Decorative caladium is the pearl of the home garden. Under favorable conditions, a tropical plant forms a spreading bush with beautiful bright leaves. Attracts with its unique pattern on the leaf plate and varied colors. It is considered a capricious crop and, before the creation of hybrid forms, was grown exclusively in botanical gardens.

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Description of the plant

Caladium belongs to the Araceae family and lives in tropical and subtropical zones of South America, mainly in Brazil. This plant first came to Europe in 1800 thanks to the French botanist Pierre Ventana.

Caladium is literally translated from the native dialect as “a plant that has edible roots.” Because of the amazing beauty of its leaves, it is called “angel wings”, “elephant ears” and “heart of Jesus”.

It is a herbaceous perennial plant. In its natural environment it reaches 5 meters in height, and its arrow-shaped leaves can replace an umbrella for local residents during rain. The life cycle of caladium is clearly divided into periods of dormancy and active growth. In March, young shoots form, which begin to dry out at the end of summer.

Often, inexperienced gardeners fail to bring it out of hibernation, and they refuse to grow it.

In some countries, certain types of caladium are used as a vegetable crop, since the tubers contain a lot of starch. The sap of indoor hybrid plants is poisonous - if it comes into contact with the skin and mucous membranes, it can cause a burn. Therefore, it should be placed in places inaccessible to children and animals. It is recommended to perform all care procedures with rubber gloves.

Coleus is similar in leaf shape and color to caladium. In terms of beauty and color, you can find a certain similarity with decorative begonia. His “elephant mugs” also resemble syngonium. However, the conditions of detention and the size of the crops are radically different.

The base of the plant is a tuber, it has a rough surface and a rounded shape. It grows about 7-12 cm in diameter. A fibrous rhizome is formed from it, on which buds form.

Like all representatives of the Araceae, the inflorescence looks like an ear surrounded by a veil and is no different in beauty. Small white buds appear on the peduncle in early spring, after the first leaves have formed. Flowering continues for several days, there is no aroma.

The leaves are valuable to florists:

• the size reaches 30 cm long and 15-17 wide;
• located on small cuttings;
• grow in the form of a rosette directly from the tuber;
• the shape of the leaf blade resembles a heart;
• On the surface there are drawings of various shapes, colors and sizes.

The lifespan of greenery reaches 5-6 months, and at the beginning of autumn they wither and a long period of dormancy begins for the plant.

Signs and superstitions

“Colors are the smiles of nature,” said the popular 19th century writer James Hunt. A person surrounds himself with those colors and colors that help achieve harmony and mental balance. Green leaves with a bright red caladium pattern inspire you and give you confidence in your own abilities. Indoor plants are a symbol of life; they humidify the air and saturate it with special energy and oxygen.

There are no negative superstitions associated with caladium; it is not considered an energy vampire. The only danger is the toxicity of its juice.

Plants, according to the Taoist teachings of Feng Shui, must be placed strictly in the southern parts of the rooms, ideally this would be in the kitchen or living room. In this case, pots must be placed at a distance from people.

For lovers of compositions in the form of bonsai, caladium will not be suitable for sure, since its aesthetic qualities lie in a lush bush. And also biological properties (lack of a stem) will not allow creating such a form.

Home care

During the growing season, the optimal temperature for the plant is 22-25°C. And during the rest period, the thermometer mark should not fall below 16 °C. Caladium can grow in the shade, but in this case the bright shade of the leaves will disappear. Intense diffused sunlight will allow the flower to show all the beauty of its variegated foliage.

Window sills oriented to the north, northeast and northwest will be best for it. In summer, it is allowed to take the pot outside, but it must be placed in partial shade, where there are no drafts.

A tropical guest needs to create a similar microclimate. Air humidity for caladium should be at 70%. This can be achieved by placing a tray with wet expanded clay or moss under the pot.

You cannot spray it - drops of water will lead to the appearance of brown spots; you can spray moisture into the air near the flower.

