strap leaf caladium indoor care

When grown indoors, they do best with lots of heat, bright but indirect light, and plenty of humidity. Even under the best conditions, caladium foliage lasts only a few months before the leaves start to die back and the plant goes dormant again.

Is caladium a good indoor plant?

Caladium tubers are frost tender and will die if exposed to cold. ... This is all well and good, as the tubers from which the foliage is born, require some rejuvenating rest. Many gardeners try Caladiums as indoor plants.

How do you care for indoor caladiums?

Caladiums grow best in bright, indirect light (full sun would fry them in a heartbeat). Keep the soil evenly moist -- do not let them dry out completely, but do not keep them soggy or the tubers will rot. To increase humidity, group pots together -- even with other houseplants.

How much sunlight does a caladium need?

Most varieties of caladium can tolerate up to one to two hours of direct sunlight each day, although some sun-loving varieties enjoy up to three hours of direct sunlight.

Does caladium need sunlight?

Most caladium varieties can be planted in either sun or shade. If you are planting them in a sunny location, it is important that they still get some shade during the hottest part of the day. Like most plants, caladiums grow best in fertile, well drained soil.

How do you make caladiums Fuller?

Take a sharp knife and cut out the large central bud from your fancy leaf caladium bulbs before you plant them. This will encourage the growth of the secondary buds and give you a fuller but just as colorful plant. Fancy leaf caladiums require loose, slightly acidic soil for good root growth and are heavy feeders.

Are caladiums easy to care for?

Growing caladiums is easy with proper caladium care. These tropical-like plants are commonly grown for their multi-colored foliage, which may be green, white, red, or pink. Caladiums can be grown in containers or clumped together within beds and borders.

Why is my caladium dying?

Soil moisture is critical for caladiums. If they are not receiving a steady supply of water, their leaves will wilt. After a period of time without water they will go dormant and drop their leaves.

Can caladium be grown indoors?

When grown indoors, they do best with lots of heat, bright but indirect light, and plenty of humidity. Even under the best conditions, caladium foliage lasts only a few months before the leaves start to die back and the plant goes dormant again.

Why are my caladium leaves drooping?

Caladiums come from tropical Brazil and do not like low temperatures. When air temperatures drop below 65 degrees Fahrenheit, including at night, the leaves will begin to droop and eventually collapse. If the plants are in pots, bring them indoors and set them back outside during the daytime.

Does caladium like sun or shade?

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.

Does caladium need a lot of water?

Caladium is a greenhouse plant that appreciates heat and moisture. Regular but moderate watering is thus called for. All year long, and especially during summer, spray water on the leaves to recreate the moisture levels of its natural habitat. Keep the soil mix a bit moist and check that water drains properly.

How long do caladium leaves last?

You can expect the showy season to last for 6 months or longer. Caladiums thrive in warm, moist conditions.

Is caladium poisonous to dogs?

What is Caladium Poisoning? The caladium plant is a houseplant with heart shaped leaves that look like wings. In fact, some call this plant angel wings or heart of Jesus. This plant can be very toxic to your dog.

Do caladium leaves die off?

Answer: Gardeners watch their caladiums gradually fade away during the fall months as they go into a resting stage. When the leaves begin to go from a colorful display to pale yellow or brown, they can be pruned to the ground or left to shrivel.

Do caladiums like coffee grounds?

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.

Will caladiums multiply?

Worry not, it is only the leaves not the bulb. … Also, caladiums multiply as they grow, so one bulb may have now formed ten. (Hence, richer the soil, better the bulbs). The best thing to do is loosen up the soil from the sides and then dig for the bulbs with your hands.

What is the best fertilizer for caladiums?

Caladiums are heavy feeders of potash and phosphorus and must have ample moisture and summer feeding of fertilizer in order to produce good tubers for the next growing season. Apply 1 tablespoon of 5-10-10 fertilizer per square foot every 4 to 6 weeks during the growing season.

Should I soak caladium bulbs before planting?

When planting caladium bulbs directly outdoors, wait until the soil temperature rises around the first part of June. Soak the bulb in warm water for about one hour and plant the bulbs bumpy side up, 2 inches deep into the gar- den. Amend the soil using a 1- to-1 ratio of soil and peat- moss and keep the location moist.

How do you take care of a Heart of Jesus plant?

Bright indirect light is best, avoiding prolonged exposure to the sun, especially in the spring and summer. A location that is too dark will cause the variegations (foliar patterns) to weaken, leaving you with just a green plant. Keep the soil evenly moist, allowing the top third to dry out in between waters.

Can you propagate caladium in water?

Caladium leaves with even just a bit of the tuber still on the petiole will root in water. A new leaf is already beginning to grow (underwater) and once planted into soil, this rooted leaf will soon grow into a beautiful new plant.