Annual / color · North Texas care guide
Caladium bicolor
Nursery Pro tip: Big painted leaves for deep shade. Plant bulbs after soil warms in late April.
Big arrow-shaped leaves in white, pink, red and green that light up a shade bed all summer — pure foliage, no flowers needed. They grow from bulbs, love our humidity and heat, and are one of the few plants that genuinely prefers a Texas August.
Shade to part shade for most varieties (sun-tolerant strains exist — check the tag). Rich, moist, well-drained soil with compost. Space 12 in apart, or plant them thick in pots.
Wait for warm soil — May, not April; bulbs planted into cool ground rot instead of sprouting. Set bulbs 2 in deep, knobby side up, in compost-amended soil; potted plants at the depth they grew. Mulch 2 inches.
Two or three times a week through summer; they want steady moisture and high humidity.
Slow-release at planting and a light liquid feed monthly.
Remove tattered leaves at the base. Pinch off the odd flower so the plant puts energy into foliage. In October they yellow and go dormant — either treat them as annuals, or lift the bulbs after the leaves die, dry them and store them somewhere above 60°F for next May.
Rot from planting too early or too deep. Slugs and snails chew the leaves. Sun scorch on shade varieties.
Shade beds and pots with holly fern, hosta, impatiens, begonias and coleus — white caladiums light up a dark corner at dusk.
Written for Rockwall's black clay, heat and winters by the Landscape Source team. Every yard is different — bring a photo by, or ask LS-Ai, and we'll tailor it to your spot.