The peculiarity of the plant is the need to prepare it for the dormant period and special care in winter:

It is necessary to periodically inspect the tubers for rot. If affected areas are found, they need to be cut off and the cut treated with powder fungicides.

If the tubers are not dug up for the winter, then in the spring a complete replacement of the soil mixture is necessary.

The lushness of the bush can be increased if, before waking up, you cut out the largest apical bud - this way the caladium will produce more leaves.

It is better to purchase a “dormant” tuber at the end of winter, before it awakens. It is advisable to purchase in specialized stores or greenhouses. The cost of a tuber depends on the variety and size (starting from 50 rubles per piece). A seedling can be purchased for 300 rubles, and a beautiful large bush will cost from 800 rubles. You need to pay attention to the leaves - they should be bright, juicy and shiny.

Tubers at least 5 cm in diameter must be cleaned of dry roots and carefully inspected for rotting. If you purchased an already planted plant, then it is replanted for the next season. Transshipment is necessary if roots are visible from the drainage holes. You need to choose a pot 2 times larger in volume than the tubers.

Soil selection

The substrate for caladium needs to be light, with good access of oxygen to the roots. Ready-made soils for Dieffenbachia and spathiphyllum are suitable. The optimal acidity level is about 6 pH. You can make a soil mixture at home from the following components (in the ratio 1:1:1:0.5):

• peat;
• leaf soil;
• humus;
• sand.

To prevent rot from occurring, the bottom of the pot must be drained to 1/4 of the volume. You can use expanded clay for this.

Treating the soil with a solution of potassium permanganate or copper sulfate will help get rid of pests before planting.

Flower transplant

Caladium requires annual replanting in March or early April. Tubers should be planted one large at a time or several small ones. The container is selected in such a way that there is about 4 cm left from the roots to the wall of the pot. There should be room for growth between the bulbs. It is necessary to plant in this order:

1. Drainage.
2. Substrate layer.
3. Tubers with eyes up.
4. Priming.

In hybrid caladiums, it is difficult to recognize the top of the “dormant” tuber. You can determine it by placing the tuber on calcined sand, without pouring it on top. Spray the surface with warm water several times a day. After a few days the buds will swell.

Or you can put the tuber on the ground and cover it with a glass jar or film. The first shoots appear after a few weeks. Then you can plant the plant in a container.

After the first shoots appear, a little substrate should be added to the pot, thus deepening the tuber. Planting depth affects the decorativeness of the plant. On average, it should be equal to the size of the onion. A shallowly planted caladium produces many babies during the growing season, but this is reflected in the size of the leaves and the number of shoots.

The planted tuber should be sprayed and kept at a temperature of at least 25 °C. Caladium should be watered only after the first shoots appear.

Reproduction

Caladium grown from seeds often does not retain varietal characteristics. They begin to bloom on a flowering plant without artificial pollination, but quickly lose their germination capacity; sowing is allowed for the next season. The procedure is carried out in the following order:

The first shoots appear 15-20 days after planting. After the formation of the first 2 leaves, the seedlings must be picked and planted. Repeated transplantation is needed at the end of spring. By autumn, small tubers are formed, from which a fully formed plant grows the next season.

The easiest way to propagate caladium is by tubers. This should be done in February-March. Several division methods are possible:

• the mother tuber must be divided into parts so that two buds are preserved on each part;
• by children - separated and grown as a separate plant.

The separation tool must be sharp and sterile. The cut must be treated with charcoal to prevent rotting. A soil mixture of sand and peat is suitable for germinating tubers.

Fertilizer application

It is necessary to start feeding caladium in June, after the shoots stop growing. The plant needs balanced chemical fertilizers, which should contain phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen in equal parts. Organic fertilizers include manure, litter, compost, humus (contain nitrogen), and wood ash is rich in potassium and calcium.

It is recommended to use universal mixtures for decorative foliage plants (such as Bona Forte, Agricola Aqua). It must be diluted in accordance with the instructions; lower concentrations are allowed. Nutrients must be added alternately once a week throughout the growing season. From August until the next season, feeding the flower is not required.

