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12 Caladium Varieties You Will Love

Do you wish to assign your garden or home with heart-shaped plants? Well, Caladium varieties would be the ones with their white, pink, red and green foliage.

Generally, there are over 1000 varieties of Caladium, categorized into two main types- Fancy Leaf and Strap or Lance Leaf Caladium. The categories include common varieties like Aaron, Candidum, Carolyn Whorton, Fannie Munson, and Pink Symphony.

Get to know more about each of the twelve varieties of Caladium that fits your requirements, space, and lifestyle.

Two Main Types of Caladium

Caladium bicolor, a native of the Brazilian tropics, has two different types dividing the varieties under subheadings.

It includes Fancy Leaf Caladium Plant and Strap Leaf Caladium Plant, having a significant difference in the meeting point of the stem and the leaf.

A template containing the difference between strap leaf and fancy leaf caldium.
Each variety of Caladium falls under these two types.

List of Caladium Varieties You will Love

Some of the popular varieties of Caladium with the different types they fall under are mentioned in the table below.

Fancy LeafStrap Leaf
AaronFlorida Sweetheart
CandidumGingerland
Carolyn WhortonMiss Muffet
Fannie MunsonPink Gem
Frieda HemplePink Symphony
June BridePostman Joyner
Pink BeautyRed Frill
Red FlashWhite Wing
Heart of JesusFlorida Red Ruffles
MoonlightCandyland
Strawberry StarLindenii
BombshellThai Beauty

1. Aaron ‘Fancy-Leaved Caladium’

Aaron Caladium is a perfect houseplant for new plant parents as it is low-maintenance.

The bulbs of Aron give rise to medium to large heart-shaped creamy white leaves with tall stems and bloom from summer through fall.

It has a white center with dark green edges and can grow to a height of 24 inches and spread to 24 inches.

The variety grows in full to half shade and can withstand direct light. Any soil is fine for Aaron Caladium as long it is moist and warm throughout.

2. Candidum ‘Fancy-Leaved Caladium’

Caladium Candidum has the most fancy-looking leaves and lies in the Fancy leaved category, whereas Candidum Jr falls under Strap Leaved.

The snow-white heart-shaped leaves with great dark green veins make it an excellent indoor plant as it is naturally a pest and insect-free houseplant.

Daily misting and watering will also help evade snails or slugs from the Candidum Caladium.

Direct sunlight can burn the leaves, so keep them under half or full shade. Given the optimum condition, it will grow between 12 to 18 inches and expand over 11 to 17 inches.

3. Carolyn Whorton ‘Fancy-Leaved Caladium’

Carolyn Whorton Caladium is an excellent plant to liven up your interior throughout the season.

The large leaves have a bright pink center with red veins and green edges, making Carolyn Whorton a lovely attention-grabbing houseplant.
A person is holding on a black pot containing Carolyn Caladium.
The Caladium variety has upright, strong leaves with red veins over the green.

Carolyn Whorton Caladium stands at 20 inches and needs warm soil to flourish well.

However, it can stand sunlight and grows well in containers even with partial light.

4. Fannie Munson ‘Fancy-Leaved Caladium’

Fannie Munson is a fancy-leaf Caladium plant with a lovely flamingo pink middle with dark green-edged leaves.

The more shade Fannie Munson gets, the more vibrant the leaves’ color becomes. Therefore, it should be kept in full shade to attain a maximum height of 30 inches.

The leaves are sensitive to light due to the translucent leaves that cause them to burn and dry out, resulting in dull color and shapeless leaves.

Despite its alluring beauty, Fannie Munson Caladium is not an annual plant.

Extra care must be provided to sustain itself during the cold season though it can tolerate temperatures of 7ºC.

5. Florida Sweetheart ‘Strap-Leaved Caladium’

The wavy elongated leaves attaining a height of 18 inches set Florida Sweetheart apart from other Caladiums.

Its rosy-pink center with a green border makes it a beautiful display in your home.

Although the leaves are large, the plant is still a compact variety attaining a height of 12 inches and 12 inches wide.

Though it is not an annual plant, it can sustain itself for a year. You have to ensure extra care is provided in the winter.

6. Freida Hemple ‘Fancy-Leaved Caladium’

Freida Hemple is a beautiful Caladium plant with flashy leaves with a bold dark red center and green margins that can reach up to 6-18 inches long.

It flourishes well in shady areas, indoors and outdoors, with high heat and humidity and can attain a medium height of 12-20 inches.

A bunch of Freida Hemple Caladium is growing in a white pot and is lying over a pink carpet.
The Freida Hemple has large red center with green margins on the leaves.

However, it is a high-maintenance Caladium plant. Therefore, you have to dedicate your time by putting in the effort to ensure its healthy growth.

Warning!! When tending to Freida Hemple, do wear a glove. It can cause skin irritation when in contact.

7. Gingerland ‘Strap-Leaved Caladium’

If you are looking for a plant that does not take up much space, then Gingerland Caladium is perfect for you.

Gingerland is a medium-sized Caladium plant with a creamy white center and reddish-pink flecks with green borders, giving a pop of color to your area.

The Gingerland falls under dwarf varieties because of its slow growth pace to reach a height and spread of 12-18 inches.

Another good thing about Gingerland Caladium is that it is sun tolerant. You can place it under direct light, but note that too much can scorch the leaves.

So, check once in a while that your plant is not dried by watering it regularly and placing it in shady places.

8. June Bride ‘Fancy-Leaved Caladium’

June Bride Caladium is a dainty Caladium plant fitting it just right indoors without taking up much space as it grows to 12-24 inches tall and 10-12 inches wide.

The color of the leaves turns from green to entirely white with pale green margins, creating a vivid atmosphere.

