Caladium (Caladium) - deciduous indoor culture from the Aroid family. In nature, distributed in the tropics of South America and in India. Caladium received popularity as a house flower for its incredibly beautiful light green leaves with various stains, spots and a contrasting pattern. For the unusual color and shape of the leaves, the culture in nature is called "Angel Wings", "Heart of Christ" and Ivory Ears.
The shoots at the caladium are very thin, most often basal, swept or heart-shaped. The plant requires attention and care. Indoor caladium does not grow too fast - from 10 to 12 leaves appear during the growing season, and the flower itself reaches a height of 30 to 60 cm, and in nature the culture grows to 5 meters.
The cultivation feature is a seasonal dormant period, during which the caladium completely loses its leaves and “freezes”, therefore it is most often grown as an annual.
| In one year, the plant adds 10-15 leaves. | |
| At home, almost no blooms. | |
| The plant is easy to grow. | |
| Up to 3 years. |
Caladiumium Poison
The juice contained in the leaves of the plant, if it enters the mucous membrane, can cause irritation and even burns. The whole blame is the crystals of oxalate contained in it. In difficult cases, the plant can cause gastric poisoning, itching and swelling of the larynx.
Caladium care at home. Briefly
Caladium at home requires attention and care. Otherwise, if the temperature regime is not observed, timely hydration and other rules are observed, the plant quickly loses its decorative qualities, ceases to grow actively and may die completely. Like many tropical crops, caladium has serious demands on temperature, indoor humidity and lighting.
The basic rules for caring for a room flower:
| Temperature | In the period of active vegetation, the plant requires a temperature of not lower than +20 degrees, in the resting period - not higher than +5 +8 degrees. |
| Air humidity | Regular and frequent spraying and increased humidity in the room are required. |
| Lighting | Easily tolerates partial shade, the most preferred location is the north and west windows. |
| Watering | A sign that the plant needs watering is a dried top layer of the substrate. In winter, the earthen lump is only slightly moistened, not allowing complete drying out. |
| Priming | The best option is a mixture of slightly acid garden soil, peat and sand in a ratio of 3: 1: 1. |
| Fertilizer and fertilizer | Once every 10 days, complex mineral fertilizer is required. In winter, the plant does not require top dressing. |
| Transfer | A transplant is required when filling with the roots of an earthen coma. |
| Breeding | By dividing the rhizome and grafting, less often and harder - by seeds. |
| Growing Features | Large species of moguls grow well in the garden, but you should choose a shady place under trees or shrubs. |
Caladium care at home. In detail
Caladium home care requires careful and regular, but with proper observance of all the rules, the plant will delight with its splendor and brightness of the leaves. The plant reacts especially sharply to bright light, it is unacceptable that direct sunlight hit the leaf plates. Caladium is also required to ensure the correct watering regime in order to prevent waterlogging of the soil and rotting of the roots, but also not to make the plant feel a lack of moisture.
Caladium bloom
If home caladium blooms, then ideal conditions are created for it. But most gardeners rarely achieve the appearance of flowers in this plant.
Collected in small cobs of pink, white and less often - yellow, they do not carry high decorative value in comparison with the lush coloring of the leaves.
Temperature mode
For active growth and beautiful appearance, the Caladium needs heat. Like many plants originating from the tropics, it does not tolerate drafts and lowering the level of air temperature during the period of active vegetation. Optimally, if the room is + 20- + 25 degrees. When the caladium is at rest, they find a cool place for it, where the temperature is maintained + 8- + 10 degrees.
You should not drastically reduce the level of heat, it is better to do it gradually.
Spraying
Under natural conditions, caladium is constantly in a humid environment, so it responds well to high humidity. Do not install a flower pot next to heating appliances. It is advisable to regulate the humidity level in the room using special devices - humidifiers. Caladium should be sprayed regularly from the spray bottle and wipe the leaves with a damp cloth.
Lighting
Good lighting in the room is a guarantee that the leaves of caladium will have a luxurious color and delight with the brightness of contrasting stripes and spots. But this exotic plant also tolerates shade. Therefore, it can grow well on window sills from the north and west. But direct sunlight can harm himspots will appear on the shoots.
Watering
In order for a caladium flower to grow safely at home and look luxurious, it needs to be provided with the correct watering regime. In the hot season, when the culture is actively growing, he needs frequent and plentiful hydration. This happens at least 1-2 times in 7-10 days.
But water should not stagnate in an earthen coma. This will result in loss of both leaves and roots. Properly water the caladium as soon as the top layer of the substrate dries to a depth of 1-2 cm. In cold weather, the plant is not watered, but it must be ensured that while it is at rest, the earthen lump does not completely dry.
Caladium pot
A pot for a tropical plant is chosen not too big, but deep enough. The diameter of the vessel for planting caladium should be about a third less than the volume of the bush itself. It is important that drainage holes are made in the bottom.
A clay pot, which has the ability to improve soil ventilation and prevent it from souring, is perfect.
