Heart to Heart® 'Rain or Shine' Sun or Shade Caladium Caladium hortulanum
- Sun or Shade
- Spring
- Summer
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Details
15 - 20 Inches6 - 10 Inches8 - 10 Inches38cm - 51cm15cm - 25cm20cm - 25cmFeatures
One of the most unique and vigorous caladiums we’ve ever trialed. Large, bronze pink-red leaves with soft pink speckles and black veining stand out easily on grower and retail benches. Good sun tolerance expands this variety’s uses.
Unique coloring and fantastic vigor set Heart to Heart® ‘Rain or Shine’ caladium apart. Large, heart-shaped leaves emerge in dramatic shades of deep bronze pink-red with soft pink speckles and black veining. In certain lights, you might detect a hint of purple, too. They retain their color well in full sun but also thrive in part sun. This variety’s taller, upright form makes a statement.
Caladiums can be an irritant if ingested. The ASPCA has more information on which plants may be harmful.
Adaptable As HouseplantFoliage InterestHeat TolerantDeadheading Not NecessaryAttracts:DeerCharacteristics
Plant Type:AnnualHeight Category:MediumGarden Height:15 - 20 Inches 38cm - 51cmSpacing:6 - 10 Inches 15cm - 25cmSpread:8 - 10 Inches 20cm - 25cmHabit:UprightContainer Role:ThrillerPlant Needs
Light Requirement:Sun or ShadeThe optimum amount of sun or shade each plant needs to thrive: Full Sun (6+ hours), Part Sun (4-6 hours), Full Shade (up to 4 hours).
Maintenance Category:EasyBloom Time:Grown for FoliageHardiness Zones:10a, 10b, 11a, 11bWater Category:AverageUses:Border PlantUses:ContainerUses:Cut FlowerUses:LandscapeUses:Mass PlantingUses Notes:Great in landscapes and containers. They can also be grown indoors as a houseplant where bright light or a sunny window is preferred.
Maintenance Notes:Caladiums can be an irritant if ingested. The ASPCA has more information on which plants may be harmful.
Indoors:
Caladiums can be a very nice windowsill or sunroom plant and for much of the United States and certainly in Canada this might be the best use for Caladiums. Since they are tropical they need to have warmth and humidity, try to always keep the temperatures above 65 F for best growth and leaf size, and a pebble tray or frequent misting can help to keep humidity up around your plants. If you live in a northern climate, be careful not to plant too early in spring as temperatures below 50F will chill and stunt plants, normal indoor temperatures should be fine and winter heaters usually dry things out a bit too much. So this can be a good guide for when to grow these Caladiums, when you turn the heater off for the summer.
Plant tubers pointed end facing upwards, so the tuber is about 2” below the soil level, the roots form on the top of the tuber , so you need to plant them deep enough that roots have room to grow, but not too deep because it delays new leaves and weakens the plant. If your plants are already growing in pots when you purchase them, plant them about ½” deeper when you transplant them to make sure the tubers have room to keep growing.
Caladiums do not need a lot of fertilizer, about ¼ of what most folks feed their flowering annuals, and too much fertilizer can burn the leaves especially the white portions of the leaf. So just fertilize with ¼ the strength what you normally do for your flowers and apply weekly or every other week.
Keep plants in a sunny to partly sunny location and avoid burning hot southern exposures especially at higher altitudes.
Keep soil in your pots moist at all times, wilting will cause leaves to yellow and drop, so just check to make they do not dry out!
Outdoors:
Since Caladiums prefer heat and humidity and do not tolerate cold, soggy soils, for most gardeners who live in the north will have best results in containers, as the soil in pots or planters warms up faster and has better drainage so plants will not become soggy. Remember for best growth always keep the temperatures above 65 F.
A ¼ - ½ strength fertilizing every week or every other week is fine throughout the season, too strong a fertilizer can burn leaves, and since the leaves last all season you want to keep them looking fresh. Caladiums like to be moist at all times so avoid allowing them to dry out as it also causes leaves to yellow and drop.
Where the Caladiums will do best depends a lot on your location within the US, since sunlight intensity varies depending on where you live here’s a quick reference to help guide to help you succeed.
Region
When to Plant
Sun or Shade
Containers or in the garden
NW & NE United States & Canada
Early summer
Full sun - light shade.
Caladiums do best in containers in this part of the country and usually need to be in a protected warm location for best results. Like a sunroom or warm patio setting. If growing outdoors select the warmest protected locations in the garden.
SW United States
Spring
shade to light shade only
Containers may be easiest but a shady, cool garden spot can also be lovely. Watch your watering to keep the plants from drying out.
Midwest
Late Spring
Light shade
Containers are likely best, but a late spring planting into a protected shade flower bed will also be fine.
SE United States
Spring
Shade to sun
Both containers and garden plantings work fine, in the deep south Caladiums may even come back the following year if kept dry over the winter.
Heart to Heart® 'Rain or Shine' Caladium hortulanum 'RFL THAI OF13-1055' USPP 33,614 -
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