Caladiums are some of my favorite plants for summer color. You won’t find a better plant for reliable color in shady areas, and the good news is that there are some varieties that love full sun!
Native to tropical Central and South America, caladiums will grow and bloom until the first hard frost of fall. The 6-12” heart or lance-shaped leaves emerge from the ground with stems that are generally one to two feet tall but can grow taller.
The foliage may be splashed with combinations of white, pink, rose, red, burgundy, and variations of green, often with several colors combined into wonderful patterns. These bright leaves with their bold texture can embellish our gardens from May until October. They are remarkably free from major insect or disease problems.
In September, caladiums may be getting past their prime, so it’s time to decide if you want to let them go dormant or dig them up, but, as we live in Zone 8b-9a, they should be okay to stay in the ground. A great thing about using caladiums as a bedding plant is that you can get more than one year of colorful foliage from your initial investment.
Leave Them in the Ground
You may simply leave the caladium tubers (these look like bulbs) 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.
If the bed tends to stay wet over the winter, the tubers may rot in the cold, wet soil. In this case, it would be best to dig and store them. A few years ago, heavy rains in December apparently rotted a lot of the caladium tubers that had been left in the ground. Many gardeners in the New Orleans area, for example, noticed the following spring that caladiums that had come back for years did not return.
Dig Them Up
If you intend to replant the area with cool-season bedding plants, like chrysanthemums, ornamental kale or pansies, the tubers can be removed to allow you to do bed preparation for the new plants. Be sure to dig tubers in the fall when the soil temperatures go below 60 degrees.
Dig up caladiums sometime between late September and mid-October. Caladiums planted later in the season usually last longer in the landscape. Caladiums should be dug when the leaves turn yellow and most of the foliage begins to look “tired” and falls over.
Use a small shovel to lift the tubers, being careful not to damage them. Leave the foliage attached to the tubers, shake off the soil, and lay them out in a location sheltered from rain (such as in a garage or under a covered patio) to dry.
Drying the Tubers
Allow the tubers to dry until the foliage is tan and papery in appearance. This generally takes about 10 to 14 days. At that time, the foliage will easily separate from the tubers, leaving a cleanly healed scar.
The tubers can then be rinsed with water, or simply brush off excess soil. Air-dry in a well-ventilated place for several days.
Storing the Tubers
When they are dry, they are ready for storing over the winter. Place the healthy tubers in a mesh bag such as an onion or crawfish sack, a paper bag, or cardboard box. The idea is that the container should be able to “breathe.” Do not store the tubers in a plastic bag as this may lead to rotting. You should have some nice ones to plant by next spring.
Planting Caladiums
The plants look beautiful as a border or in a container. Plant tubers 2” deep and 6” apart. All types of caladiums thrive here when they are planted in partly shaded locations.
In the South, if you are going to plant caladiums in a sunnier location, try the following varieties:
Carolyn Whorton
Fire Chief
Rosebud
White Queen
Miss Muffet
Mumbo
Pink Gem
Red Frill
The following work well in a shadier environment:
Moonlight
Pink Symphony
White Delight
Freida Hemple
Desert Sunset
Stardust
Rosalie
Gingerland
I hope you find some wonderful varieties that work for you. Happy Gardening!
Gaye Winter, Ph.D., teaches English at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and is currently serving as President of the Biloxi Garden Club. Reach her at gaye.winter@mgccc.edu.
