A Colorful Heart-Shaped Foliage Plant

By Norby Bautista

One group of natural colorfully designed foliage plants are the Caladiums, which are locally known as
Angel Wings or Heart of Jesus. These tropical herbaceous plants have attractive colorful heart-shaped
leaves, ranging from blotches or veins of green, white, red, pink, silver and yellow. With these,
Caladiiums are excellent plants to color dim places in your garden, where flowers cannot provide.
New varieties with bloody red, and other interestingly bright color patterns are now available in the
market, providing collectors or a wide range of selections to choose from, aside from the over 1,000
named cultivars. The plant species and its cultivars, scientifically known as Caladium bicolor, and
belongs to the Araceae plant family, which also includes the Alocasia (gabi family), Anthuriums,
Philodendrons, Aglaonema, Dieffenbachia and other shade-loving house plants. However, these plants
can tolerate bright to full sun, which makes it adaptable both in shaded or brightly lighted corners of the
garden.
It is an easy plant to grow, and is usually grown and propagated from corms, which is an underground
stem similar to the common gabi or taro plant. They may become dormant, and loses their leaves
during the dry season, however, when rainy season comes, they again sprouts with stunning and
colorful new leaves. With this fact, label or mark plants or pots properly, as corm underneath the soil
are still alive, and in this way, you wont mistaken to throw away vacant pots.

These plants thrives in filtered bright light, while some can tolerate direct sun. Plants can benefit from
regular watering every other day, and making sure that the potting media is moist, but not too wet or
soggy or else the corms will rot. The plants need high humidity in order to maintain a healthy foliage.
Caladiums grow best in fertile sandy loam soils rich in organic matter. Since it has corms, a water
storage organ, it can withstand drought. Small plants can be planted in three- inch pots, while bigger
ones in 5 inch to larger pots. Plants can be fertilized by applying half teaspoon of controlled release
fertilizer once every 2 months.
Care must be taken not to mechanically damage the foliage. Plants are also susceptible to foliage and
corm rotting, especially when overwatered. Spray fungicide solutions to plans as a propylactic during the
onset of the rainy season. Give enough space between plants and allow air movement in the garden to
prevent rotting of foliage. Watch out for caterpillars or foliage eating insects as they can easily defoliate
large number of plants. Spray insecticides as last resort if insect infestation occur.
Caladiums could be propagated through division of corms. Use a sterile knife when cutting large corms
into several pieces. Air dry cut corms in the shade for a day or two, before planting them in fresh potting
mix. New shoots will arise from "eyes" in the corm in a week or two. For plant breeders, they may opt
for sexual reproduction, as Caladiums can also be propagated through seeds. With this technique, the
spathe covered flowers are artificially pollinated, and seeds are borne inside berry-like fruits.

Caladiums are not native to the Philippines, and originated from Brazil, including neighboring areas of
South America and Central America, and usually grow in open areas of the forest and near creeks.
Nevertheless, caladiums has become naturalized in our country and are even found in forests.
One word of extra caution though for gardeners, as this plant is also poisonous. This is due to the fact
that all plant parts contains calcium oxalate, which makes its sap an skin irritant. If large quantities are
ingested, the person or pet will experience severe pain in the mouth, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Its
irritating effects on skin usually lasts for a few minutes.
Due to its colorful foliage and ease in growing, Caladiums are often used as landscape plants, usually as
an accent to break the green monotony of other plants. The more they are exposed to the sun, the
brighter their foliage is. They are grown as outdoor or indoor ornamental plants. They have large 12-15
inch arrow-head or heart shaped foliage marked in varying patterns of white, pink, red, or green, and
are either spotted, veined. blotched, or marbled.
Caladiums will be one of the highlighted plants on upcoming HORTI 2013 Garden Show, which is
organized by the Philippine Horticultural Society, Inc. (PHSI) this coming February 1 6, 2013. With a
theme Gardening with a Heart, the show will open January 31 at the Planas Elevated Garden of the
Quezon Memorial Circle in Quezon City. They are promoting plants with heart shaped flowers and
leaves, and aims to awaken the love and passion for plants. The opening ceremony will be headed by
Mrs. Ming Ramos, together with Ms. Flor Tarriela, as guests of honor.
For inquiries about the event, kindly contact Maky at 377-0234 or text 0917-5635474. For details about
the show, please contact Butch Duque at 0939-3898920 or Lois Estrella at 0920-7356630.