Fancy Leaved Caladium (Caladium Bicolor)

I have read some websites and plant database for this plant but none seemed to really tell exactly how to care and make this plant grow to its optimum. At most some websites are selling their tubers but most of the information are just so general.

These are planted from tubers - they were collected from abandon areas where they were uprooted and thrown. I had kept them aside for few weeks as the tubers were dormant.

After planting for a week - the tubers started sprouting.
They grow ever so fast - these are kept in shade but receive few hours of sun.

Some tips on growing Caladiums.

1) Caladium tubers do go dormant after they are fully grown. You may have to uproot them and keep the tubers in dry and cool place for about few weeks to give them rest period and replant them for them to re-generate.

2) These tubers (after finishing their full season) upon digging - they will have grown in size. You can cut to finger pieces and let them dry to "heal the wound" before replanting them again.

3) It had been said that they need fast draining soil (adding more sand) in the mix. I had planted them in a clay based soil but they seemed to find too.

4) Colour change.
When there is a lack of sunlight - the leaf colour will be more green than the usual multicolours. So - they are not totally shade lovers.

5) Trimming
Sometimes these leaves tend to fade and fall from standing upright. You may have to trim off these half-dried leaves to keep the planter looking neat and nice.

6) Do not over-water.
Over-watering may cause the tuber to rot and that would be the end of the plant.

7) Hardy plant
So far I had not seen any pest had attacked this plant compared to so many other plants in the garden.

8) Burnt Leaves
Too much sunlight or direct sunlight can burn the leaf. They are best in bright shaded areas.

Caladium in the Wild - part 2

(Few of my friends had noticed these caladiums from the blog
and cannot believe their eyes that these caladium grows in the wild) I had taken these shots today - more clearer view of where the carpark is. Well, the lucky person gets it.

Few day ago, I noticed the grass cutters came and spinning their equipment in slicing off the overgrown grass and foliage in that area. So far, I guess this plant stays until someone takes it.

Caladiums at Home

I had few types of caladiums
- spotted red, spotted red & white, bleeding heart var.
and all green caladium best known as elephant ears.

Elephant ears needs a lot of water, good for aquatic motive plants.
I had few types of elephant years - still facinated by it
- especially those which can be found in overgrown wild areas.

I do not have any of them now.
They are so temporary. Grow when I do not want them to grow
and not grow when I place them in specific pots to give space for them to thrive.

The hot weather had killed all of them.
And that was the last of my dinasour land.
Caladiums with all of my aquatic plants.

Caladium needs sun and I had placed them outside of my gate.
(inside area is very shady causing these caladium and elephant ears to be spring their shoot long and they become to heavy and eventually break by the middle)

Caladium in the wild

This plant is known as Fancy Leaved Caladium (Caladium Bicolor)

I took this pictures near my office during my lunch break. It was growing wildly near a carpark area. Im sure one of the days, a grass cutter is going to come and "slice off" all these caladium on day.

Though its beautiful, I have yet to see it growing in any of the gardeners around my area as they are very common and considered a "wild plant"

These are from a different location.
(near by workplace too)

It was quite windy both days when I took these shots.
(as you can notice the leaves are folding)

There was no rain for few days..
and I guess these caladium withers (last pic) due the lack of water.

I had these caladium in my garden, after a season - all the leaves dried up and formed up a bulb.
It do well in sunny area and my garden is very much shaddy.

I might introduce this plant again..
Maybe later, when I get zealous over these colours again.