Caladiums are tropical foliage plants

Caladiums are tropical foliage plants that provide a splash of color in summer flower beds. They grow well in shaded areas, containers, hanging baskets, and as borders.

You can add drama to any landscape with the addition of caladiums. Their brightly-colored leaves, in shades of red, pink, white and green, are perfect in a grouping or as an accent for other plants.

Make Sure the Soil is Warm Before Planting Caladiums

"The most important factor when planting caladiums is temperature," explains Noel Durrant, owner of Caladium World in Sebring, FL. "Ideally the night temperature should be 68 degrees or warmer on a consistent basis before planting caladiums." She says caladiums that are planted when nights are cool are very slow to germinate, even if you are having 80 degree day time temperatures.

Proper Watering is Important to Healthy Caladium Plants

Caladiums should be kept moist during germination, without allowing the soil to become soggy. Cool nights and excessive moisture can cause a bulb to rot. Durrant points out that once a caladium breaks ground it is easy to tell when to water as they will droop very easily if thirsty.

Tips to remain fertile caladium

Tips to remain fertile caladium

1. Sprinkling

Watering performed 2-3 days once in the dry season.

In the rainy season reduced the frequency sprinkling.

2. Fertilization

Give a high nitrogen fertilizer grades. N elements stimulate vegetative growth. When using fertilizer later explained, such as Star Dekastar and Asri, sprinkle when planting. However, if the use of fertilizers and quickly explained Growmore Hyponex eg, given 2 weeks after planting. Furthermore, fertilizing every 2-3 week in the rainy season, dry season, 4-6 week.

3. Loose planting medium

Media is a mixture of soil with humus, cocopeat, husk fuel, composting. 1:1 comparison. Or using 100% organic ingredients.

Caladium is not Always Harmful

For the breeders of ornamental plants, it is not always detrimental to dormancy. Sleep period can be utilized so that the next growth period can have a number of leaf caladium a lot. The trick is very easy. Removed from the planting medium caladium then placed in a clean, dry container. Tubers are then placed in the shade and cool. Allowed to emerge the little caladium.

The first shoots that appear must be cut with the help of a sterile knife. The goal that does not inhibit subsequent shoot growth. Cutting these buds will stimulate the growth of other buds in greater numbers. After that, caladium tubers can be planted into a medium that contains a lot of organic material. Approximately two weeks later, the

Caladium Because less water

In an advantageous environment, taro grow normally and accumulate food reserves in the tuber. Thus, the organ in the land other than serve as a breeding are also useful as a warehouse storage of food reserves. The larger the tuber, the taro can have a longer sleep time as well.

Should immediately overcome dormancy. Therefore, the amount of food reserves are limited in the barn. If plants are too old to dormancy, plants that you have feared going to die.

Many ornamental plants devotee thinks that he has taro was dead. So no wonder if the devotee is then dismantle and dispose of her favorite plants. In fact, the plant is actually still alive. Only he does not remove the leaf to the ground.

There are many causes that can trigger your taro plants become dormant. Weather conditions which do not support and care methods that are not really able to stimulate dormant plants do. According to Jalil Yumal. F, the staff of Adelia Nursery, kaladium experienced dormancy during the dry season. Or it could be if the plants get a ration of less watering.

Conditions of water shortage can be overcome by doing a lot of watering frequency. In addition, planting media should also be mixed in a way that could hold water in sufficient quantities, and in the long term.

Jalil suggested planting media should kaladium contains many organic materials. Growing media such cocopeat blended with raw materials, shell ash and manure. Each comparison is 1: 1: 1. In addition to well capable of storing water, growing media, such as it is too loose. Growing media is too hard and solid could also trigger a dormant caladium.

Jalil overcome caladium dormant in the way make reepotting. Caladium tubers are removed from the pot. Before planting, the roots of Araceae family plants are soaked first in condensation of stimulants or hormones. Soaking was done for 15 minutes. Jalil trademark use of hormones to stimulate the growth of wholesale happy caladium tubers are dormant.

