Description
Caladium humboldtii is a decorative foliage plant, with green leaves splashed heavily with contrasting white markings. These are small caladiums that have bright contrasting colors.
This plant doesn't grow very much in height but gives you a bushy look to your garden.
As it’s commonly known amongst houseplant fanatics, the 'Angel's Wing' plant is a part of the Araceae family and native to Columbia. They are identified by their large, green, arrowhead-shaped leaves with prominent white-cream veins.
Planting and care
This houseplant variety is less common than others and makes a fantastic talking piece for any urban jungle for its unique, stand-out patterning. This plant's specific characteristics are solid and heart-shaped leaves with a slightly wavy edge and a contrasting pattern. Water when the top inch of soil has dried. It prefers high humidity and bright indirect light. Mist regularly and keep the temperature above 21° C.
Fertilizer
Caladiums are nitrogen sensitive and do not appreciate regular houseplant fertilizers that are high in nitrogen. Caladiums also dislike liquid fertilizers as they can be easily burnt. An NPK ratio of 14-14-14 or 8-8-8 is ideal for a slow-release fertilizer.
Soil
A well-draining soil is necessary to avoid root rot. Most commercial growers grow caladiums in a medium consisting completely of peat or coir. While this does seem to do the trick, household plants will most likely not have the same humidity as a plant grown in a greenhouse, so if you cannot provide a terrarium or greenhouse we recommend making a mix of equal parts coir, perlite, and potting mix. Caladiums prefer soil pH between 6 and 6.5.
Propagation
Caladiums propagate through division. Caladiums produce tubers just like Alocasia and Colocasia do, but they will only grow them went the temperature is above 70 degrees. A great time to check for these tubers is when you are repotting your plant. You can simply remove them and re-pot them, or split those tubers into pieces that each has at least one growth point, then allow the pieces to dry out for a few days to let them callous over before planting them. Growth points look like the “eyes” you find on potatoes. You can also leave the plant alone and the tubers will just eventually grow into a baby plant in the same pot and divide them then.
Sunlight
Caladiums can easily be burnt by direct sunlight. If kept outside, make sure that they are in the shade. If kept inside, keep them in a northern or eastern facing window as midday sun will scorch their leaves.
Please Note:
- Do not re-pot the plant immediately after receiving it. We’ve taken care of that with a better pot and rich soil.
- Keep the plant in indirect sunlight for 3 to 7 days.
- Always check the soil moisture and keep the plant hydrated all time. Do not over-water it.