Excess nitrogen leads to a color change - green will prevail over the red tint.

Watering

The tropical flower loves regular watering. It is recommended to carry it out in small quantities, avoiding stagnation of water. The need for irrigation can be determined by the drying of the top layer of soil. Abundant watering begins after shoots appear and is reduced in August. During hibernation, spraying is necessary to prevent the tubers from drying out.

Soft water is needed, its temperature should be slightly higher than the environment.

Problems during cultivation

Common diseases among caladiums are fusarium and bacterial wet rot. They affect the root system. You can save the flower with the help of fungicides and replanting it in new soil. Damaged roots must be removed and the cut areas sprinkled with charcoal.

Another disease that tropical flowers are susceptible to is late blight. It can be diagnosed by yellow leaves. Fungicide treatment is also used for control.

Despite its resistance to insect pests, if the care regime is disturbed, the plant is affected by spider mites. It appears in dry air and is determined by the presence of cobwebs. There are also pests such as aphids and mealybugs. You can notice them with the naked eye. Damaged leaves need to be trimmed and treated with soapy water and insecticides.

The most common mistake gardeners make is excessively moistening the substrate in the first months after planting, as a result of which the roots rot. This can also be determined by white spots. And if the edges of the angel leaves dry out, then you need to adjust the amount of fertilizer or move the pot to a darker place.

Leaf discoloration indicates a lack of light. Brown edges indicate low room temperature. Brown, withering and curling leaves - it is necessary to increase air humidity and protect from drafts.

The best prevention of diseases and pests is the correct watering regime, proper lighting and storage of tubers in winter.

Types of caladium with photos and names

The Caladium genus includes 15 main species, on the basis of which many varieties have been developed by breeders. They are different in size and color. Popular:

1. Humboldt (caladium-humboldtii). It consists of a rosette of arrow-shaped leaves up to 10 cm long and about 5 cm wide. On the dark green surface of the leaves there are silvery spots in the center. The miniature variety Myriostigma has white speckles on the surface.
2. Schomburg (Caladium schomburgkii). It is distinguished by oval, heart-shaped burdocks that grow up to 15 cm in length and up to 10 in width. The leaves, depending on the variety, can have a green (Venosum variety) or red (Erythraeum variety) base, on which there is a silver or yellow vein pattern.
3. Bicolor (Caladium bicolor). The leaf blade reaches 30 cm in length. The Rosalie variety attracts with a bright green border on a red background. The Florida Cardinal hybrid has shiny crimson leaves with a bright green stripe along the edge. White Christmas is unique with its silvery surface with dark green stripes along the veins and spots.

Houseplant Caladium

The indoor caladium flower is often called the “heart of Christ” and “elephant ears.” The indoor flower received these names solely because of its unique shape, very thin and beautifully colored leaves. It is worth noting that the caladium flower is a seasonal plant and lives from spring to autumn. It is in autumn that the flower loses its leaves, and in winter it rests. During the rest period, the pot with plant tubers should be placed in a dark room, for example, under a bath, under a bed or in a closet. However, do not forget about caladium until spring. It is necessary to periodically check the flower and water it if the soil dries out. In this article we will tell you how to care for caladium at home and the rules for growing it.

In spring, you need to take out the pot and carefully examine the tubers. All dried parts must be removed and the wounds sprinkled with coal. After this, the tubers should be planted in a loose and fresh substrate, to which charcoal must be added. You definitely need to water the flower. The planting depth of the tuber should correspond to its diameter.

Caladium care

In order for the caladium flower to germinate, it should be placed in a damp and dark place or simply covered with a pot. In which the tuber is located in a dark bag. Of course, you shouldn’t keep the pot under the bag all the time. And how to care for and grow caladium at home. It is necessary to periodically open for ventilation. After the sprout has taken root, you can begin to accustom it to room humidity, and also gradually spray it. So we have already learned how to care for a indoor caladium plant at home, but there are still some points.