If all is done, caladium can be planted in many new tanama media containing organic material. Time hormone solution is splashed in the growing media. Planting medium should be damp conditions. After that pot disugkup using transparent plastic. The aim is to retain moisture. Kaladium are then put in place a shady (tend to be dark) and cool. Approximately 1-2 weeks later, shoot caladium is grown. You can move the plants into a single pot if caladium leaves already have as many as 3-4 pieces. Or after age 2 months.

Media Not Infertile Caladium Asleep

Although invisible to grow above the ground level, do not waste your own triggers. Perhaps these plants were undergoing a long period of sleep. Give perlekuan order caladium could rise and flourish again.

Caladium enchantment lies in its leaves. Caladium leaves have many shades. And with contrasting colors and flashy. But unfortunately this plant is widely known as a difficult plant to produce leaves in large quantities simultaneously. Even in unfavorable environmental conditions and improper handling can cause the body strike caladium experience.

The period of sleep or strike grows as it is often also referred to as dormant. In his native habitat, taro is often done dormancy as one of the main ways to survive in unfavorable environmental conditions. For instance, temperature and radiation are not appropriate. Lack of nutrients and water.

Simak

Baca secara fonetik

Caladium between monstera

Caladium Keris

caladium2

caladium1

Caladium Tricolor

Caladium Silver

Caladium01

Caladium Liliput

Caladium Bicolor 1

Caladium Bicolor2

Caladium Fanny Munson

Mixed Media

In addition to single media, caladium also grow well in the media mix. In Thailand from 12 nurseri the disambangi Trubus land-use mix media with leaf litter terkomposkan beans. What differs is only the composition, of 2:1 or 1:1. His superiority, make current drainage and aeration, so fertile and caladium growing rapidly.

A caladium decorative planters in Jakarta using three mixed media, raw rice husk, rice husk firewood, bamboo leaves and topsoil that has been filtered, one part each. Before use, he was steaming a mixture of these media for 30 minutes so sterile, so free of bacteria and fungi attack. Husks of crude and fuel was selected because the media makes good aeration. Meanwhile, bamboo leaf humus and nutrients play a role as a provider of water storage at the same time so that the media remain damp.

However, the use of fuel and humus bamboo husks should be extra careful. Therefore, the ruined husk fuel can be very dense. As a result, the porosity is reduced so that the roots disturbed. While bamboo leaf compost moisture levels only temporary, until the first leaf growth. Impact, planters should be diligent to add or replace the media.

Other media, mixed grilled cocopeat and husks. That's a look at the Anti nurseri Trubus, Ciawi, and garden belonging in Ciapus Ulih Sunardi, Bogor. Ulih also uses mixed media and humus andam and calothyrsus with 3:2 ratio. The result caladium growing up healthy and bright colors.

Nun in Sri Lanka, three planters met Trubus put on sandy soil as media mainstay. Pale brown sand fines such as sand beaches. Beneficial soil water needed to tie it aglaonema relatives. While the sand makes the media crumb texture, so that good aeration. Caladium grew lush and leafy.

Single Media

What is meant by the use of a single media type materials, such as humus andam, raw husks, or cocopeat. In the homeland, Dr Benny Tjia, practitioners ornamental plant in Bogor, using cocopeat media. Coco powder was capable of holding water in quantity and time. Pore structure with high catch and hold water. Will fit the decorative medium caladium damp. Moreover, coir dus-other-name easy to obtain and relatively cheap.

Generally, the degree of acidity of coir dust close to 6, while the medium caladium grow well at pH between 6.5 to 6.8 was. At nearly neutral conditions that could absorb nutrients more available plants such as nitrogen, calcium, phosphorus, and sulfur. To neutralize the pH, Benny mixed it with lime dolomite. Every one cubic media added 2 kg of dolomite.

Gunawan Widjaja in Sentul, Bogor, using the media andam humus. According to Wijaya's nursery owners, quickly exit the root caladium and faster plant growth although not in the fertilizer. Fair if it thrives aglaonema relatives. Humus has a high nitrogen content which stimulate vegetative growth. Humus mycelium composed of lignin, poliuronida, and C, H, O, S, and P. Organic materials that can improve nutrient available to plants, such as Ca, Mg and K. High humus absorption, 80-90% of the weight. That way, the media remain damp so that the caladium not dormant.



