I walk by a home with some beautiful white and green caladiums surrounding a tree with a ring of impatiens around them. I love caladiums because they can grow very large and can do it in partial shade. They do not need full sun! Yippee! Most of the flower beds around my townhome are in partial shade. When I look for plants at the nursery, it seems like most of them require full sun. It is not always easy to find a good selection of plants that will tolerate shade. I have seen lots of caladiums around the base of trees. Recently on a radio gardening show, the garden expert said that flowers or plants around a tree look pretty, but they are NEVER good for the tree. I was not aware of that. But we are not here to discuss trees. Let’s learn more about caladiums.
According to Wikipedia, caladium is a genus of flowering plants in the family Araceae. It is often known by the common name elephant ear — which it shares with the closely related genera Alocasia, Colocasia and Xanthosoma, heart of Jesus and angel wings. There are over 1,000 named cultivars of Caladium bicolor from the original South American plant.
The genus Caladium includes seven species that are native to South America and Central America, and naturalized in India, parts of Africa and various tropical islands. It grows in open areas of the forest and on the banks of rivers and goes dormant during the dry season. The wild plants grow to 15–35 inches tall, with leaves mostly 6-18 inches long and broad.
Cultivation and uses
Several species are grown as ornamental plants for their large, arrowhead-shaped leaves marked in varying patterns in white, pink, and red — somewhat resembling the unrelated coleus — and have been in cultivation in Europe since the late 18th century. The two forms most widely cultivated are called "fancy-leaved" and "lance-leaved." The former is the more commonly seen and is the traditional caladium of cultivation; the leaves are more heart-shaped. The latter has more lance-head-shaped leaves. Most caladiums in cultivation grow to about 24 inches high and 24 inches wide, although dwarf varieties are now in cultivation.
Numerous cultivars have been selected, most of them derived from C. bicolor. Many are sold as C. × hortulanem, a synonym for C. bicolor. The lance-leaved varieties are also derived from C. schomburgkii.
Caladiums grow from tubers and can be propagated by dividing the tubers. They are hardy only to USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 10; in colder areas, they are typically grown as tender "bulbs” or as houseplants.
During their growing season, they require moderate watering — damp, not soggy. Most varieties prefer partial to full shade, although sun-resistant varieties are now in cultivation. Approximately 98% of all caladium "bulbs" are from Lake Placid, Florida, in the United States. In recent years, many new varieties have become available through breeding and are now largely disease resistant. The bulk of "bulb" production is sold to pot producers, who in turn provide local nursery outlets with potted caladiums ready for immediate planting. Most "bulb" growers also sell direct retail via websites; shipping of "bulbs" takes place in the spring when temperatures permit. "Bulbs" are subject to damage if temperatures are too low.
In temperate areas, they should be lifted before the first frost. The tubers are dried and stored for the winter when temperatures fall to 65 °F and stored moderately dry — not bone-dry — over the winter at temperatures between 56 °F and 61 °F.
All parts of the plant are poisonous. They should not be ingested and may irritate sensitive skin.
Public displays
An annual festival is held during the last weekend of July in Lake Placid, Florida, home to a majority of the world's caladium fields. A popular activity is a tour of the fields of caladiums, the product of local growers. Every July since 2003, Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center in Kissimmee, Florida, has presented the Florida Caladium Showcase, the largest indoor and outdoor display of the plants, including new varieties. Many universities feature caladiums at field trials; you may also find displays at arboretums and many public gardens.
Caladiums are tubers — not corms or bulbs. A corm is a compressed mass of stem tissue with a basal plate or root tissue at the bottom and one or more "eyes" on top from which vegetative growth and flowers will appear. A tuber is stem tissue with various eyes which may grow vegetative growth or roots.
Caladium bicolor
Caladium bicolor, called heart of Jesus, is a species in the genus Caladium from Latin America. It is grown as a houseplant for its large, heart or lance-shaped leaves with striking green, white, pink and red blotching. Hundreds of cultivars are available. It can be planted outside in USDA Hardiness Zone 10 as an ornamental. It is a problematic invasive species in Trinidad and Tobago, Guam, Micronesia, Palau, Hawaii and the Philippines. Naturalized populations can be found in most of the rest of the world's tropics, including Africa, the Indian subcontinent, southeast Asia and Malesia.
C. bicolor contains calcium oxalate crystals, making all parts of the plant poisonous to humans, livestock and pets. Sap coming in contact with the skin may cause skin irritation. Ingestion may cause burning and swelling of the lips, mouth and tongue, as well as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. If a pet consumes caladium, in addition to vomiting, etc., the symptoms include drooling, pawing at mouth or face and decreased appetite.
Cultivars of C. bicolor are below.
