emilycompost - Celebrating gardening, plants, and weeds

FAQ

Emily (who we are)

What's Growing On

Plants of the Week
Wildflowers and Weeds of the Week

A Gardener's Garden
Backyard Wildlife Habitat
Composting

Articles
Bookworms
Garden Glossary
Plant Search
Quotes

Photography

Who's Who in Gardening

Master Gardening
Gardening with Kids

Can You Identify This?
Seed Exchange

Selected Links

emilycompost
Plants

Caladium
(ka-LAY-dee-um)
'White Christmas'
ARACEAE

These bulbs are unbeatable for color in the shady garden. Planted in groups, they definitely make a statement.

Christmas caladium Their growing habit presents clumps of one to three feet.

All leaves are arrowhead-shaped, anywhere from two to twelve inches in length.

There are some new varieties that will thrive in the sun, but most like shade to partial shade.

The leaves typically are veined, speckled or banded with a contrasting color.

It is the best for color in the summer that does not require a lot of work. The plant performs best with moist soil, but must be drained. And, they like somewhat acidic soil.

Bulbs generally are planted in the spring. Where they are left in through the year they can be divided in the spring.

When taking the bulb up for the season, dust with a fungicide. Store in a dry condition in peat moss or in vermiculite.

They also grow well in containers. Don't forget to water.

One can fertilize monthly, but cut back in the fall.

There is a wonderful Caladium Festival in Lake Placid, Florida (the Caladium Capital of the World)
in August each year. The web site for the Lake Placid Chamber of Commerce is www.lpfla.com and their phone number is 1-800-557-5224.

Some questions from Emily's mailbox:

Q: I live in zone 6 in New Jersey. How do I winter over my caladiums?

A: When taking the bulb up for the season, dust with a fungicide. Store in a dry condition in peat moss or in vermiculite (no lower than 50 degrees) and then replanted in the early spring late fall

Q: Can you take in the caladium bulbs after they die back, plant them inside and get them to become houseplants? Is it better to store them in dry peatmoss through the winter and plant outside after frost is not a threat. I live near Seattle.

A: No, I am afraid after the caladiums grow for the season they really need a dormant period before they can go through their growth cycle again.

Dig up and store for the winter. When the frost period has passed plant for the summer season again. These are tropical bulbs and need lots of heat.

Q: Are caladiums perennial or do they not come back each year--do you need to take them up in the fall?

A: Caladiums are bulbs. In zones 10 and higher they may winter over in the ground and return each summer season when the ground is well heated up. For lower zones (cooler zones) they need to be taken up for the winter, although it is borderline for zones 8 and sometimes 7. They should be dug stored in a dry cool place no lower than 50 degrees and then replanted in the early spring late fall.

[back to Plants of the Week]