In Cisarua, Trubus watch Thai caladium purplish red thrives even only use raw rice husk media. Section, raw husks are able to make good aeration of the media. According to Lanny Linga, Seederama nursery owners, the use of 100% raw husks fit in the garden located on the plateau. Where high humidity. Conversely areas with low humidity, such as Jakarta, quick dry husk, unable to hold much water. As a result of water shortages caladium, its growth was not optimal, and even dormant.

Therefore, in hot regions, the use of raw husks should not single. As the mixture maksumal 25% of the total volume. It's just avoid that contain elements of Mn fertilization. For raw husks have a high content of silicate and manganese. media control to the degree of acidity is not under 5. at pH, the availability of Mn that can be absorbed plant increases. As a result of heavy metal poisoning caladium it so that root and leaf cells Araceae family members were damaged.

Media of Concoction Caladium

Caladium roots need lots of oxygen in the soil. The bigger the root, the more oxygen is needed, especially for cell growth next. It's natural to prefer caladium porous media. With a hollow structure of the media, the circulation of air and drainage run smoothly. Also the media is also required to damp and wet.

In essence, the media should be to save water and not easy to condense. Solid media causing stagnant water so that the low air aeration. Symptoms appear, the leaves and stems wither. Healthy roots are white and have fine hairs. If aeration is low, white roots turned brown and then black. Reduced the number of root hair was not even there. Yet it serves to absorb nutrients. In addition to aeration problems, solid media are also invited bacteria and fungi causing decay.

The role of media is very aware of the planters caladium. Of coverage in three Countries Trubus, media selection based on the pegaruh climate, availability of raw materials, and conformity with the needs of caladium. As a result, 21 planters in Thailand, Indonesia and Sri Lanka using different media. Each has its own media for growing herbs aglaonema's relatives.

Although different in the three countries, but caladium remain fertile body, excellence, and look stunning. Secret of his success lies in the composition of raw materials and selected media. If grouped, selected media, consisting of single and mixed mediai.

Near with More Caladium

Already 1.5 century cultivated caladium. alokasia similar plant, Colocasia, and Xanthosoma was rooted, fibrous rooted, and flowering perfect. Sugar-apple fruit shape and similar in it to accommodate 200-500 bak brown sesame seeds. petiole 40-90 cm high. leaves reached 15-46 cm long with a variety of views, such as a heart shape, length and rounded. fee that is a mini size suitable as an ornamental porch. of natural beauty, caladium cited as the "queen of ornamental plants."

In addition to beauty, some type of caladium believed to cure disease. Burkill, in a book called A Dictionary Of The Economic Products Of the Malay Peninsula, says C. humboldtii, Schott (C. argyrites, Lem) jujal in many Chinese herbal shops.

C. humboldtii also often used as breeders by the penyilang to produce a mini-leaved caladium. Not only that, C. bicolor and C. hortulanom made diligent breeders to produce new kinds. Now it presents a new hybrid varieties graced the stock of ornamental plants in the ground water.

History records caladium ancestors originated from Amazon forest and temperate regions of South America Tropical. Call it Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Panama, Peru, Colombia, Costa Rica, of Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, and Venezuela. Although originating from the Americas, but cultivation was first performed in Europe in the era of 1700.

In the journal of University of Florida, Robert A. DeFilipps, Shirley L. Maina, and Juliette Crepin said caladium into Continental Europe in 1704. At that time C. bicolor (Aiton) Vent from Suriname sent to the Amsterdam Botanic Garden, the Netherlands. Planters were interested in crossing. The result, obtained 1500 new varieties. Until now Europe's caladium planting expanded to 688 ha. Preferred is a lively and leaved caladium patterned width.

Caladium Growing Media

Compost

Planting medium caladium is pleased by the growing media moist but the shaft. Therefore, the best planting media derived from a mixture of organic media (compost or humus in bamboo leaves) and coarse sand or soil with a ratio of 2:1.

