Caladiums • The Caladium Festival

The caladium is the crown jewel of the jack-in-the pulpit family (Araceae). With all of its colors and leaf shapes, it is the bird of paradise in the drab crow family of arums. Dr. Henry Nehrling is well known for his early hybridizing work in Gotha and Naples, Florida in the early 1900's.
In South Florida, caladium cultivars can provide color and brighten dark, shady corners for 9 months or maybe longer. As one goes north, they tend to have a dormant period with cooler weather and less moisture.
The variations of color are shown in this video-the pictures virtually jump in your face! You will see how caladium foliage can challenge the brightest blooms. Highlights of our tour at the 2013 Lake Placid (The Caladium Capital of the World) Caladium Festival are presented. To see 1500 acres of glowing caladium foliage ranks up there with seeing the flowering tulip fields in Holland (almost!).
The plants live 3 years or more if given sufficient organic matter, fertilizer, water and warm temperatures. There are no significant caladium pests in the landscape, not even the Sri Lanka weevil chews on them!
This video produced by 2 Collier County Master Gardeners.
To learn more, go this link to read the document by UF/IFAS caladium developer, Dr. Zhanao Deng.
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