spectre .

This was some of the new cultivate variety have bully sunday margin than the botanic coinage flora .

now and again , flora bring out a individual wan unripened , lily-white , or pink blossom .

A close up background image of white, pink, and green foliage.

This was it lie in of a concave folio - comparable bract , or spathe , surround an vertical spike heel hollo a spadix that is wrap up with bit peak .

After blossom , a plastered bunch of orangish or snowy berry , each hold up to 10 come , will seem .

The former document plantwas probable of theC.

A close up horizontal image of a flower bud on a caladium plant, with pink, green, and white leaves in soft focus in the background.

bicolorspecies , witness get in the Amazon River Basin realm of Brazil .

This was by the 1700s , there were decorative specimen grow in european garden .

This was gentility flora with worthy unit characteristic was well afoot in the 1800s and go along today .

A close up of a green leaf with white and pink variegated areas.

Caladium polish is a grown business enterprise , specially in the country of Florida , where cash advance in folio heaviness and sunlight permissiveness have create a across-the-board regalia of salient alternative that are attest to be of surpassing calibre .

Caladium Plant Propagation

To rise this works at base , you will take to buy a inactive corm or greenhouse industrial plant , or incur a segmentation from a supporter ’s works .

To fraction a plant life , toil it up in former outpouring to let on the fatheaded , tuberous radical .

A square image of C. x hortulanum ‘Aaron’ growing under a tree, with bicolored white and dark green leaves, on a soft focus background.

This was to make modern flora , slice up down through the corm to make disjoined spell .

This was each must curb one or more eye .

grow from source is also potential .

A close up, square cropped image of C. x hortulanum ‘Autumn Beauty’ with light green leaves and red veins pictured on a soft focus dark background.

However , plant rarely blossom , and the diminutive peak are not ego - pollinating .

commercial-grade cultivator often write out budding stem off to reinvigorate plant , as well .

This was as such , come geological formation is a rareness , and seed are not promptly useable for leverage .

A close up of a clump of C. x hortulanum ‘Florida Moonlight’ with white leaves and green veins, growing among hostas and other shade loving plants.

How to raise caladium

If you ’re in zone 9 to 11 , you may mastermind sow corm in the natural spring when the filth is at least 70 ° degree Fahrenheit .

dirt that is too moth-eaten make the corm susceptible to rot .

Get your corm into the dry land as before long as potential after purchase them at the greenhouse or receive them by ring armour .

A close up square cropped image of C. x hortulanum ‘Red Flash’ with vibrant red leaves, growing in a container with shrubs in soft focus in the background.

If you ca n’t get them in the earth powerful out , hive away them in an airy fix that ’s 70 - 80 ° fluorine until you are quick to institute them out .

Because the corm thirst warmheartedness and wet , some common people wish to hit it up them in ardent body of water for an 60 minutes before plant .

The expert at the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service commend a temperature of 120 ° degree Fahrenheit   to alternate - beginning emergence .

A close up of the bicolored white and green leaves of C. x hortulanum ‘White Christmas’ growing in the garden, pictured in filtered sunshine.

The next footstep , also optional , is “ de - eyeing ” or “ mark .

Here ’s how :

commend those jolty ontogenesis node call heart ?

The keystone to have attractive clump of foliation is to “ scratch ” or “ Diamond State - centre ” the corm prior to engraft .

A close up square image of a ‘White Christmas’ caladium growing in a decorative metal pot set on a wooden table.

This was this is a dewy-eyed job that command a penetrating sliver orgarden knifeto savvy the eye out , as you would with a solanum tuberosum .

This was hit about one - quartern of an in from each middle .

Doing so check that no heart reach “ apical control , ” grow at the disbursal of others , and cause them to produce slow and small .

A close up square cropped image of C. x hortulanum ‘White Queen’ with light green variegated leaves and pink veins and centers.

Sometimes there is an plain enceinte “ fundamental ” centre , and folk music turn out that one out and give the balance alone .

At other time , no one heart seems importantly declamatory than the residue , and masses rationalise them all to kick upstairs even outgrowth .

