# Caladium

Caladiums are colorful plants with large, heart-shaped leaves that come in shades of pink, red, green, and white. They brighten up gardens and indoor spaces with their vibrant foliage.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 2/5 · Low
- **Habitat:** Forest
- **Also known as:** Angel Wings, Elephant Ear, Heart of Jesus

![Caladium](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Caladium_bicolor_'Florida_Sweetheart'_Plant_2220px.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Photo by and (c)2006 Derek Ramsey ( Ram-Man ), GFDL 1.2 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Caladium_bicolor_'Florida_Sweetheart'_Plant_2220px.jpg)

## Appearance

The Caladium has large, striking heart-shaped or lance-shaped leaves with vibrant patterns of red, pink, white, and various shades of green. These "painted" leaves often feature contrasting veins, spots, or margins, making each one a unique work of art.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Family:** Araceae
- **Genus:** Caladium

## Interesting facts

- Caladiums are often called 'elephant ears' or 'angel wings' because of their beautiful leaf shapes!
- Even though they have small flowers, people grow Caladiums just for their amazing, colorful leaves!
- When winter comes, Caladiums 'sleep' by having their leaves die back, waiting as a bulb to sprout again!
- Wild Caladiums come from the Amazon rainforest, where they brighten up the shaded jungle floor!

## Special abilities

- **Underground Power Store:** Caladium can survive dry seasons by storing energy in an underground tuber, allowing it to regrow its stunning leaves later.
- **Natural Irritant Defense:** Caladium has tiny calcium oxalate crystals that protect it from most herbivores, causing irritation if the plant is eaten.
- **Shade Seeker:** Caladium's broad leaves help it capture scarce light on the dark rainforest floor, where it naturally thrives under taller plants.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 30-60 cm
- **Spread:** 30-60 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Summer
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** Moderate
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Symbiotic with:** common mycorrhizal fungus (*Rhizophagus irregularis*) — Forms a helpful partnership with Caladium roots.
- **Eats:** [Garden Snail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garden-snail) (*Helix aspersa*) — Occasionally eats Caladium leaves despite their toxicity.
- **Shelter:** Red-backed Poison Frog (*Ranitomeya reticulata*) — Finds damp, shaded cover beneath Caladium leaves.

## Traits

- [Ornamental](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ornamental): Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form.
- [Shade Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shade-tolerant): Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight.
- [Variegated](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/variegated): Pertaining to plants with leaves or petals exhibiting different colors in patches or stripes.
- [Broadleaf Tree](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/broadleaf-tree): Broadleaf trees are angiosperms characterized by flat, wide leaves that are typically shed annually in temperate climates.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.

## Collections

- [Fungi](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/fungi)
- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 2/5 · Low

Enjoy the beauty of caladiums from a distance and avoid touching or ingesting any part of the plant.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Caladium?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Caladium?

30-60 cm

### How wide does Caladium spread?

30-60 cm

### When does Caladium bloom?

Summer

### Is Caladium edible?

No

### Is Caladium toxic?

Moderate

### What is Caladium's lifecycle?

Perennial

### How is Caladium pollinated?

Insect

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Caladium: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/caladium)