Caladium is a herbaceous plant in the Aroid family. It is a large species group, including more than 15,000 species, is widespread in Brazil near the banks of the Amazon River.

Botanical description of the plant

Caladium is an ornamental deciduous plant that migrated to us from the tropical forests of Brazil. The main tuber in diameter reaches 7–10 cm. Upon closer examination, several leaf growth points are seen in its upper part. The lower part of the bulb forms an additional fibrous root system. The plant cycle is divided into periods of active vegetation and dormancy.

From the beginning of spring, plants throw out several tall petioles, the ends of which are decorated with large, leathery, heart-shaped leaves. Petioles play the role of the main stem. Growing, foliage gathers in huge rosettes, reaching a diameter of 50–70 cm. The color of the leaves can be very diverse. The shade of blue is never present in the color palette.

Did you know? In areas of natural distribution, caladiums are used not only for decorative and aesthetic purposes, but also for the production of starch, which is rich in plant tubers.

Flowering begins in late spring or early summer. Inconspicuous, small flowers form on elongated ears, partially covered by a coverlet. Such a structure of inflorescences externally makes the flowering of caladium similar to the flowering of feces. The bedspread is usually painted in a color similar to foliage. The plant is self-pollinated. Its ear consists of male flowers located in the upper part, and female flowers located in the lower part.The duration of flowering is only 2-5 days. A month after pollination, orange-red berries are formed on the cob, containing 2 seeds each. With the advent of autumn, caladiums drop foliage and go to the dormant stage. Until March, only tubers survive. With the establishment of normal conditions for development, the root releases shoots of deciduous petioles.

Main types

Consider the most popular varieties cultivated at home:

1. Caladium Bicolor - found in the wild in the Antilles. Arrow-shaped leaves reach 30 cm in length. In their color several shades of red and green are harmoniously connected. This variety begins to form a flower stalk in late February.
2. Caladium of Schomburg - common in moist Brazilian forests. Oblong leaves reach 15 cm in length and 12 cm in width. The surface of the foliage is painted silver-red with green streaks.
3. Caladium Esculentum - differs from other varieties in large dimensions. Petioles of foliage reach a height of 100-150 cm even when grown at home. The diameter of one leaf is 80 cm. The central part of the leaf is painted cream-white, the edges are saturated green.
4. Caladium Humboldt - The most common decorative representative. On small petioles small-sized leaves are only 10 cm long. The central part of the dark green leaf plate is covered with silver-white stains. Flowering begins in April.

Conditions for successful growing at home

Having decided to breed caladium at home, plant growers should be prepared for difficulties. Plants are very demanding in care. In the absence of optimal microclimatic conditions, the caladium may not leave the resting state for a very long time.

Important! You can maintain humidity by installing pots with pallets in containers filled with wet gravel. Spraying is strictly contraindicated, otherwise the leaves will lose their attractiveness and may get sunburn.

Lighting

Plants tolerate shade well, but in such cases their foliage becomes less bright. The ideal place for caladium is the northeast and northwest window. Here the plants will receive a sufficient amount of diffused sunlight. During the dormant period, plants do not need lighting at all, so they are transferred to a dark room in which the optimum temperature and humidity are maintained.

Ventilation

The receipt of a sufficient amount of fresh air into the room at the stage of active development is the key to the successful cultivation of caladium. The main thing is to avoid drafts. You can increase the immunity of plants by exposing them all summer on the balcony or planting them with pots in the garden.

Temperature

For the period of active vegetation, plants should provide a temperature regime within +20 ... + 25 ° C. During dormancy, plants are less demanding on temperature and feel good at +16 ° C.

Air humidity

Tropical plants demanding moisture. Humidity should be maintained between 70–80%.

Home Care

Despite the fact that Kaladiums differ in a short growing season, caring for them requires year-round. Neglect of the rules of cultivation leads to growth retardation and the development of fungal diseases.

Did you know? Esoteric calls the plants related to palm trees and ampelous, "husbands." It is believed that they drive men out of the house. Especially dangerous in this regard are ivy, scindapsus, zebrin. But the aroid ones can neutralize the negative energy effects of ampelous and palm trees.

Watering

Watering plants begin in the spring, when the first sprouts appear. When the caladium is at rest, it is necessary to ensure that the earthen lump does not dry out completely. To do this, you can install an air humidifier near the pot and maintain humidity in the range of 60–70%. Moisture released into the air will be enough to completely abandon watering for the winter. Watering is carried out under the root, only after the topsoil has dried. Water temperature for irrigation should be at least +20 ° C.

Top dressing

Caladium needs vitamins and minerals for full development. It is better to choose a specialized universal fertilizer. When choosing it, pay attention to the mineral composition.

