Elephant's Ears Caladium bicolor
Other Common Name(s):
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:
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- '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'
- 'Fallen City', 'New Wave', 'Red Speckle Dwarf', 'Rudicundum', 'Summer Breeze'
- Tags:
- 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'
- 'Fallen City', 'New Wave', 'Red Speckle Dwarf', 'Rudicundum', 'Summer Breeze'
- Tags:
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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.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Annual
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Houseplant
- Poisonous
- Maintenance:
- Medium
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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
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Fruit:
- Fruit Description:
- Ornamentally insignificant.
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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.
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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.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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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
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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
