How To Propagate Caladium Plant

Buy potted caladiums ready to plant or grow them from tubers.

How to propagate caladium plant. Caladium plants caladium hortulanum grow from a fleshy tuber under the soil. They are the only species in the caladium genus one of many aroids or plants in the large arum araceae family that includes calla lilies peace lilies philodendrons and taro. Of course this is up to the individual and will not adversely affect the overall growth of your caladiums. Caladiums are seasonal plants even in the tropics where gardeners plant them in the spring and summer months when they ll thrive in the heat and wet.

Plant caladium bulbs outside after all danger of frost has passed and daytime temperatures remain above 70 degrees. When grown indoors they do best with lots of heat bright but indirect light and plenty of humidity. How to grow caladium plants. With roughly seven species these plants can grow to be anywhere from 15 to 35 inches tall and with leaves as broad as 18 inches.

Cut the tubers into 1 to 3 1 2 inch sections using a knife. To grow caladiums plant the tubers in a moist shady location at least 6 to 8 inches apart in well draining soil. Planting caladium bulbs takes little effort. Divide caladium plants in spring.

Select a location in shade or part sun with a good rich moist organic soil. One inch tubers will result in smaller plants. To make it easier for these smaller buds to grow after planting caladium bulbs many gardeners find it helpful to lift out the large bud with a knife. Once replanted each section will grow.

To keep them blooming fertilize your caladiums once per month during the growing season with a 5 10 10 fertilizer. Each section must have at least one eye or growing point. Slide a garden fork into the soil at the base of the plant and lift the tuber clump out of the garden bed. Caladiums are tropical plants and cannot tolerate any frost and only emerge when the soil is warm.

Next water the plants frequently so that the soil stays moist but not soggy. How to plant caladiums. The leaves of the caladium are broad flat and look remarkably like an elephant s ear. Though they re sometimes called bulbs they are really tubers plant tubers point side up about 1 to 1 1 2 inches deep.

They can be planted directly in the garden. The best way to propagate this plant is by dividing the tuber into sections.