April 2024
Caladiums are an awesome tropical looking foliage plant that acts as an annual here in Minnesota.
Sunlight - Caladiums like to be in a shady area outside. Avoid direct sun beams, because the sun can burn their delicate leaves. If you have a caladium inside as a houseplant, it'll do best in bright indirect light. (See our blog about indoor light requirements to learn what that can mean!)
Water - Caladiums are a plant that doesn't like to dry out. Keep the soil of your caladium evenly moist.
Temperature - Caladiums like it warm and pleasant. They prefer it between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, but can be planted in the ground after the last frost date in our area.
Trimming - Cut off any yellowing or torn leaves to keep your plant looking its best! You'll also want to cut off any "blooms" that might pop out, because the flowers on a caladium are not showy. This will make the plant focus on developing and growing the showstopper, its leaves!
Uses - Caladiums can get 1-3 ft tall and 1-2 ft wide! They make great thriller plants in container gardens as well, with them being so tall. Or, plant them in clumps in your shade gardens to create a group of the beautiful leaves!
Fun Fact - Caladiums have tubers, so they can be dug up at the end of the growing season and be overwintered. To do this, just let the leaves die back in the fall and let the soil dry out a bit. Then, dig up the tubers and place them in a cool, dry, and dark place for the winter. In the early spring, you can get them out and cut them, making sure each section has an "eye" for new growth. You'll want to let these sections dry out and callous over before planting them in soil. Once they have healed, place them "eye" up in soil and watch them grow!
If you grow caladiums this year, tag us in your photos of them!
Keep going and keep growing!
Chantel
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