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Caladium bicolor

Previously known as:

  • Caladium x hortulanum
Phonetic Spelling
ka-LAY-dee-um BYE-kuh-lor
This plant has medium severity poison characteristics.
See below
Description

A tender perennial summer flowering bulb often grown as an annual bedding, container plant, houseplant, or Acaulescent herb grown for its colorful, arrowhead-shaped leaves that come in a rainbow of colors like white, pink, red, green, and bicolor.  Some are nearly white with a green border and veins.  The flowers and fruits are ornamentally insignificant. It is propagated by tubers, and the tubers must be dug up and stored over winter. Consider using this plant as a specimen, in massing plantings, or shaded borders. It is a water guzzler and requires abundant amounts of water when growing. 

Plant in partial shade to full in fertile, acidic, high organic matter well-drained soils.  Keep soils moist, especially throughout the summer, and fertilize regularly during the growing season.  

The tubers will not overwinter outdoors, so dig up and store.  It tolerates deep shade and gives a tropical feel to container gardens and borders.

Quick ID Hints:

  • Acaulescent plant with elongate, erect petioles
  • Leaves sagittate, peltate, variable variegation
  • Popular selections are white leaves with green/red

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious insect or disease problems. Slugs and snails may damage foliage. Fragile leaves can be damaged by wind or hail.  Difficult to grow as interior landscape plants as leaves die back during winter

 

 

See this plant in the following landscape:
Border Garden, Upcycled
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • 'Fallen City'
    dark green heart shaped leaves speckled with deep red splotches
  • 'New Wave'
    arrowhead shaped leaves, orangish red with lime green veins
  • 'Red Speckle Dwarf'
    wavy green leaves with a deep red center
  • 'Rudicundum'
    dark green leaves with purple veins and pink spots
  • 'Summer Breeze'
    heart shaped leaves, pale green to white with vibrant green vein pattern
'Fallen City', 'New Wave', 'Red Speckle Dwarf', 'Rudicundum', 'Summer Breeze'
Tags:
#bulb#poisonous#houseplant#showy leaves#colorful leaves#tuberous#moist soil#summer flowers#spadix#summer bulbs#variegated#border planting#fantz#problem for cats#problem for dogs#problem for children#problem for horses#tropical feel#heavy shade tolerant#container plant#accent#hs303
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • 'Fallen City'
    dark green heart shaped leaves speckled with deep red splotches
  • 'New Wave'
    arrowhead shaped leaves, orangish red with lime green veins
  • 'Red Speckle Dwarf'
    wavy green leaves with a deep red center
  • 'Rudicundum'
    dark green leaves with purple veins and pink spots
  • 'Summer Breeze'
    heart shaped leaves, pale green to white with vibrant green vein pattern
'Fallen City', 'New Wave', 'Red Speckle Dwarf', 'Rudicundum', 'Summer Breeze'
Tags:
#bulb#poisonous#houseplant#showy leaves#colorful leaves#tuberous#moist soil#summer flowers#spadix#summer bulbs#variegated#border planting#fantz#problem for cats#problem for dogs#problem for children#problem for horses#tropical feel#heavy shade tolerant#container plant#accent#hs303
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Caladium
    Species:
    bicolor
    Family:
    Araceae
    Life Cycle:
    Bulb
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    Central and South America
    Bulb Storage:
    Dig up tubers in the fall after the first frost, set them in wood shavings or peat, and store them in a dry location at 45 F or warmer.
    Dimensions:
    Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
    Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 6 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Annual
    Herbaceous Perennial
    Houseplant
    Poisonous
    Maintenance:
    Medium
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
    Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
    Soil Texture:
    High Organic Matter
    Soil pH:
    Acid (<6.0)
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    Moist
    Available Space To Plant:
    12 inches-3 feet
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    9a, 9b, 10a, 10b
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Description:
    Ornamentally insignificant.
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Gold/Yellow
    Green
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Spadix
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Fall
    Spring
    Summer
    Flower Size:
    < 1 inch
    Flower Description:
    Insignificant, inconspicuous. Rarely flowers in a spadix surrounded by a yellow-green spathe. Peduncle short; spathe tubular below, limb partly expanded, constricted above the tube, greenish-white.
  • Leaves:
    Leaf Color:
    Gold/Yellow
    Green
    Pink
    Red/Burgundy
    Variegated
    White
    Leaf Value To Gardener:
    Showy
    Leaf Type:
    Simple
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Alternate
    Leaf Shape:
    Elliptical
    Ovate
    Leaf Margin:
    Entire
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Length:
    > 6 inches
    Leaf Width:
    3-6 inches
    Leaf Description:
    Showy alternate, simple, arrow-shaped, and variegated with white between the veins. Ovate to elliptic, acute to short-acuminate, sagittate, entire, more or less undulate, green with white to pink to red variegation, 7"-17.5" long x 4.5-10" wide; basal lobes obtuse; petiole peltate, elongate, subequal to longer than leaf.
  • Stem:
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Container
    Houseplants
    Design Feature:
    Border
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Heavy Shade
    Problems:
    Poisonous to Humans
    Problem for Cats
    Problem for Children
    Problem for Dogs
    Problem for Horses
  • Poisonous to Humans:
    Poison Severity:
    Medium
    Poison Symptoms:
    Burning and swelling of lips, mouth, tongue; also nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea may occur; contact with cell sap can cause skin irritation. Ingestion by livestock or pets may cause death.
    Poison Toxic Principle:
    Calcium oxalate crystals and unidentified compounds
    Causes Contact Dermatitis:
    Yes
    Poison Part:
    Bark
    Flowers
    Fruits
    Leaves
    Roots
    Sap/Juice
    Seeds
    Stems