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Garden Q&A

Caladium plants and bulbs may be hard to find

By YVONNE SWANSON
Published May 7, 2005

I am a Canadian who spends the winter in St. Petersburg. To enjoy houseplants without the need of a plant sitter, I use caladiums. At home in Canada I found dwarf caladiums with walnut-sized bulbs, and I would like to try them here when I return in November. Will they be available then, or should I buy bulbs now and plant them later? - Jean Ross, St. Petersburg

There's bad news for caladium lovers. This year's crop was nearly wiped out after last summer's hurricanes, so finding bulbs or plants this spring will be difficult, according to Terri Bates, production manager at one of the largest caladium growers in Lake Placid. The situation is so dire, bulbs and plants won't be available for sale at this year's 15th annual caladium festival Aug. 27-28 in Lake Placid, where 98 percent of the world's caladiums are grown.

Bates suggests buying bulbs now, planting them in pots at your home in Canada, then bringing them back to Florida in November. Next season's bulbs won't be available until February or March 2006.

Often called the geranium of the South, caladiums are a warm-weather tropical that originated in the rain forest. In our area, they make excellent perennial bedding plants for shade and partial shade locations, although some will grow in full sun with plenty of water.

There are three types of caladiums, with colors ranging from bright white and pale pink to orange and deep red. "Fancy Leaf" varieties have heart-shaped leaves and grow 18 to 22 inches tall. "Dwarf Leaf" varieties have smaller heart-shaped leaves and grow 15 to 17 inches tall. The true dwarfs are the "Strap Leaf" varieties, which reach 12 to 14 inches tall and have elongated heart-shaped and narrow leaves.

Strap varieties are Florida Sweetheart, Red Frill, Pink Symphony, Pink Gem, White Wing and Jackie Suthers. If you prefer the giant leaf varieties, try Red Flash, Carolyn Whorton, Aaron, Grey Ghost, Brandywine and White Queen. The walnut-sized bulbs you described are not indicative of a plant's size or variety. They are probably No. 3 seed bulbs, which produce short-lived plants, Bates said.

Caladium bulbs are graded according to size and range from 4-inch super mammoths and jumbos to the small No. 3 usually sold in bulb bags at discount centers. Bates recommends using at least No. 1 bulbs, which are about 1.5 to 2.5 inches in diameter. The large-sized bulbs yield more leaves per plant and perform better over multiple growing seasons.

Bates says the industry should rebound, unless there's another active hurricane season. That's good news for hard-hit Florida growers and gardeners alike.

-- Yvonne Swanson is a freelance writer in St. Petersburg and a master gardener for Pinellas County. If you have garden questions, e-mail features@sptimes.com put "Garden" in the subject line; or write Yvonne Swanson, Garden Writer/Floridian, St. Petersburg Times, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731. Those of general interest will be published. Unpublished questions cannot be answered individually.

[Last modified May 10, 2005, 13:57:47]