Caladium hybrid - Caladium

About seven species of Caladium are native to tropical America. They are small herbaceous plants of the forest understory ranging from about nine to thirty-six inches tall. Caladium bicolor is reported to be the main parent of modern hybrids. The wild plant is variable but often has white and/or pink markings on green leaves. Modern hybrids have leaves that are mostly white, pink or red with small amount of green. Flower spikes are inconspicuous under or among the colorful leaves. In the tropics, they die down in response to the dry season.

Caladiums are useful for brightening a shady spot in the garden. They grow best where the soil is moist in the summer growing season and dry during the winter while the plant is dormant. In Jacksonville, caladiums die to the ground in late fall and generally resprout the following spring.