Professional Growing Information Love this color as a choice other than pink as it is more of a coral color. Thank you for introducing this beauty!
Heart to Heart® 'Chinook' Sun or Shade Caladium Caladium hortulanum
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Exposure
- Sun or Shade
Flower Season
- Spring
- Summer
Mature Size
Height: 15" - 20"
Spread: 8" - 10"
Height: 38cm - 51cm
Spread: 20cm - 25cm
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15 - 20 Inches8 - 10 Inches8 - 10 Inches38cm - 51cm20cm - 25cm20cm - 25cm
Features
This distinctive caladium is easy to pick out of a crowd because of its unique salmon pink leaves outlined in emerald green. Deep pink veining accents the elongated heart-shaped leaves. Heart to Heart ‘Chinook’ caladium tolerates both sun and shade conditions in most climates. In more sun, its coloring will be a more intense coral tone, becoming pastel salmon pink in part shade to full shade.
Heart to Heart ‘Chinook’ caladium grows beautifully in patio planters, window boxes and hanging baskets, either on its own or paired with other medium vigor plants. This caladium is also useful for adding a bright spot of continuous color to sunny or shaded garden beds.
Note: Caladiums can be an irritant if ingested. Please consult the ASPCA about which plants may be harmful to pets if you have a concern.
Foliage InterestHeat TolerantDeadheading Not NecessaryResists:DeerCharacteristics
Plant Type:AnnualHeight Category:MediumGarden Height:15 - 20 Inches 38cm - 51cmSpacing:8 - 10 Inches 20cm - 25cmSpread:8 - 10 Inches 20cm - 25cmFoliage Colors:GreenFoliage Colors:OrangeFoliage Colors:PinkFoliage Shade:Salmon, Pink and GreenHabit: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:LandscapeUses:Mass PlantingUses Notes:This heat tolerant caladium plant is great in landscapes and containers and will grow well in sunny to shady locations.
Maintenance Notes:Caladiums can be an irritant if ingested. The ASPCA has more information on which plants may be harmful.
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 Chinook caladium 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. Sun or shade 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 these heat tolerant caladium 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 surethey do not dry out!
Outdoors:
Since Heart to Heart Caladiums prefers 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. Chinook caladium likes to be moist at all times so avoid allowing them to dry out as it also causes leaves to yellow and drop.
Where the heat tolerant 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 you to help you succeedRegion
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.
Fun Facts:2026 National Caladium of the Year.
Heart to Heart® 'Chinook' Caladium hortulanum USPP 27,094 -
541321Browse reviews from people who have grown this plant.
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Rebecca Zimmerman, Ohio, United States, 5 years ago
Sun or Shade12"Pot SizeWhat you'll need:
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