Caladium flower

How is caladium cared for and grown at home? It is necessary to water the indoor caladium flower quite abundantly and regularly. However, you should not flood the plant, as this can lead to rotting of the tubers and roots. The plant also needs moderate lighting: diffused and bright light. As for the air temperature, the flower feels much more comfortable if the temperature does not drop below 15°C even at night. For this reason, you should not place caladium on the balcony in the summer.

Particular attention should be paid to feeding. The plant's growing season is very short and requires acceleration of all processes. That is why the flower is in dire need of nutrients. Towards mid-summer, it is necessary to gradually reduce the amount and frequency of feeding. Also, if you have a cactus at home, we suggest you read the article on how it works at home.

Here is a simple way to care for caladium at home, since this is an indoor plant that requires special cultivation.

It is difficult to imagine a more spectacular and diverse decorative foliage plant than caladium. This amazing representative of the flora flaunts on many windowsills.

And what are his poetic words worth? popular names- “Heart of Christ” and “Angel Wings”! Getting a caladium and taming it is not at all difficult - you just need to learn the intricacies of caring for it.

Spectacular caladium and its types

Caladium(Caladium) belongs to the Araceae family and is a genus of 16 species. These are tropical plants native to the forests of Central and South America.

Caladiums- These are tuberous perennials with bright and fairly large heart-shaped or arrow-shaped leaves.

The translation of the name of this representative of the flora reminds us that the natives consider it “a plant with an edible root.” And another popular name for the plant is “elephant ears.”

By shape caladium tuber resembles a dark brown cone, and with age, a turnip with a diameter of no more than 10 cm.

In the center of the tuber there is a powerful base of the bush, and on the sides there are dormant buds. The roots of caladium, growing from the root collar, are fibrous and strong.

The plant has no stems - its leaves are formed directly from the bud and grow on long petioles. Rosettes of leaves can form bushes with a diameter of up to 90 cm. At home, the height of a caladium bush can be from 30 cm to 1.5 m. On average, the plant lives in an apartment for 2 or 3 years.

Leaves by shape They look like an arrow, and their base is like a heart. The leaf blade, the length of which can range from 20 to 45 cm, is thin and leathery. Caladium leaves can have a wide variety of colors, and the veins on them are usually contrasting and clearly defined.

When 4 leaves appear on the plant, you can expect flowering. A modest inflorescence in the form of a white cob, covered with a white or green blanket, stays on the plant for several days. 2 months after pollination, round berries ripen on the caladium.

As a rule, in home floriculture you can only find hybrids of the main species, which are very interesting varieties. Species Caladiums are considered only as the original representatives of the genus, and they are interesting in their own way:

Caladium Humboldt(Caladium humboldtii), also called caladium myriostigma(C. myriostigma) or Caladium argintes(C. Argyntes) is a native of Brazil with arrow-shaped leaves up to 10 cm long, characterized by a dark green surface with silver spots.

Caladium bicolor(Caladium bicolor), also called bicolor arum or Arum bicolor, is a species that came to us from the Antilles and from the mountainous regions of Brazil. It is interesting with arrow-shaped leaves up to 30 cm long, color that varies from green to red, and spots of various colors and shapes.

Caladium Schomburg(Caladium schomburgkii) is a plant native to Brazil and Guiana, distinguished by red oval leaves up to 15 cm long with silvery areas between the veins. There are variations with coloring and veining of various colors.

Most loved by flower growers hybrids caladium- This:

• Sea Gull- a variety with green leaves decorated with white veins.
• Rosalie- a plant with red leaves and a thin or wide green border.
• Pink Blush- caladium with dark pink or dark red leaves and a green rim.
• Pink Beauty- a variety with red veins, a pink central part and a green border.
• Carolyn Whorton- a plant similar to the previous variety, but there are slightly fewer green spots on its leaves, the pink tint predominates.
• John Pul- a plant with a red-green palette of leaves.
• Pink Cloud- caladium with red-green leaves, the color of which includes a transition from a red-scarlet center and white veins to a pinkish-green border.
• Florida Cardinal- a very impressive variety with a crimson leaf center and the same veins and a wide green edge.
• Scarlet Pimpernel- a plant with rich red veins and the center of the leaf, surrounded by a light green area.
• White Christmas- a magnificent caladium with dark green veins on a white leaf surface, decorated with or without dark green spots.

