Caladiums grow best in shade to part shade (two to four hours of direct sun, preferably morning) or bright dappled light. In these conditions, they produce the lushest growth with large, colorful leaves.
Caladiums like a moist soil, so amend the soil with organic matter and keep well watered. Taller varieties with big leaves should be protected from summer winds by planting near a building, wall or other plants.
Do caladiums like wet feet?
Caladiums prefer soils with high moisture and adequate drainage. The tubers should never sit in dry soil or saturated water, but in soil moist to the touch. Keeping it moist but not soaked may require frequent watering. To retain soil moisture, mulch around the plant after the leaves have emerged.
Are caladiums low maintenance?
These are one of the most popular plants to fill shady gardens, and they thrive in the heat and humidity common in summer. Caladiums are great low-maintenance bedding plants. They have attractive foliage that is produced from underground tubers.
Do Caladiums need sun or shade? – Related Questions
What is the lifespan of a caladium?
How long can caladium live? The plants are perennials, which means they can last season to season. However, from sprouting to dormancy, they are showy for about six months out of the year.
Do caladiums do well in pots?
Caladiums grow beautifully in containers and in landscapes that have well-drained soil. If you garden in heavy clay, you’ll want to grow your caladiums in containers or raised beds. Fill your patio pots, window boxes and hanging baskets with the low maintenance, all-season color that caladiums provide.
Are caladiums high maintenance?
If you need reminding of what they look like, or want to buy your first caladium. These plants add fantastic color and foliage to indoor and outdoor spaces, but they are high maintenance, have no frost tolerance, and can be difficult to grow.
Do caladiums come back every year?
Yes, caladiums do come back every year. With the proper winter care, they will survive and grow back year after year.
Can caladiums be left in ground over the winter?
You may simply leave the caladium tubers in the ground if the bed where the caladiums are planted will stay relatively undisturbed and drains well. Keep the area mulched this winter to protect the tubers in case it is unusually cold. Because the ground here does not freeze, they will survive and come back up next year.
Can caladiums stay alive all year?
Zone: Caladiums are tropical plants and will not survive the winter outdoors unless you garden in zones 9-11. In these warm climates, the tubers may be left in the ground all year round. In zones 3-8, caladiums are usually grown as annuals, planted outdoors in late spring once the soil is warm.
Are caladiums poisonous to dogs?
Caladium
Toxic to both dogs and cats, chewing on Caladium causes extreme irritation and swelling of the mouth, tongue and throat as calcium crystals cause soft tissue injury. Excessive drooling, vomiting and difficulty swallowing may also occur; contact your vet if you notice any of the above symptoms.
Will caladiums multiply?
When propagating caladium, you can divide the tubers in the spring, notes Fine Gardening. In colder climates where the caladium isn’t hardy, dig up and divide the tubers and store them over the winter to replant in the spring.
What month do caladiums go dormant?
However, many people have better success by planting fresh bulbs each year. Caladiums enter dormancy as the days shorten in autumn, usually when temperatures dip below 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
How cold is too cold for caladiums?
They are likely to survive temperatures as low as the 40s, but one freeze, and they’ve had it. If you grow caladiums in containers instead of in the ground, you may bring your pots indoors when nighttime temperatures begin to dip below 60°F, where they may thrive as houseplants.
Should you let caladiums flower?
The flowers are so small that they are certainly not detractors to the beauty of the foliage, so leaving them on should have no effect whatsoever.
How do you encourage caladiums to grow?
Fertilize caladiums growing in containers every two weeks with a liquid soluble fertilizer to promote strong foliage growth, such as Miracle-Gro® Liquid All Purpose (8-7-6). Another fertilizer option is to use a 6-month time-release fertilizer, such as Osmocote® Outdoor & Indoor (15-9-12 plus micronutrients).
How do you make caladium bushy?
Are coffee grounds good for caladiums?
Coffee grounds are a good source of slow-release nitrogen, but are also acidic (3.0-5.0 pH). When using them as a side dressing, concentrate on acid-loving plants such as blueberries, raspberries, rhododendrons, azaleas, hibiscus, begonias, caladiums, impatiens, gardenias, citrus (in pots), heathers and most conifers.