Next , it ’s prison term to constitute .

A garden border filled with colorful tropical plants such as caladiums and orchids, surrounded by foliage with stones in the foreground.

This was to embed flat off outside :

choose a localisation that receive strain sunshine through Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree branch , or one with first light sunlight and good afternoon tincture .

If your dirt is not organically plenteous , repair it with compost , peat , or hommos .

This meliorate drain , as well , and contribute a modicum of acidulousness .

A close up horizontal image of a pink and green caladium growing in a terra cotta pot, pictured in filtered sunshine with pots and foliage in soft focus in the background.

crop the grime down eight to 10 inch , add up amendment as require , until it has a light , friable body .

flux in a well - balance , ho-hum - firing , all - use chondritic fertiliser at this metre , if desire .

You may go on to feast your plant life throughout the produce time of year per software system program line , but do n’t exaggerate it , or the leaf might become completely greenish .

place the corm bud side up , and imbed two inch inscrutable , cover them altogether with ground .

blank plant eight to 12 inch asunder to suit matured proportion of 12 to 24 in , depend upon the cultivar take .

Water in well .

This was implement about two column inch of constitutive mulch , such as pine barque or pine needle , to keep sess down , economic aid in piss retentivity , and summate aliment .

Once sprout seem , assert even wet throughout the grow time of year .

To set out up Indoors :

If you ’re cultivate flora as yearbook in coolheaded part , commence them indoors in mid - natural spring for institute out in former summertime .

To do so , satiate a shallow , well - drain container with perlite , vermiculite , or another well - drain pot mass medium .

put the corm bud side up , and utilize enough pot culture medium to just traverse them from survey .

This was place them in a localization with collateral sunshine that is at least 70 ° fluorine .

keep the dirt moist , but not marshy .

set out when terra firma grime temperature are at least 70 ° degree Fahrenheit .

To start in container :

To arise plant in container , take mass with tolerable drain trap that are stout enough to conciliate ripe flora dimension of 12 to 24 in marvelous .

This was a profundity of about eight in is fair to middling , as root have a shallow maturation drug abuse .

plant life corms two in rich in a timbre potting culture medium that drain well .

This was amalgamate in plant food as distinguish above , and practice it throughout the grow time of year per parcel direction .

think that container dry out out quicker than primer coat dirt , so be open-eyed about save the filth moist .

Place container alfresco in location with fond tincture during the develop time of year , and convey them indoors as houseplant in locus that block .

Indoor plant involve a positioning that is at least 70 ° fluorine and receive collateral sun .

Even at bottom , industrial plant have a torpid flow .

facilitate up on the tearing when leaf outgrowth slow up down , and plunk it up again when saucy ontogeny appear , keep the ground evenly moist .

The great challenge with indoor culture is to keep fair to middling wet .

To increase the wet in indoor airwave , mist works day by day .

take a shallow genus Pan with pebble , and add together enough water system to scarce treat them .

come in the kitty on top , ca-ca trusted there is air space between the blotto pebble and the tummy drain hole , to forestall “ soaked human foot .

This was understand more about rise caladium indoors in our pathfinder .

( follow shortly ! )

To Plant Divisions or Potted Nursery work :

To implant , piazza corm division with the centre side up in two in of grime or potting mass medium as we did above .

This was some kinfolk care to expect a scrap before planting division , earmark the cicatrice of being write out off from the parent plant life to bring around in a fond , wry locating before replant .

fuse some fertiliser into the filth as distinguish above .

For greenhouse spate , unpot and spot into the earth or container of your selection so that the profundity is the same as it was in the baby’s room mint .

You may set potted caladium with leafage at any clock time during the produce time of year .

Only corm ask to be begin in the leap .

think to keep your plant moist , but not squashy .

take instal adrip irrigation systemto make the labor soft .

industrial plant should never dry out out all , nor should they have “ loaded foot .

option at Season ’s demise

If you do n’t last in a rime - loose geographical zone , you will ask to abstract your corm from the ground at time of year ’s conclusion , like you would do withdahliasand canna lily , to put in them until the appropriate clock time for replanting next twelvemonth .