Features of caring for caladium

Experienced flower growers claim that caladium is not capricious, but it is not so simple either. Basic it requirements- this means timely watering, a winter dormancy period and the correct diameter of the pot.

Selecting a location

The brighter the colors of the caladium leaves, the more more diffused light he needs. The plant does not tolerate direct sunlight, which can cause severe leaf burns.

Best place for “angel wings” - this is a window in the northeast or northwest. Throughout the year, caladium feels good at temperatures from +18 to +25 °C.

Watering and humidity

Beginning from spring to August, caladium will not refuse abundant watering as the top layer of the substrate dries out.

At the beginning of active growth, he needs about a glass of water per week, and in the summer - already 0.5 liters of water per day, divided into morning and evening intake.

Overdrying unacceptable, as it leads to a deterioration in the appearance of the plant. However, excess moisture is also dangerous - the caladium tuber easily rots. Water for irrigation requires soft and warm water.

In late August, watering begins little by little. shrink, which leads to drying and dying of leaves. The plant is preparing for a dormant period during which it does not need to be watered.

Caladium prefers air humidity about 70%. However, you should not spray it - this spoils the decorative appearance of the leaves. It is best to spray small splashes of water over the plant from a sprayer, place the pot with it on a tray with wet pebbles, and cover the surface of the ground with moss.

You can also grow caladium in a florarium or humidify the air using a household humidifier or steam generator.

Rest period

Absolutely any caladium needs six-month wintering. In mid-latitudes, the plant goes dormant in September or October. From this moment on, the caladium loses its leaves and “goes into hibernation.” The minimum temperature at this time is about +18 °C.

During the winter tubers may be in dry soil or placed in a box with sawdust, sphagnum moss or vermiculite. In the latter case, you must first clear them of soil and remove old roots.

When found rotting It is necessary to cut out the sore spots and treat the sections with crushed coal. In mid-January, a strong growth bud is formed, and in February the plant can already be planted in the ground.

Transfer

Caladium will be happy with any nutritious soil with a neutral pH that allows air and water to pass through well. If desired, you can create a special mixture for this plant from:

• 1 part leaf soil;
• 1 part humus soil;
• 1 part peat;
• 0.5 parts coarse sand.

The plant will also respond favorably to heather soil, pine bark mulch and greenhouse soil. Sometimes caladium is grown in peat.

In February or March After each dormant period, it is necessary to plant the plant tubers in fresh soil.

The container for planting must correspond to the size of the tuber: if its diameter is from 1 to 3 cm, a pot with a width of 9 to 12 cm is used, and if the tuber size is from 4 to 6 cm, from 17 to 19 cm.

Some small nodules can be planted in a single flowerpot that is free enough for their growth. The tuber should be planted with the pink bud facing up.

If desired get it by fall a large number of “babies” need to place the tuber shallowly, digging it into the ground.

If the goal is growing a beautiful and voluminous bush, the tuber is buried to a depth of 5 to 10 cm. This helps to awaken dormant buds and the appearance of many new leaves.

After landing and before the first leaves appear, watering should be minimal - only light moisture. Next, the plant is watered as usual.

Top dressing

During active growth, caladium will not give up weekly portions of complex mineral fertilizer. During wintering, the plant is not fertilized.

Reproduction

Caladium can multiply vegetatively and by seeds.

Vegetatively. For this, daughter tubers are used or the main tuber is divided into several parts containing at least one bud. It is very important to sprinkle the cuts with charcoal powder and air dry them a little. Then you need to plant the tubers in the ground according to the instructions above. Once pests are detected, the plant needs to be treated with insecticides.

Diseases

Main disease caladium is root rotting resulting from excessive watering. The appearance of rot is most likely during the first month after planting the tuber, when the leaves have not yet grown.

