For our area, we had a mild winter and a late cold spell, so the caladiums were a little behind making their show here. But they are looking good now! :)
Caladiums are back...
And they are looking lovely! (ours are just sprouting up north)
Are they in the ground or containers?
Marcia
Hi Marcia,
Thanks, these are in the ground...we had a real cold winter one year and it took them all out..this past winter was mild, so they all came back. I almost dug them up, but things happened and I didn't. So I'm glad they all did ok. I live in the panhandle part of Florida, so we can get some cold temps on occaision in the winter.
Beautiful! I've tried to collect one of every variety that I can find....This year I found a new one called Peppermint at Lowes. Of course I had to buy it. :)
By the time the bulbs arrived, I'd forgotten what was in the order. White Queen and Kathleen are unfurling and showing their colors. Marie Moir is new for us this year, and I can't wait to see what it really looks like. We are getting enough warm nights that they are doing quite well. Some have a bonus calla lily thrown in for a surprise.
Mary, that Peppermint looks like something I'd like to see in my yard, too.
Pamela, one hard freeze could kill off an entire crop of caladiums for the season. I bring them indoors to vegetate during the winter when there's enough room.
Here's a picture of the Peppermint.
Raspberry Moon
Lipstick, one of my favorites....
Thai Beauty
Unknown 1....if anyone has a name, I'd love to hear it!
Unknown 2....I'd love to know what the name of this one is, as well.
Red Flash, I love this one....they grow large, tall, and the colors are amazing!
Mary, they are all ver pretty, and I especially like the unknown pink one. I tried Thai Beauty last year but could not give it the attention it needed. I like it so much I'd like to try it again.
Pamela and Mary, do you de-eye or even clip the first sprout for more foliage?
No, and I know that I should. I just am so happy that I finally have time to get them planted that I rush forward. The only thing I do is take the bloom spike off as soon as I see one emerging. The Thai Beauties are a little less hardy than others, I can only grown them in pots.
I thought Florida's Sweetheart looked a lot like Thai Beauty, so that was in my order this year from Bill. They are planted in two or three containers, and I'm anxious to see how they grow up here. They have already sprouted, but the foliage has not yet appeared. I can hardly wait to see them if the chipmunks don't get them first.
I don't think our Lowe's up here carry caladium bulbs. However, they do have good prices on containers. I don't usually buy caladium plants because (a) bulbs are more fun and (b) the potted plants are pricey up here at the garden centers. The other big box home center store seldom has plants that are more than run of the mill.
An amazing thing happened today. I just about tripped over a container of white queen caladiums that have been outdoors at least since April, thanks to my husband's lack of patience. I do not know how they survived but could not be happier. And they are in full foliage.
Mary,
why do you take the bloom spike off? Several of mine have them now...should I remove them? Thanks
Yes, take the bloom spike off as soon as you see them emerging. Caladiums are one of the plants that see the bloom as the end of their road, so they begin to die and go dormant once the spike comes up. If you pick it off (much like coleus) they continue to send leaves up.
Cathy, the Florida Sweethearts are beautiful! I get my bulbs from Bill too, they're the healthiest on the market. The good thing about them is that not only are they a bright pink, but they also are heat / sun tolerant, so can be grown anywhere!
GA, that spathe does not go into bloom until you see it get very large (and probably unattractive) and then the flowers (hundreds of them) are rather insignificant unless you are into plant reproduction. In the meantime they keep taking the nutrition they need instead of letting the plant produce its beautiful foliage.
In addition, some growers believe in de-eying or clipping off the first large "sprout" in favor of getting a bit smaller but fuller foliage.
OK, thanks for the info!!
Mary, you have some beautiful caladiums!! I love your unknown, also. I have not picked off the bloom spikes...if I saw a huge profusion of them, I might. I just enjoy the beauty of all the caladiums. They are what I get most anxious to see come up in the Spring...I was so impatient this past spring, that I dug a couple up to reassure myself they were still good bulbs (hard and not mushy)..they were a little later than the previous year. I'm totally addicted to having them every year!!
As it turns out, at least six of my caladium bulbs have sent up a bloom spike before sending up foliage. Hmmmm. If you let it get to a reasonable size and "peel" off the outer leaf, you can learn about how the flowers are formed, and that is an interesting exercise.
While most of the caladium bulbs were planted around the same time, the earliest to "sprout" and provide foliage were White Queen, Kathleen and Miss Muffett. Florida Sweetheart has sprouted but foliage is taking its sweet time. Marie Moir (which I did not recall ordering till I actually checked the order) has taken absolutely the longest to show signs of life and is now showing small leaves. Two of the containers met with disaster in a vehicular accident which dumped them, and they are happily growing. Go figure.
Marcia
If I have a rainy spring, the spikes tend to go up before the leaves. I can usually tell the difference while they are still in their little sheath. I just slide my thumbnail down in there and slice it out. The leaves are come up within the next day or 2.
I have been taking the spikes off. We have had a ginormous amount of rain in the past six weeks. Before that, no very much at all.
Marcia
After all that rain, I'm still watering the aroids regularly.
The first is Kathleen (I don't know how she got so big!) ; the second is White Queen. The third is a 48-inch window box, and I got a bit creative with Florida Sweetheart and I think Gingerland or Miss Muffet. Fourth is Miss Muffet, which was hit by a car, dumped, put back in the pot, not the worse for wear. I think the last is Gingerland, and you can see the spike in the corner as well as the one broken off.
Just starting is Marie Moir and Florida Cardinal, and I don't remember buying it. I sometimes stick a calla lily bulb or two because they have similar requirements, and the callas (zantedeschias) often mature earlier.
Interesting how some start off with large leaves and others with a tiny sprout.
Marcia
Voodoo lilies getting huge this year and caladiums still look great!
This message was edited Jul 7, 2013 5:48 PM
So here is the picture I was trying to post before...
Marcia, Your caladiums look lovely, keep taking care of them and they get bigger and bigger or more profuse every year!
July 7 - This is how caladiums look today...
More caladiums from today and last picture is the Begonias...
Pamela, you have so many beautiful caladiums! Your coleus and hosta mix in beautifully. I also love your begonias. They are all so lovely that I am ready to move to Florida! Tomorrow!
Pam- Your caladiums look spectacular!!!
I too cut the blooms off as that will re-direct the bulbs energy to producing more leaves.
Just an FYI too, the 23rd Annual Caladium Festival is scheduled for July 26th thru the 28th this year. I'll mail you a brochure about the festival tomorrow. I 'll mail one to you too Mary!!
Peppermint is a new hybrid developed by Dr. Bob Hartman. He's the mad scientist when it comes to caladium breeding
Bill
Thanks, Marcia...I sure do enjoy my caladiums, all summer long!
I had to google the Peppermint Caladium...WOW! What a beauty! Thanks for the info, Bill...
Floridians, how are your caladiums doing? Believe it or not, it is still warm here up north.
Caladiums are gone now until Spring Awakening...The Coleus are still huge and sprawling everywhere here in the Florida panhandle!
My caladiums will return if we have a mild winter here...if not...I'll order more from Caladiums4Less!! :)
This is what is left as of today...All the coleus are still here and huge!!
It was the best year ever for the coleuses here.
I actually had a few that made it through last year's mild winter and kept on growing all year long...still going...we'll see what this winter offers!
Yours look great too, Arlene... :)