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Florida Cardinal Caladium

Caladium 'Florida Cardinal'

$13.98
$13.98 $0.00
per Bag of 3
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ZONES  3-10 | Good to grow! Zone

For a great splash of color in shady spots and patio pots, 'Florida Cardinal' Caladium has large, bright red leaves with emerald green margins. Lush and colorful, this plant thrives in heat and humidity and provides a lasting look. Great for patios, decks and poolscapes. (Caladium)

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Description

Growing Caladiums: Caladiums are beautiful natives of the South American Rain Forests. With their brilliant colors in fascinating designs, and large heart-shaped leaves, they've become landscape favorites, especially since they are perfect for shaded areas. They're very easy to grow, but you must take care and remember that they are tropical. This means you can't plant your tubers until the ground has warmed up in spring. In the south, that means May. In the midwest and north, it means from mid-May until mid-June. Planting in cold soil will stunt your Caladiums, and you don't want to do that.

Great for pots. The cold-sensitivity of Caladiums is why they've become big favorites for pots, baskets, and patio planters. If you start them indoors, you can simply put the pots outside once your weather is warm. And in fall, the pots make everything simple. Once your first cold snap wilts the leaves in fall, simply bring you pots inside, let the tops die down, and keep them as they are (in a non-freezing area) until spring, and put them out again. This is how many northern gardeners grow these beauties.

Spectacular Ground Cover: Many gardeners use these colorful plants as a ground cover for shady areas. (Who says you can't have great color in the shade!) Caladiums around trees or in other shady areas have long been beautiful features of southern gardens, but this technique can work anywhere, as long as you don't put out your plants until your soil is good and warm.

Starting your tubers: Plant your tubers with the 'eyes' upward--one tuber to a 4" pot, and 3 tubers in a gallon-size. Use about 1 1/2" of soil over the tubers. Keep them evenly moist and very warm after planting. (Like amaryllis in fall, bottom heat helps sprout these tropical tubers...if you have a warm radiator, try putting your pots there until they're well-sprouted.) Once they're up, liquid fertilizer helps; they respond much like African violets and tuberous begonias to regular feedings.

Planting & Care

Great color in the shade: Growing Caladiums: Caladiums are beautiful natives of the South American Rain Forests. With their brilliant colors in fascinating designs, and large heart-shaped leaves, they’ve become landscape favorites, especially since they are perfect for shaded areas. They're very easy to grow, but you must take care and remember that they are tropical. This means you can't plant your tubers until the ground has warmed up in spring. In the south, that means May. In the midwest and north, it means from mid-May until mid-June. Planting in cold soil will stunt your Caladiums, and you don't want to do that.

Great for pots. The cold-sensitivity of Caladiums is why they've become big favorites for pots, baskets, and patio planters. If you start them indoors, you can simply put the pots outside once your weather is warm. And in fall, the pots make everything simple. Once your first cold snap wilts the leaves in fall, simply bring you pots inside, let the tops die down, and keep them as they are (in a non-freezing area) until spring, and put them out again. This is how many northern gardeners grow these beauties.

Spectacular Ground Cover: Many gardeners use these colorful plants as a ground cover for shady areas. (Who says you can't have great color in the shade!) Caladiums around trees or in other shady areas have long been beautiful features of southern gardens, but this technique can work anywhere, as long as you don't put out your plants until your soil is good and warm.

Starting your tubers: Plant your tubers with the 'eyes' upward--one tuber to a 4" pot, and 3 tubers in a gallon-size. Use about 1 1/2" of soil over the tubers. Keep them evenly moist and very warm after planting. (Like amaryllis in fall, bottom heat helps sprout these tropical tubers...if you have a warm radiator, try putting your pots there until they're well-sprouted.) Once they're up, liquid fertilizer helps; they respond much like African violets and tuberous begonias to regular feedings.

Further Reading:

Shipping

As soon as your order is placed you will receive a confirmation email. You will receive a second email the day your order ships telling you how it has been sent. Some perennials are shipped as potted plants, some as perennial roots packed in peat.  The ‘Plant Information’ section describes how that item will ship. All perennials and fall-planted bulbs are packaged to withstand shipping and are fully-guaranteed. Please open upon receipt and follow the instructions included.

Perennials and fall-planted bulbs are shipped at the proper planting time for your Growing Zone. Perennial and fall-planted bulb orders will arrive separately from seeds. If your order requires more than one shipment and all items are shipping to the same address, there is no additional shipping charge. See our shipping information page for approximate ship dates and more detailed information. If you have any questions, please call Customer Service at (802) 227-7200 or contact us by email or chat.

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Key Features

Light Requirements

  • Full Shade
  • Half Sun / Half Shade

Bloom Time

Foliage plant all season

Advantages

  • Easy To Grow
  • Container Planting

Additional information

Mature Height

12-18" tall

Bulb Spacing

5 per sq ft

Soil Type

  • Loamy Soil
  • Well-Drained Soil

Soil Moisture

  • Average
  • Moist / Wet

Planting Depth

1-2" deep

Planting Time

  • Spring / Summer

Plant Classification

Introduced Cultivar

Growing Zones

  • Zone 3
  • Zone 4
  • Zone 5
  • Zone 6
  • Zone 7
  • Zone 8
  • Zone 9
  • Zone 10

Additional Information

Perennial in zones 9-10. Annual in zones 3-8.

Poisonous or Toxic to Animals

All parts of plant are poisonous if ingested. Toxic to dog and cats.
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