If, 1 or 1.5 months after transplantation, the caladium still has not acquired leaves, you should dig up the tuber and check whether it has rotted.

Healthy tuber under the skin it is colored pale yellow.

Common problems

Caladium may exhibit atypical diseases if care rules are not followed.

• The leaves are rotting- drops of water getting on them.
• Caladium is withering away- low air humidity and drafts.
• Leaves fall in autumn- the plant is preparing for a period of dormancy.

As you can see, handsome caladium presents certain care requirements. However, you can find an approach to it - you just need to be patient and meet all the necessary conditions. For all the work, the gardener will be rewarded with fireworks of bright leaves of original color.

And for the most curious, we invite you to watch a video about caladium

The flower is popularly known by different names. For the unusual shape of its leaves, it was nicknamed “Christ’s heart” and “elephant ears.” Flower growers call the leaves themselves paper. They are thin and colorful. It seems that they are made of colored paper. With all its advantages, caring for caladium at home does not cause problems even for beginners. This article describes in detail all the intricacies of care.

Herbaceous plant of the araceae family. Its natural habitat is the banks of the Amazon and the tropical rainforests of Latin America. In nature these are large plants. There are specimens up to 5 meters tall. One sheet can reliably protect a person from heavy rain. The leaves are thin, intricately colored. The shape is arrow-shaped.

As a houseplant, caladium does not grow higher than 90 cm. More compact specimens are more common. Like wild relatives, the leaf blade is arrow-shaped or heart-shaped. The color is contrasting, combining 2 or more colors. Crimson, pink, and silver shades predominate.

In spring, a rosette of leaves produces an inflorescence in the form of a light yellow elongated cob. The inflorescence is surrounded by a white blanket with a greenish tint. Flowers are odorless and do not have any special decorative value. The main decoration is not the flower - caladium is grown for its beautiful, unusual leaves. In case of pollination, fruits are set - dense round berries. It rarely blooms and bears fruit in an apartment.

Breeders have developed many hybrids of various colors based on natural varieties. The color scheme lacks only blue shades. The pattern of each sheet is unique. Hybrid varieties are grown in the apartments. They are obtained by crossing several wild caladiums. Few ornamental foliage plants can compete with caladium in the beauty of its leaves.

Important! The life cycle of caladium has periods of active growth and dormancy. By the end of summer, the above-ground part of the plant begins to gradually die. The tubers remain in the ground. They are stored until spring, replanted and wait for young leaves to appear.

Wild and cultivated species

Many hybrids have been developed based on different types of caladiums. Each has its own characteristics and is distinguished by its original colors.

• Caladium bicolor. The plant is native to the Antilles. The foliage is arrow-shaped, about 30 cm. The color is variegated with a predominance of light green, crimson and red. Blooms at the end of winter. Mostly hybrid varieties are grown in apartments.
  
  
• Caladium Schomburg. Brought from the humid and warm Brazilian forests. The leaves are oval-shaped, medium-sized. The front side of the sheet is silvery red. The veins are green and stand out clearly against the red background.
• Caladium Humboldt. The most common type in indoor culture. The plant is stemless. The rosette is formed from small arrow-shaped leaves. The foliage color is predominantly dark green. Large silvery spots are scattered in the center of the leaf. Blooms in April. The flowering period is short, the flower is inconspicuous.
  
  

Important! The sap of the plant is toxic, like other aroids. It contains oxalate crystals. If it comes in contact with mucous membranes, it causes irritation, chemical burns, and pain. Large amounts of the substance lead to swelling of the throat and breathing problems. After contact with the flower, be sure to wash your hands! Place the plant out of the reach of children and pets!

It is considered a relatively easy plant to grow. Beginners may have some difficulties. The basis of cultivation is the creation of a warm, humid microclimate, protection from sunlight and drafts.