In fertilizer, half of the total composition should be occupied by nitrogen, the remaining 50% should be accounted for:

• potassium;
• magnesium;
• zinc;
• calcium;
• phosphorus.

Top dressing is applied every 2 weeks instead of watering under the root, starting from February-March, depending on the speed of plant awakening. With the advent of the first 2 sprouts of at least 5 cm, you can begin to feed them.

Pruning

During the growing season, pruning is not carried out. Permissible removal of fruit ovaries. When the leaves reach their maximum size and stop growing, they gradually reduce the intensity of watering and begin to prepare the plants for hibernation. As soon as the foliage begins to fade and turn yellow, they begin to remove it.

Rest period

After removing all the foliage, the tubers are removed from the soil. They must be carefully examined for mechanical damage, rot or pests. All damaged tissue and dead secondary roots must be removed. Sections are treated with activated carbon. Dry tubers are then placed in dry moss or vermiculite and kept at room temperature in a dark place protected from drafts until a distinct bud is visible on top.

Important! When planting, make sure that the pink point of the sprout on the tuber is located on top, otherwise you will not wait for seedlings. Do not push the tuber strongly into the soil. This will negatively affect the ability of the plant to form a secondary root system.

Transfer

Transplantation is carried out for all plants annually. In fact, this process is the germination of tubers. So that the roots sprout faster, with the onset of a thaw in February or March, the containers are rearranged in a well-lit place and moisturized. With the advent of a well distinguishable sprout, a pot corresponding to the size of the tuber is selected and a transplant is carried out. Small tubers are placed in one pot, leaving a distance of 5-7 cm between them, so that there is enough space for the formation of a secondary root.Caladium soil needs light-textured, breathable. You can use a universal mixture purchased in a store, or collect land in a coniferous forest, add to it 1 part of peat with sand and charcoal. The soil is pre-roasted in an oven to sanitize. Soil acidity should vary between 5–7 pH.

Before planting, the containers must be treated with a solution of copper sulfate and dried. Then fill the bottom with drainage and lay the soil. A 5–10 cm deep hole is formed in the center, into which a tuber is placed. From above it is covered with soil and moistened from a spray bottle. Then all containers are installed in a constant place and regularly moisten the soil abundantly.

Video: Caladium transplant

Breeding

There are 2 ways to propagate caladium at home:

• subsidiary tubers;
• seeds.

Important! The higher the air temperature, the faster the seeds will sprout, so they are best sown in the hottest summer months. The optimum temperature for germination is +25 ... + 30 ° C.

Subsidiary tubers

Separation of daughter tubers is carried out in the spring during transplantation of mother tubers. On tubers 2-3 years of age, small children are formed, capable of releasing their own sprouts. They are separated with a sharp knife. Slices on the mother tuber and the baby are dusted with wood ash and planted in different containers.

Seeds

Caladium refers to self-pollinated plants, so getting seeds at home is not difficult. During the flowering period, transfer pollen from the upper flowers to the lower ones with a cotton bud. After a month, the plants will form fruits. Seeds can be harvested when the berries are soft.

Sowing seeds is best immediately after harvest. Germination mixtures for germination are mixed in a ratio of 4: 1 from sod-leaf soil and sand. Seeds are buried in the soil by about 0.5-1 cm, and sprinkled with sand on top. A distance of 10 cm is left between the seeds. Glass is placed on top of the containers to create a greenhouse effect.Throughout the germination period, the glass is removed daily for 30–40 minutes to ventilate the soil. Humidification is carried out only by spraying water from a spray bottle. The first shoots appear after 15-20 days. Having received sprouts with a height of at least 10 cm, they need to be planted in different containers. By the fall, young tubers are already fully formed and ready to go to the dormant stage.

Important! When planting Caladium in the open ground in summer, pick up a place next to a branchy tree. It will cover the plant from direct sunlight and protect it from the wind.

Possible growing difficulties

When cultivating caladium at home, plant growers may encounter the following diseases:

1. Phytophthora - A fungal disease that begins to progress in a warm, humid environment. The spores of the fungus that cause the disease quickly spread to neighboring plants. When the first symptoms appear, you need to remove the damaged leaves, make an urgent transplant, completely replacing the earthen lump. Perform triple treatment with copper sulfate with an interval of 10-14 days.
2. Bacterial rot - causes increased soil moisture. Plants undergo an emergency transplant, rotted roots are removed, and the “Fundazol” dry insecticide is treated. Then transplanted, digging bulbs into the soil no more than 3-6 cm.

Among pests, the most dangerous for caladium are:

Insecticides are used to control pests. First, insects are harvested by hand, then they are treated with Aktara. 20 g of substance are taken per 10 l of water. Caladium is an interesting tropical representative. In our latitudes it is bred at home as an ornamental and deciduous plant. Demanding care.