Humus in Bamboo Leaves

Rice Husk/Bran

Mixture of rice husk/bran can also be used. When using rice husk, the comparison between the humus, coarse sand, and rice husk used was 1:1:1. To prevent the bulb to avoid rot, make sure the condition does not tarnish the planting media. Bulbs planted at a depth of about 2 inches (about 5 cm). Planting can be done in pots or in soil dipekarangan home. Leaves grown in pots will not relatively larger size than when planted in pots.

Rice Straw

sources : from different sources

Inheritance of Leaf Shape and Main Vein Color in Caladium

The ornamental value of caladiums (Caladium × hortulanum Birdsey) depends, to a great extent, on leaf characteristics including shape, color, color pattern, and venation pattern. Broadly, caladium leaves are classified into three shapes: fancy, lance, and strap (Fig. 1). Fancy-leaved caladiums have heart-shaped (triangular- or round-ovate) leaves, with three main veins on each leaf arranged in the form of an inverted letter Y. They have a peltate petiole attachment, and the two basal lobes are joined for more than one-fifth of their length and separated by a short, narrow sinus. Strap-leaved caladiums, on the other hand, have narrow linear (or ribbon-like) leaves,with one main vein and no obvious basal lobes. Lance leaves are intermediate between fancy and strap types: leaf blades are broad sagittate to cordate-lanceolate, with basal lobes not obvious or broadly separated by a sinus, if present. Caladium leaf shapes are closely associated with plant growth habit, stress tolerance, tuber yield, etc. Generally, strap- or lance-leaved plants are much shorter in plant height, sprout more leaves from similarly-sized tubers, are more tolerant of sun and low temperatures, and produce smaller tubers than fancy-leaved plants.

Leaf color is another important characteristic in caladium. It is determined by the color of veins (main, secondary and peripheral), interveinal areas, spots, and/or blotches. Leaf colors in many caladium cultivars are extremely diverse and intriguing. In some cultivars, leaf colors and colored areas can be quite variable on the same plant with changes in plant development or environmental conditions. Leaf color variation or instability may be undesirable for commercial production or propagation. However, the leaf main vein color seems to be stable under different environments, on different plants, or at different developmental stages. This stability of color expression in leaf main veins has been useful for cultivar description and identification, besides its ornamental significance.

Caladiums are diploids with 2n = 2x = 30 chromosomes. Information about the inheritance of leaf shape and main vein color has been rather scant in caladium. In recent years, efforts have been made to have a better understanding of the inheritance of these characteristics for improved breeding efficiency. This type of information may also be useful to commercial growers, gardeners or master gardeners who are interested in backyard breeding, or breeding hobbyists, whose efforts contributed once to the development of a number of commercial cultivars, for them to design their breeding plan.

Controlled crosses were made among ten cultivars and two breeding lines; their progeny were analyzed to understand the inheritance of leaf shape and main vein color and to determine if there is a genetic linkage between these two traits. The segregation ratios were also used to determine the genotype of a number of major cultivars that are of significant value as breeding parents in caladium cultivar improvement.

Inheritance of Leaf Main Vein Color

The main vein of 'Candidum' and 'Candidum Jr.' is green. Progeny from selfing of 'Candidum' and crossing with 'Candidum Jr.' expressed green main veins, consistent with a previous report (Wilfret, 1983) and indicating the homozygosity status of their vein color. Previously, Wilfret (1983; 1986) showed that the green vein color was recessive to both red and white main vein colors. Therefore, 'Candidum' and 'Candidum Jr.' should both contain homozygous recessive alleles for their green vein color.

'Florida Fantasy' expresses red main veins; its genotype was determined by testcrossing with 'Candidum Jr.'. Two types of vein colors, red and green, were observed in the progeny of reciprocal crosses between 'Candidum Jr.' and 'Florida Fantasy', and they segregated in a 1:1 ratio, indicating that 'Florida Fantasy' is heterozygous. To confirm this, 'Florida Fantasy' was crossed with another green-veined cultivar, 'White Christmas', and a 1:1 ratio between red- and green-veined progeny was again observed.'Florida Red Ruffles' was tested using both 'Candidum'and 'Candidum Jr'.; their testcross progeny exhibited a 1:1 segregation of red- and green-veined individuals, indicating that 'Florida Red Ruffles' is heterozygous at the locus determining the leaf main vein color.