• Lighting. The optimal location is west and east. The light is bright and diffused. Low illumination leads to a loss of variegated color, fading, and inexpressiveness of the leaves.
• Temperature. Favorable temperature for growth is 20-25°C. Wintering in a warm place - not lower than 20°C. At any time of the day, sudden temperature fluctuations and drafts are excluded.
• Watering. In nature it is a marsh plant. Watering is uniform, regular, frequent. The amount of watering depends on the characteristics of the soil. They prefer breathable, loose soils, and be sure to provide drainage. Stagnation of water leads to acidification of the soil and death of the flower. In autumn, as the leaves wilt, reduce the frequency of watering.
• Feeding. Any liquid complex fertilizers are suitable. Dilute in accordance with the instructions, apply no more than 3 times a month. It is not recommended to overfeed the flower!
• Transfer. Every spring during the swelling of growth buds. The lower part of the tuber is smooth, devoid of sprouts. They try to plant the tuber with its sprouts facing up. Improper planting will slow down germination, but will not harm the plant. Planting depth affects the appearance of the plant. If it is necessary to obtain additional shoots, the tubers are planted shallowly. The leaves will be smaller than usual. Deepening will lead to an increase in tuber and leaf size.
• The soil. Increased demands are placed on the soil. It is highly undesirable to use ready-made store-bought mixtures. The substrate is made up of high-moor peat and deciduous soil. Recommended additives are sand, perlite, coconut fiber.

Important! Improper awakening after a period of dormancy can destroy the plant. Until the leaves appear, watering is very moderate. By this time, the tuber has not yet had time to grow small roots to absorb moisture, there is no evaporation through the leaves - the soil will take a long time to dry. Constant dampness will lead to rotting of the tuber even before the leaves appear.

Reproduction and cultivation

At home, caladium from seeds is grown only from seed material purchased in specialized stores. On domestic plants, seeds rarely ripen; the seedlings from them turn out completely different - the maternal characteristics are lost. Daughter tubers are used to propagate the flower.

• Planting with seeds. Seeds are sown in light soil and moistened with a spray bottle. The container is covered with glass and kept at a high temperature of 25-30°C. Regularly moisten the soil surface and arrange short-term ventilation. Entries are expected to appear in 15-20 days.
• Daughter tubers. In early spring, before planting, the tubers are cut into several parts. Each part should have one shoot (bud). The process is reminiscent of cutting a potato with eyes. The sections are immediately dusted with charcoal powder. The tubers are placed in a shaded, well-ventilated, dry place for 2-3 days. Planting without drying threatens tuber rotting. The tubers are planted in separate pots, and watering is stopped for a while. Before sprouts appear, do not allow the soil to become waterlogged.

Common problems

Caladium easily becomes infected from other plants and suffers from improper care. The greatest danger is posed by wet and fusarium bacterial rot. If a disease is suspected, the roots are removed from the pot and treated with fungicide powder.

Among the insects there are common pests of indoor plants - aphids, spider mites, mealybugs. Insecticides will help cope with them. Yellowing of the leaves may indicate improper care or late blight. It is recommended to treat the flower with fungicides just in case. In first place in terms of frequency are problems associated with violation of the care regimen.

Caladium will be a worthy decoration for any, even the richest and most sophisticated flower collection. Its variegated, unusually beautiful leaves attract glances, leaving no one indifferent.

Decorative foliage plants most often originate from subtropical or tropical regions of the world. Caladium is a rather small but extremely colorful genus from the tropical regions of the American continent, including 15 independent species.

In their homeland, perennial herbaceous plants live under the canopy of the forest, where in comfortable conditions they form dense dense clumps. A characteristic feature of the culture is large, pointed, heart-shaped leaves, due to the shape, size and extraordinary coloring of which the caladiums in the photo are popularly compared to elephant ears or angel wings. And such comparisons have every reason.

Even in wild varieties, the leaf blades can reach 30–45 cm in length, and the variety of shades on the leaves of caladium can be the envy of a rainbow or an artist’s palette.

The plant does not have a regular stem. The leaves appear above the ground on long, erect petioles and, gradually growing, form dense rosettes with a diameter of half a meter.