Caladium Primer
The soil for the flower should be light, loose, not too acidic. To make the correct substrate, they independently take three parts of garden deciduous humus, one part of peat and one part of sand. You can buy ready-made soil mix for indoor plants in the store.
Fertilizer and fertilizer
A liquid mineral fertilizer containing calcium is used. Top dressing should be applied 2-3 times a month with watering. In autumn, the frequency of top dressing is reduced, and in winter they cease to fertilize the soil.
Caladium transplant
When the dormant period comes to an end (late February - early March), the plant needs to be transplanted so that it wakes up from hibernation. To do this, they take it out of the pot, examine all the roots of the tuber and, if there are any, remove them with sharp scissors or a pruner.
The tuber is planted in a pot with prepared drainage and soil to a depth of at least 5 cm. You can place several tubers in one container at once.
Rest period
With the onset of autumn, new shoots cease to appear in the plant and caladium at home stops growing. At this time, you need to gradually reduce the amount of watering and rearrange the flower pot in a cooler place. At the beginning of winter, all leaves are removed from the caladium and sent to the "winter" in a room with a low air temperature.
Caladium reproduction
Caladium is easily propagated and every year you can get a new plant with beautiful leaves.
Caladium tuber propagation
The most common method of propagating caladium is tuber. Bulbs can be bought in specialized stores or obtained from maternal asthenia by division. Before planting, the tuber is inspected for the presence of diseases and pests, rot and mold. In an adult plant, "children" are formed - small bulbs that are easily detached and used as seed.
If there are no "children", you can divide the mother tuber, but each part must have 2-3 kidneys. Bulb sections are treated with charcoal to prevent decay. In the prepared substrate of sand and peat, lay the tubers with the cut down and sprinkle with the remaining soil so that they deepen by 4-5 cm.
Growing Caladium from Seeds
Seeds of tropical "handsome" are purchased in stores for gardeners. For planting, use a light, loose moistened substrate, which is poured into a shallow dish and the seeds are buried so that the height of the soil above them is equal to the size of the tuber itself. For better germination, they use a “greenhouse” - they simply cover the planting with film or glass.
Install a container with seeds in a warm place where the air temperature does not drop below +23 degrees. As soon as fresh shoots appear, they are regularly sprayed with room temperature water from a spray bottle. Seed germination takes 3-4 weeks.
The best time for breeding is the end of February or the beginning of March.
Diseases and Pests
Caladium is a whimsical plant that instantly responds to improper care, violation of the irrigation regime and changes in room temperature. In the cultivation of this motley flower, the following problems may occur:
Caladium leaves are curled - It is necessary to find a warmer place to place the plant.- Brown and dry leaves - not enough moisture, you need to change the watering mode.
- Mold on the leaves - excessive soil moisture, aphids may appear.
- Caladium leaves fade - not enough light, too dry air in the room.
- Caladium leaves die off - This is a natural process during which new shoots appear in the flower, but if the leaves die off mass, you need to feed the plant with mineral fertilizer with nitrogen.
- Caladium leaves are discolored - not enough light.
- Leaves turn yellow and dry - during the period of active vegetation, such a manifestation is the result of improper irrigation and lack of fertilizer. If this happens in the fall, then the plant is simply preparing for a dormant period.
- Dried leaf edges - sunlight, improper placement, improper watering.
- Caladium grows poorly or small leaves - you should choose the composition of mineral fertilizers and find a more illuminated place to place the flower.
Caladium leaves are curled - It is necessary to find a warmer place to place the plant.If irregularly irrigated, caladium can quickly rot the tubers. Having taken them out of the soil, you need to inspect for rot. If the tubers are soft and turn yellow, the flower is dead.
Caladium is often attacked by harmful insects. Most often, he becomes a "victim" of attack by a spider mite, aphid, mealybug. Fight harmful insects by spraying leaves with insecticides.
Types of Caladium home with photos and names
In the world there are more than 15,000 species and varieties of this magnificent plant. But in indoor floriculture, only a few are easily adaptable.
Caladium bicolor (Caladium bicolor)
The most common species among gardeners. The leaves of the two-color caladium are juicy green with a pattern of white veins, stripes and spots. The edge of each leaf of the plant is framed by a dark green border.
Caladium Humboldt (Caladium Humboldtii)
This species is easy to reproduce, I forgive others tolerates changes in the climate and in the irrigation mode. The leaves are thin, may vary in color intensity. Most often they have white and even silver spots and stripes on a dark green background. The plant is compact, easily propagated. With proper lighting, you can achieve the splendor of leaves even in winter and avoid a period of rest.
Caladium Schomburg (Caladium schomburgkii Schott)
Attractive with a look with red leaf plates and a silver pattern on them. The underside of the leaves has a paler color. Beat elongated, oval, slightly resembling a heart, large - length up to 15 cm, width - up to 12 cm.
Now reading:
- Syngonium - home care, photo species and varieties
- Maranta - care and reproduction at home, photo species
- Howea - care and reproduction at home, photo species
- Alocasia home. Cultivation and care
- Dieffenbachia at home, care and reproduction, photo