During summer, a calla-type of flower blooms, but it gets covered behind a mass of leaves of the June Bride.

The good thing about this beauty is that it is low maintenance and is free from common pests and diseases. However, do look out for snails and slugs during the wet season.

9. Miss Muffet ‘Strap-Leaved Caladium’

Another Caladium beauty is Miss Muffet, a visually stunning perennial strap leaf Caladium whose color lasts throughout the seasons.

Miss Muffet Caladium has green leaves with a tiny reddish-pink center and dark pink freckles that can attain a height of 10-14 inches.

The leaves look stunning in the full shade. It does grow well under light, but regular watering is required to prevent dehydration.

A white wooden basket contains the foliage of Miss Muffet Caladium
The Miss Muffet is a perennial variety with light green elongated leaves and pink speckles.

Furthermore, daily misting can ensure proper growth as it is a tropical plant and thrives in high humidity.

Miss Muffet also gives out chartreuse calla-type bloom in summer lasting through fall.

10. Pink Beauty ‘Fancy-Leaved Caladium’

True to its name, Pink Beauty is a remarkable Caladium plant that can fit your landscape, pots, and planters.

The contrasting color of the pink center with spread-out red veins and green margins on the leaves makes it a distinctive type of Caladium.
During its peak season, there will be an outburst of different shades of pink, enhancing your interior by reaching a height of 18 inches.

Place Pink Beauty Caladium under partial or complete shade to get the actual display.

11. Pink Gem ‘Strap-Leaved Caladium’

The Pink Gem Caladium is a treasure you can grow outdoors or in a container indoors. Either way, it is sure to enrich your house.

Pink Gem is a glorious Caladium plant with ruffled leaves, blushed pinkish-white middle, and rich red veins with green edges.

Furthermore, the variety falls under the dwarf type, which reaches a height of only 6-12 inches.

The texture is rough and needs to be placed under shady areas. If planted outdoors, water it regularly to prevent it from drying.

12. Pink Symphony ‘Strap-Leaved Caladium’

The heart-shaped leaves and 14 inches tall height make Pink Symphony Caladium an attractive houseplant.

The leaves are slender and pale pink with green margins adding a soft touch of shade, and are ideal for lightening up dull rooms.

As a local tropical plant, it thrives in an environment with high humidity to spread its leaves to a width of 6 inches.

Therefore, regular misting will allow your Pink Symphony Caladium to grow appropriately and display its fabulous beauty.

Some More Caladium Varieties

The variety list of Caladium does not end here, as there are more to add to your indoors.

NameSize Features
Candidium Junior CaladiumHeight: 10 inches
Spread: 14 inches
Heart-shaped paper-thin translucent white leaves with a thin veining of green and white
Pretty Pink Caladium Height: 14-16 inches
Spread: 12 inches
Heart shaped, white leaves with bright pink veins
White Christmas Caladium Height: 22 inches
Spread: 22 inches
Heart-shaped,
white colored leaves with distinct dark green capillaries and shades of olive green
Mesmerized CaladiumHeight: 10-14 inches
Spread: 12-16 inches
Heart shaped ,lime and dark green border with contrasting colors in green, chartreuse and orange-red
Rosebud CaladiumHeight: 12-24 inches
Spread: 12-24 inches
Heart shaped, eye-catching, bright-green foliage with pink centers and medium green margins
White Queen CaladiumHeight: 18-24 inches
Spread: 18-24 inches
Heart shaped, striking large white leaves with bleeding rose and pink veins
Carousel CaladiumHeight: 12-18 inches
Spread: 12-18 inches
Wedge-shaped with vibrant white foliage with red veins and green margins color
Lemon Blush CaladiumHeight: 18-24 inches
Spread: 10-14 inches
Heart shaped, lemony-green leaves with a hot pink center and Veins with chartreuse green color
Raspberry Moon CaladiumHeight: 18-24 inches
Spread: 10-14 inches
Heart shaped, vibrant light green background with dark green and raspberry pink to red splotches

Caladium Varieties: Plant Care

Caring techniques for Caladiums of both types are more or less the same. Therefore, all kinds of Caladium can be planted and cared for similarly.

Caladium is a seasonal plant that thrives in high heat and humidity. Therefore, it grows best between spring and autumn.

You can grow Caladiums quickly as summer bulbs indoors as long as you do it with proper care and management.

  • Provide 1-2 hours of direct sunlight for the light-loving variety with at least 4 hours of indirect bright light.
  • Caladiums love humidity of 50% or above. So maintain it by installing a humidifier.
  • Water the plant weekly during warmer days and reduce it to once every 4-6 weeks in winter. Bottom watering is more effective for Caladiums.
  • Maintain the day temperature around 70-75ºF and around 60-65ºF during the night and avoid heating and cooling vents.
  • Use a peat moss-based, slightly acidic (5.5-6.5 pH) potting mix that retains moisture and allows good drainage.
  • During the growing period, use a high-nitrogen liquid fertilizer every two weeks and cease in winter.
  • Repotting the Caladium every 2-3 years will boost healthy growth.
  • Meanwhile, try to protect them from pests like Aphids, Mealybugs, Mites, and Thrips by spraying neem oil and insecticidal soaps.
  • Also, Caladiums show symptoms like dry yellow tips, brown spots, and curling with rotting of roots when under the attack of fungus.
  • You might have to prune the damaged leaves every two or three weeks and use a copper fungicide to diminish the effect.

However, use gardening gloves, as all varieties of Caladium are toxic. So better keep it away from teh reach of pets.

Final Thought

With a wide choice of Caladium, it can be tough to decide. Better yet, you can always switch up on the varieties of Caladium.

Also, you can multiply the number of Caladium if you have a rare variety by using its tuber as a means of propagation.

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