The root system of caladium is based on a rounded-flattened tuber with a diameter of about 7–10 cm. In the apical part of the tuber, the rudiment of the future bush is clearly visible, and at a distance from it there are single dormant buds. After planting, the tuber forms a fibrous root system, which, after the end of the growing season at home, dies and the plant goes into rest.

What inexperienced gardeners mistake for a caladium flower is an inflorescence. Its appearance can be expected after the third or fourth leaf opens. The inflorescence looks like a fairly large dense spadix, consisting of male and female flowers and wrapped in a pointed blanket.

In some caladium varieties, as in the photo, it is painted in the same tones as the bright leaves. But there are varieties with white or greenish bracts. Flowering lasts no more than a few days, and a month after pollination, round reddish-orange berries ripen on the former cob.

Several species of this tropical plant have been used in culture. One of them is Caladium esculentum, the starchy tubers of which are edible and used as food in a number of countries in South America. .

But it’s not the edible ones that have become famous throughout the world, but the decorative ones, like the caladiums in the colorful photos. Wild plants of the species Caladium bicolor, Caladium marmoratum, Caladium picturatum and other varieties became material for breeders, who subsequently obtained the hybrids used today in garden and indoor floriculture.

Caring for caladium at home

Caring for caladium is affected by preferences that have developed in the original growing conditions, that is, in the tropics.

Like all variegated plants, caladiums need plenty of light. And the brighter the colors on the leaves, the more sun the crop requires. But direct rays are destructive for plants accustomed to life under the crowns. The best place:

• east or west windows;
• open terraces or loggias that protect foliage from the scorching sun;
• trunk circles of trees, if in summer the crop is taken out into the open air.

If south windows are chosen for pots with caladium flowers, shading is required. On the north side, the color of the foliage will inevitably suffer, so in this case you will have to take care.

During the entire growing season, as well as when storing tubers during their hibernation, caladium will be comfortable at normal room temperatures.

Keeping in mind the tropical origin of the plant, you need to know that the success of caring for caladium, as in the photo, at home largely depends on air humidity. In summer, the culture develops well in the fresh air, on the balcony or loggia. Together with the pot, the plants are planted in the garden or flower beds.

But when the house is excessively dry, for example, when the heating devices are on, care for caladium must include procedures to change the current situation.

You should not spray the foliage because of possible stains on the leaf blades and discoloration, but spraying moisture over the bush will give good results.

From spring, when the first shoots appear above the ground, until the dormant period, the caladium in the photo is generously watered. The signal for this is the drying out of the soil surface. If the plant does not receive water on time, the leaves droop and lose their attractiveness. But there is no need for excess water in the substrate. It can cause rotting of roots and tubers. And then there is a risk of losing the green pet.

Planting is carried out in loose nutrient soil, which can be done by mixing in equal parts:

• humus;
• garden soil;

You can add a little sand, crushed coal and sphagnum to the resulting substrate. Before planting the tubers, the soil is sterilized and then laid out in pots on top of a thick drainage layer.

Containers for caladiums, as in the photo, are chosen based on the size of the tubers. For the smallest specimens, take pots with a diameter of 9–12 cm.

Mature tubers should be planted in containers with a diameter of at least 20 cm, since large leaves grow well and require a lot of soil and space for nutrition.

Caladium care during the dormant period

When caring for caladium at home, you need to take into account that these plants have a mandatory dormant period, which in the middle zone occurs in autumn-winter.

By September, in order to prepare the tubers for hibernation, the intensity of watering is gradually reduced. After this, the foliage begins to wilt and fall, meaning that moisture is no longer needed at all.

Dried caladium tubers in autumn:

• removed from the ground;
• Carefully clean off any remaining substrate and dried roots.
• inspected for damage, rot or signs of disease.

All damaged tissue is removed, and the cut sites are treated with a fungicide and, after drying the preparation, sprinkled with crushed activated carbon.

The tubers overwinter in dry moss or vermiculite at room temperature until, in January or February, a growth bud becomes clearly visible at the top, ready to give birth to a new rosette of leaves.

Unusual and different caladium - video