Three crosses were made to test 'Florida Sweetheart', including reciprocal crosses with 'Candidum Jr.' and a cross with 'Candidum'. The 1:1ratio between red- and green-veined progeny indicated that 'Florida Sweetheart' is heterozygous as well.The 1:1 segregation of red and green vein colors in the progeny of the cross between 'Candidum' × 'Red Flash' revealed that 'Red Flash' is heterozygous. This was confirmed by selfing and crossing with 'Florida Fantasy'. Since both parents were heterozygous in these two crosses, a segregation ratio of 3 red: 1 green was expected, and observed.

To understand the relationship of white veins over red and green veins, two cultivars ('Aaron' and 'Florida Moonlight') and one breeding line (BR-1) that express white main veins were chosen, and they were selfed or crossed with some of the above-characterized cultivars. Progeny of selfed 'Florida Moonlight' exhibited segregation of white and green main veins in a 3:1 ratio , which indicates that 'Florida Moonlight' is heterozygous and that white is dominant to green. 'Florida Moonlight' was then crossed separately to three heterozygous red-veined cultivars ('Florida Fantasy', 'Red Flash', and 'Florida Sweetheart'). Three types of individuals (red, white, and green-veined) were observed in the progeny of these crosses; they segregated in a 2:1:1 ratio. This segregation suggests that red is dominant over white and green, and white is dominant over green.When white-veined breeding line BR-1 was crossed with 'Florida Fantasy' (heterozygous red-veined), a similar segregation of vein colors (2 red: 1 white: 1 green) was observed in their progeny, which supports that red is dominant over white. Progeny of reciprocal crosses between 'Aaron' and 'Red Flash' segregated into two main vein colors, red and white, in a 1:1 ratio. This segregation again support the above proposed dominance of red over white, and also indicates that 'Aaron' is homozygous white-veined, different from 'Florida Moonlight'.In summary, the above segregation data supported previous observations (Wilfret, 1983; 1986) that the green main vein phenotype is controlled by a recessive allele, and that the red main vein is dominant over the green main vein. They revealed that four of the major red-veined commercial cultivars are heterozygous, containing both the red and green vein alleles. These data confirmed the dominance of white main veins over green main veins, but revealed a different relationship between red and white main veins. White is not dominant to red, rather red is dominant to white. It see

ms that caladium has evolved several alleles for the main vein color. The locus determining the main vein color was designated as V, with three alleles Vr, Vw, and Vg for red, white, and green main veins, respectively. The dominance order of these alleles is Vr > Vw > Vg. Accordingly, the genotype for the main vein color was inferred from the above-mentioned segregation data and shown in Table 2. 'Candidum' and 'Candidum Jr.' have the VgVg genotype; 'Florida Fantasy', 'Florida Red Ruffles', 'Florida Sweetheart', and 'Red Flash' share the VrVg genotype. The genotype of 'Aaron' for main vein color is VwVw, while that of 'Florida Moonlight' and BR-1 is VwVg.

Inheritance of Leaf Shapes

Among the thirty-eight crosses, sixteen were fancy × fancy, seven fancy × lance, thirteen lance × fancy, and two lance × lance, respectively. All progeny of fancy × fancy crosses exhibited fancy leaves. Two leaf types (fancy and lance) were observed in the progeny of each of the fancy × lance crosses; their segregation ratio in each population fit 1:1. In 10 of the 13 lance × fancy crosses, the segregation between fancy and lance leaf types fit a ratio of 1:1. However, the segregation in the progeny of three of the crosses was skewed toward more fancy leaf type individuals. This skewedness was most obvious in the cross between 'Florida Red Ruffles' × 'Candidum Jr.'. The cause(s) of this skewed segregation remains to be elucidated. The segregation of three leaf types in the progeny of two lance × lance crosses fit well to a ratio of 1 fancy: 2 lance: 1 strap.