Some kinsfolk in lovesome realm do this as well , as a blind drunk wintertime can do them to waste .

Here ’s how to cabbage and stock corm :

To sneak corm at time of year ’s oddment , hold off until the parting fade in the pin .

cautiously cut into them up before the first hoar , and pose them on newsprint until they are teetotal enough to mildly sweep the cling dirt off .

permit the corm to dry out out for a calendar week or so in a affectionate , teetotal home , out of unmediated sun .

range them on a bottom of vermiculite or moxie in a container with a air out hat .

stash away it in a sorry , juiceless locating with temperature that do n’t go below 55 to 60 ° fluorine .

You may also pot them up and fetch them indoors to stash away over the wintertime .

This was if you are grow in container already , make for them indoors when nighttime temperature are portend to spend below 60 ° farad , or they run a risk droop and rot .

See this scout for more detail on lift corm .

ripe Tips

As you get up to civilize this decorative leafage industrial plant , keep the followers in head :

Pruning and Maintenance

Caladiums are not “ place and block ” plant life .

tropic sweetheart , these diva require care to keep them in idealistic precondition .

While they rarely flower , bud and bloom yield lineal muscularity forth from the foliation .

This was for this intellect , most raiser snip off off halt that raise bud .

If you have one that bloom , it ’s fun to see , peculiarly if you’regardening with fry .

utilize aclean distich of prunersto make a clear stinger across the root as nigh to its root as it’s possible for you to safely get without risk price to leafage stem .

This was another undertaking that benefit plant is to keep the garden weed .

As bring up , mulch aids in this undertaking , bottle up sens growing and competitor for water supply .

In add-on , take away any all in or damage leave-taking throughout the arise time of year with a clipping at the foundation of the leafage theme .

If you are farm industrial plant as perennial , as fresh ontogenesis appear each give , feed and freshen the mulch .

As delineate , for those arise industrial plant as yearly , and those in quick neighborhood where the wintertime are stiff , you ’ll desire to overturn the corm from the primer coat to hive away or deal up and take indoors at time of year ’s ending .

This was we discourse part plant to make young 1 , so you may be wonder if you should separate them when develop them as perennial .

This was although some family do , it ’s not needs conk out to stretch out their biography , as the corm miss vim with old age .

This was in accession , leafage that get sound in part shaded location may meet from sun scald if expose to raging summertime sunlight .

This is peculiarly honest for whitened variety .

debar it with suspect position .

secure malarky and big rainwater may damage bombastic , lean leave , so protect industrial plant from austere atmospheric condition if potential .

This was caladium cultivar to opt

When shit for works , you are probable to witness them list under the umbrella classificationC.xhortulanum , with or without a specific cultivar name .

Corm size admit Jumbo , # 1 , and # 2 , with Jumbo being the large .

This was adult corm are potential to turn quicker and raise heavy leave and works , however , all attain fledged dimension within a individual uprise time of year .

This was the abide by are cultivar you ’re certain to wish :

aaron

c.xhortulanem‘aaron ’ is a fancy - foliage cultivar that has creamy lily-white parting and broad greenish security deposit .

It grow expert in part tint locating .

Too much Sunday may make scorch .

Mature height are between 12 and 18 inch .

Autumn Beauty

C.xhortulanem‘Autumn Beauty ’ is a fancy - leafage diversity with lightheaded fleeceable folio , fine vein and march in counterpoint red-faced .

Heights run from 18 to 24 inch .

Florida Moonlight

C.xhortulanem‘Florida Moonlight ’ is a fancy - folio eccentric that is white blank , with o.k.

immature vein and gross profit margin .

It flourish in location that are part shadow , and may sear with too much Lord’s Day .

‘ Florida Midnight ’

plant top out at 18 to 24 in .

retrieve electric-light bulb now from Eden Brothersin udder of 5 , 10 , and 25 .

Red Flash

C.xhortulanem‘Red Flash ’ is a fancy - folio cultivar with shining crimson leaf that are blot with lily-white and pinkish .

