These pretty plants are prized for their pretty foliage, which is a beautiful mixture of greens and pinks.
These are relatively easy plants to care for, but, like all plants, they have their foibles! We have compiled a few things you will need to know when you are wondering how to care for a caladium – read on!
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How To Care For A Caladium
The first thing to decide is if you will grow your caladium indoors or out – they will thrive either way, but will need different care depending on how they are kept.
Indoor caladium:
- Keep your caladium in a warm spot – they like a fair bit of sunlight and heat, so placing them on a south facing window ledge is ideal.
- Avoid areas which receive large amounts of direct sunlight, as this can scorch and burn the leaves.
- Your caladium will need good quality potting soil, one that is rich in nutrients and is able to drain well.
- Keep them well watered – these plants don’t like to dry out! Check the soil’s moisture levels, especially during hot weather.
- Mist to top up the humidity. These plants like to be a little tropical, so adding a little moisture to the air will help them.
- Divide the tubers in spring, to repot and enjoy even more copies of your favorite plant!
Outdoor caladium:
- Start to plant the bulbs as the weather starts to warm up – around early March should be ideal.
- Plant them in beds around 8-12 inches apart, and around 2 inches deep, where they will receive filtered sunlight with dappled shade.
- Keep the soil moist but not soggy – you won’t have to water at all if it rains, but during hot weather you will have to get your watering can out.
- Feed your caladium occasionally – they don’t need too much, but a controlled-release fertilizer will be ideal.
- Lift the tubers before the harsh winter sets in, so that they can be replanted the following year.
This informative article will tell you just about everything you never knew about caladium.
How Do You Take Care Of Potted Caladium?
These little beauties make great house plants; they are small enough to fit on a window ledge, and pretty enough to make an eye catching centerpiece.
Keeping an eye on them indoors is even easier than caring for them outside, as you can control so many more variables.
They like to be kept warm, and their preferred position is to have lots of bright but indirect light.
Caladium also like a fair bit of humidity, so keeping them in a warm room with regular misting or a humidifier is the best bet.
Water your caladium regularly, but do not allow the roots to sit in puddles or they will start to rot – as a general rule, water only when the top 25% of the soil is dry.
When the plant goes dormant in the winter, water very sparingly to avoid stressing out the plant.
Their soil will need to be rich, well draining and slightly on the acidic side, to keep these leafy beauties looking their best.
A bit of fertilizer every now and then won’t go amiss – some soluble or controlled release fertilizer is the best bet.
Here is a video telling you all the best ways to care for your potted caladium:
How Often Should You Water Caladium?
As with all plants, caladium need water to survive – too much or too little will cause problems, however!
Watering your caladium on a weekly basis is suggested to be ideal; if it is kept indoors then it is easier to monitor the water levels than if it is outdoors.
An outdoor caladium should be watered less than an indoor one, because the roots can spread out further and collect moisture form the soil.
Your outdoor caladium should be watered weekly for best results, more often if the top section of soil is dry to the touch.
An indoor caladium needs to be checked daily, to ensure that the soil is not too dry. You can water this one as often as it needs – just don’t allow it to sit in water.
How Much Sun Does A Caladium Need?
All plants need sunshine to survive, it’s true, but some like it hotter than others, while some can’t take direct sunlight.
Caladium is somewhere in the middle; it needs to be warm, and it likes to have a little sunlight – but the leaves won’t handle too much direct light.
The best light conditions are a dappled, filtered sunlight, so the plant can receive the light but not get burnt.
If they are in direct sunlight, ensure that it is only for a couple of hours in the morning, before the sun is at its strongest.
If your caladium is outside, choose it a bright spot where it also gets shade. If indoors, place it in a room that is light but no direct sunlight can get in and scorch the leaves.
Where Do Caladiums Grow Best?
The best spot for your caladium in the garden is near some larger, shadier plants, where it will receive direct sunlight for a couple of hours in the morning, and dappled light thereafter.
Ensure that you plant them in a place that is warm – although they don’t like direct light for too long, these tropical beauties still like to be toasty!
They will need an area that has rich, well draining soil – and if you can pH test your soil and find them a spot which is slightly acidic, then so much the better.
Keeping them indoors in pots is also suitable for these pretty plants – find them a warm room with plenty of light but avoid direct light streaming in through the windows.
Now that you have a better idea of how to care for caladium, you can enjoy this pretty plant and its striking foliage for as long as you can.
Caladium Key Facts
| Name | Caladium |
| Scientific Name | Caladium |
| Family | Araceae |
| Light Requirements | 1 – 2 hours of direct sunlight per day |
| Soil Requirements | Rich, well-draining soil, slightly acidic |
| Temperature Requirements | Warm conditions, around 20 degrees C or more |
| Water Requirements | Regular watering, at least once a week and more if conditions are dry |
| Fertilizer Requirements | Low Phosphorous fertilisers, use twice during the Spring and Summer |
| Bloom Time | Anytime between Spring and Autumn |
| Pests | Caterpillars and aphids |
| Size | Between 12 and 30 inches |
Lots of my houseplants succumb to insect invasions. Is my new Caladium going to be affected?
These plants are not typically affected too much by creepy crawlies, although caterpillars and aphids can cause some damage. Luckily, these critters are fairly easy to spot and can be simply removed before they become a problem.