The above segregation data from four types of crosses indicate that the three leaf shapes in caladium are controlled by two co-dominant alleles at one locus, which supports a previous report (Wilfret, 1986). The two alleles have been named F and f, for fancy and strap leaves, respectively. Therefore, the genotype of fancy-, lance-, and strap-leaved caladiums would be FF, Ff, and ff, respectively. The skewedness of leaf shape segregation in some of the crosses indicates that other factors might contribute to the development of leaf shapes.

Independent Inheritance Between Leaf Shape and Main Vein Color

Both leaf shape and main vein color segregated in the progeny of sixteen crosses. Five patterns of segregation were observed. Four types of individuals (fancy red, fancy white, lance red, and lance white) appeared in the progeny of reciprocal crosses of 'Aaron' and 'Florida Sweetheart' in a ratio of 1:1:1:1. This ratio was also observed in another four crosses ('Florida Sweetheart' × 'White Christmas', 'White Christmas' × 'Florida Sweetheart', 'Florida Irish Lace' × 'Florida Fantasy', 'Candidum' × 'Florida Sweetheart') among four different types of individuals (fancy red, fancy green, lance red, and lance green). In three crosses ('Red Flash' × 'Florida Sweetheart', 'Red Flash' × 'Florida Sweetheart', and 'Florida Red Ruffles' × 'Florida Fantasy'), these four types of progeny segregated in a 3:1:3:1 ratio. The progeny of five crosses ('Florida Red Ruffles' × 'Florida Moonlight', 'Florida Red Ruffles' × BR-1, BR-1 × 'Florida Red Ruffles', BR-1 × 'Florida Sweetheart', 'Florida Sweetheart' × 'Florida Moonlight') showed six types of individuals, fancy red, white, and green, and lance red, white, and green, in a ratio of 2:1:1:2:1:1, respectively. Six types of progeny (fancy red and green, lance red and green, and strap red and green) were observed in two crosses ('Florida Irish Lace' × BR-2, 'Florida Irish Lace' × 'Florida Red Ruffles'), in a ratio of 1:1:2:2:1:1. Contingency ×2 tests indicated that the two leaf traits assorted independently.

Source : http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep257

Technique: Caladium de-eying and propagation

Caladium provides wonderful color in the shade, and contrary to many other shade plants, they perform best when the temperatures are really hot.

Caladium can be bought at stores in early spring, or online directly from the growers, which is my preferred way of obtaining them. The growers usually sell larger tuber than what is available in stores, and since they are shipped fresh, the tubers are usually more plumb with clearly visible growing eyes. This year, however, supply may be short due to the hurricanes in Florida late last year.

Producing more leaves

Irrespective where you buy the tubers, you can create much nicer plants by a process called de-eying. De-eying involves scooping out the dominant growing point (eye) which will cause the surrounding dormant eyes to elongate and grow. This will produce a plant with more leaves. Lets take a look at why this happens.

You may remember from our previous article Cutting and Pinching, part1 that dominant growing point will exert apical dominance over nearby surrounding buds suppressing them from growing. This is caused by a high concentration of the natural plant hormone called auxin in the primary growing point. This hormone will physically suppress the nearby growing points from developing. More buds are created by the plant as backup in case of damage to the main growing point (the terminal bud) but the auxiliary buds are not allowed to develop.

Behind the Scenes

Once the primary growing point is removed, the high auxin supply is cut off and the hormonal balance shifts to a high concentration of another natural growth hormone called cytokines. This will prompts all the nearby buds to start growing and developing into leaves.

This is a natural response aimed at protecting the caladium against damage by wind, animals or even a careless gardener (such as me!!). As long as the main growing point is intact, the caladium plant suppresses the other growing points which allow room for the terminal bud to develop into a leaf without having to worry about competition from other leaves. The reason is probably that as long as no damage is done to the plant, the development of one leaf is all that is needed to support the plant. Should the main growing point be damaged, several auxiliary buds will be prompted to grow by the changed hormone balance. Since the plant can only survive if has a leaf, in order to convert the sun's energy into food (i.e. photosynthesize), all efforts will be changed to concentrate on a new purpose: to grow many new leaves in the hope that at least one will survive.