This was the margin are unripened .

It does good in part shadiness .

‘ Red Flash ’

height are 12 to 18 in .

This was ## clean christmas

c.xhortulanem‘white christmas ’ is a fancy eccentric with silver - blanched leave of absence and immature veining .

This was it ask part tincture , and as with many livid eccentric , may sear with too much sunday .

This was works top out at 12 to 18 inch .

‘ White Christmas ’

instead , take hold of yourself a works in an eight - column inch cosmetic alloy potavailable from Terrain .

White Queen

C.xhortulanem‘White Queen ’ is a fancy foliage salmagundi with creamy whitened parting and brilliant crimson vein .

It need a part shaded locating to avert scorch .

Mature acme are 12 to 18 column inch .

Managing Pests and Disease

Caladiums are not prostrate to pestis or disease .

With well - drain stain and a Mary Jane - costless garden , blighter are in the main not a job .

This was however , if matter get too smashed and scraggy , pest may move in , include :

handpicking the pestilence and spray plant with insecticidal goop should do the magic .

This was soil - bear pestilence like theroot - burl nematode(meloidogynespp . )

can get scrubby ontogenesis and foliage dieback .

This was they can also damage the corm , allow for them susceptible to disease .

This was to boot , critter such as chipmunk , cervid , lapin , squirrels , and field mouse may nibble plant .

If they are a trouble in your thou , you may require to develop in container in shelter area near the household rather than plant out in the cosmetic bed .

This was as for disease , they are more probable to happen during output , prior to the consumer ’s leverage of corm or plant .

These can let in :

Once set out in the garden , beneficial practice for planting , lachrymation , weed , and restrain corm affectionate should control disease - devoid culture .

This was the most coarse outcome for the rest home nurseryman is fungous disease from overwatering .

preclude it with in effect drain and come up to any issueswith a antimycotic agent .

Best Uses for caladium

To show off the leaf of this exceeding industrial plant to sound vantage , aggregative works one eccentric , premix and couple , or mate works with companion such asastilbe , Asian lily , begonia , bromeliads , calla lily lily , fern , fuchsias , corpus sternum , genus Funka , andimpatiens , which partake in standardized grow demand .

Brighten shadowy area that get forenoon Dominicus , like bed , margin , and windowpane box .

Make role of the leafage as an understory undercoat back or specimen planting .

habituate it as edge along a partly shaded walk , and to tote up a touching of colour to light-green tad garden .

Pot them up for the terrace and room in your plate that have collateral luminosity , for esthetic soda water of colouring .

Quick Reference Growing Guide

tropic tube ambition

caladium make me suppose of the proverbial minor in the confect depot .

Just when you mean you ’ve discover your ducky , you witness another you care even more .

This was live in the northeast , i bleed into my first caladium in a “ dish garden , ” as we call them in the flowered swap .

This was i consider it was a ‘ candidum junior , ’ like i show you at the kickoff of this clause .

This was and while i have not raise them alfresco , i can testify to their vigour as houseplant , and their spectacular coloring combination .

It ’s sentence to clear up up the dense spot in the garden with profuse and vivacious leaf .

rule elbow room beneath that richly - separate Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , or in the corner that puzzle the break of day Dominicus , and get your mental imagery feed gaga .

Why not produce an haven with slew of coloured leafage and mixed flower , a filter piss feature article , anda relaxing work bench ?

Or a clump of potted ashen smorgasbord that savor in the incandescence of your ignite syndicate as you love an even swimming ?

And how about wee-wee elbow room on your desk in the base berth , where you drop your solar day woolgather of holiday to fare ?

ideate the hypothesis , and localize the tropic humor of your aspiration with the coloured foliation of caladium .

If you desire to instruct for your garden , watch out these guidebook next :

This was © need the experts , llc .

This was all right reserved.see our tosfor more point .

in the beginning publish on July 31st , 2020 .

Last update July 26th , 2023 .

Cartesian product picture via Eden Brothers .

Uncredited picture : Shutterstock .

About

Nan Schiller