Blushing Bride
Candyland
Celebration
Creamsickle
Modern Art
Fireworks
Sangria
White Dynasty
Caladium lindenii
Caladium lindenii is a species of flowering plant in the family Araceae, named after Belgian botanist Jean Jules Linden. Cultivars include Caladium lindenii 'Magnificum.'
Caladium plant care
According to Nikki Tilley’s article “Caladium Plant Care: How to Plant Caladiums” at gardenknowhow.com, growing caladiums is easy with proper caladium care. Caladiums can be grown in containers or clumped together within beds and borders. There are numerous varieties of caladiums found in either the fancy-leaved or the strap-leaved cultivar, all of which can make a dramatic statement in the landscape. Caladiums can be purchased as potted plants or dormant tubers. Their size depends on the variety. For the most part, each tuber has a large bud, which is often surrounded by smaller ones. To make it easier for these smaller buds to grow after planting caladium “bulbs,” many gardeners find it helpful to lift out the large bud with a knife. Of course, this is up to the individual and will not adversely affect the overall growth of your caladiums. Planting caladium “bulbs” takes little effort. They can be planted directly in the garden during spring or started indoors four to six weeks before the average frost date. Soil temperature is an important consideration, as planting too early outdoors can cause tubers to rot. These plants thrive in moist, well-drained soil and are generally happier in partial shade. When you plant caladiums, you should plant them about 4 to 6 inches deep and 4 to 6 inches apart. If you’re growing caladiums indoors, keep them in a warm room with plenty of light until outside temperatures are warm enough to transplant. Caladium tubers should be planted about one to two inches deep with the knobs or eye buds facing up. While this may sometimes be difficult to distinguish in some varieties, those that are planted upside down will still emerge, only slower.
The most important factors in caladium care are moisture and feeding. Fertilizer will help strengthen the plants in order to produce adequate tubers for the following growing season.
Caladiums need to be watered on a regular basis, especially during dry conditions. In fact, watering them on a weekly basis is recommended. Caladiums that are grown in containers should be checked daily and watered as needed. Applying mulch around caladium plants will help to conserve and maintain moisture — even in containers. Since caladiums are considered tender perennials, they must be dug up in the fall and stored indoors over winter in cold climates. Once their foliage yellows and begins falling over, caladiums can be carefully lifted from the ground. Place the plants in a warm, dry location for at least a couple weeks to dry out. Then cut off the foliage, place the tubers in a netted bag or box and cover in dry peat moss. Store the tubers in a cool, dry location. Once spring returns, you can replant outdoors. If you are growing caladiums in containers, they can be overwintered indoors.
According to Teo Spengler’s article “Caladium Plant Problems – Caladium Plant Pests and Disease” at gardeningknowhow.com, caladium plant problems range from those caused by improper cultural practices to diseases and pests.
According to Teo Spengler’s article “Caladium Plant Problems – Caladium Plant Pests and Disease” at gardeningknowhow.com, caladium plant problems range from those caused by improper cultural practices to diseases and pests. Cultural practices
To start preventing caladium problems caused by improper cultural practices, learn how to take care of your plant. Caladiums grow from tubers that look like bulbs, and if the tubers are injured in storage, the plants can be stunted. Carefully stock tubers in a garage or porch at temperatures between 60 and 90 degrees F. Colder or hotter temperatures will create stunted growth in the plants. Caladiums like sunlight, but not suddenly. If your cultivars were grown during cloudy weather and suddenly are faced with bright light, they may get sunburned. You’ll see brown blotches on the leaves. If this happens, just increase the plant’s shade.
Too much water or fertilizer near the plant tubers can also create caladium plant problems. Take care with irrigation and fertilization, and you’ll be preventing caladium problems.
Caladium plant pests
Caladium plants are not typically troubled by insects, but sometimes caladium plant pests nibble their leaves or cell sap. Caterpillars and aphids can be problems. Your best defense against caladium plant pests is vigilance. If you see ragged margins on foliage, look for the creatures and hand pick them off the plants. If the infestation is out of control, use Bacillus thuringiensis — known as “Bt” — that’s made for caterpillar control. Aphids can be bothersome, although they generally do not pose real threats to the plants. Wash them off with the hose or, if necessary, use horticultural soap or neem oil to control them.
Diseases of caladium plants
Caladium grow from tubers and the diseases of caladium plants are those that attack the tubers. Usually, these diseases are caused by fungal pathogens, such as Rhizoctonia and Pythium species. Sometimes, these are present in the dormant tubers.
If you want to start preventing caladium problems from fungus, immerse the tubers in hot water — water heated to 122 degrees F. — prior to planting or storing. Leave them in for 30 minutes to kill harmful fungi. Make sure the tubers thoroughly dry.
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