Originally found in South America, Caladiums are colorful houseplants with pointed leaves. There are two types of caladiums; fancy and lance leaved. Fancy caladiums have heart shaped leaves, while the lanced have narrower, arrow shaped foliage.  Most of the time you’ll see the fancy in a plant store. Caladiums grow from tubers and are often found in annual planters in the spring months. You can actually divide the tubers and propagate them into multiple plants!

One feature of caladiums that is especially handy is that they don’t require a lot of sunlight. In their native habitat, they actually prefer shade. As a houseplant, they’ll like indirect light. Easy! You’ll probably have to water them more than your other houseplants, so put them somewhere you won’t forget them! If they go without water for too long, you’ll notice their leaves flagging significantly. It’s always nice when your plant clearly communicates what it needs!

All parts of the caladium are toxic when ingested so keep pets and children at a safe distance.