The emphasis is no longer on creating one taller, larger, superior leaf, but rather as many leaves as practically possible. In this way the plant may actually survive, even if the damage continues, as long as at least one leaf remains.

Since the plant must make room for more leaves, these now tend to be smaller, and the leaf petiole not as tall. The reason for this is probably done in an effort to avoid the leaves shading for each other. The process requires more energy from the tuber, but the drain on the resources is an absolute necessity because without a leaf, the plant dies.

The response is quite ingenious and logical in my mind. As long as no damage has occurred the plant will grow as originally intended, but should damage occur, the plant now assumes that damage will continue and all efforts are put into the production of many leaves. The plant is not leaving it to chance that the damage is a one time event. If it has happened once, it assumes it will happen again; after all the caladium only has a limited growing season in which to create leaves, set seeds, and propagate.

Choosing Tubers to Scoop

Each tuber, depending on size, may have several eyes which contain a terminal bud and several dormant buds. A small tuber may only have one such eye, whereas a mammoth tuber may have a dozen. Larger tubers are often what I usually term "composite tubers", e.g. smaller tubers fused together into a single large tuber. These larger tubers can be left intact and will still produce several leaves (due to the high number of eyes available on the tuber).

To mimic the effect of a large tuber with many leaves, several smaller tubers can be planted together in a pot; you can even mix colors, but the grower can also prompt the caladium tubers to send up more leaves by a technique called de-eying, e.g. the removal of the terminal bud (dominant growing point) which will cause several nearby dormant auxiliary buds to start developing.

If you buy your tubers from local discount stores, the caladium is probably a dehydrated, hard, and compact where the eyes are not readily visible, whereas tubers shipped from the grower will have clearly visible growing points, some of which may already have started to elongate.

If you buy the fresh tubers from the growers, you may be able to simply break off the tooth-like growing points which will cause the auxiliary buds to grow. If not, you will instead have to 'scoop' the dominant eye.

It is done exactly as it sounds: with the tip of a knife, the dominant eye is scooped out. In the process, you have to be careful not to damage the surrounding dormant auxiliary buds which can be quite close. With a bit of experience, and taking your time, it is possible to identify the active primary and the dormant auxiliary growing points.

Scooping Caladium

On the picture, I have exposed the active growing point and the dormant eyes surrounding the terminal bud. With a knife, gently dig about 1/4" down and lift (scoop) out the terminal bud. In the picture, you can see how one of the auxiliary buds are very close to the dominant buds which therefore often require a steady hand, and a magnifying glass. The tuber shown is a very small size #2 tuber which would normally develop only one leaf. Scooping out the growing point will cause 2-3 leaves to develop which produces a much nicer plant. As a special trick, you can also start the tubers in moist sphagnum indoors in early spring to force out the growing point, which will also make the auxiliary buds swell somewhat. At this time, it is easier scoop.

Propagating Caladium

The new plant, with more leaves to help photosynthesizing, have the potential to grow into larger tubers if given plenty of water, fertilizer, and bright light (not full sun, except in the north where caladium can be grown in full sun). The tuber will build starch reserves and improve in size. Tubers which have improved in size when lifted will as mentioned consist of several individual tubers "fused" together ("composite" tuber).

To propagate caladium, simply pull, or cut, the individual tubers apart (divide). Make sure to leave a few eyes on each division (see composite tuber above).

Note, while caladium tubers can handle considerable shade, to propagate tubers, try to give plenty of bright light or even half day sun in the north. Plants grown in deep shade will seldom generate enough energy to enlarge the tuber.

The copyright of the article Technique: Caladium de-eying and propagation in Seeds & Plants is owned by Kenneth Joergensen. Permission to republish Technique: Caladium de-eying and propagation in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Read more at Suite101: Technique: Caladium de-eying and propagation http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/propagation_seed_starting/113454

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