Dutchlady1 said: Rascal!
I'm across the state from you and I plant them anytime I feel like
I think the size of the leaf has more to do with the cultivar than the size of the bulb. But a larger bulb will make a bigger plant. I hope I got that right....
IbisFla said:Just out of curiosity, do caladiums die back in zone 10? They do here in Central Florida, but they always come back when the weather warms up.
MollyMc said:Caladiums, I would even plant them here right now. Since the ground never freezes it's not a problem.
Now, I have thought a lot about caladiums and have come to the following conclusion: (believe it or not) They seem to know when to come up based on temperature and daylight hours. Even when we have a false spring of warmth, they still don't come up, hence my belief of the daylight hours theory. They die back when the hours of daylight get shorter (an exception would be one who hasn't learned that lesson yet)
Rascal, this comes from 10 year from living here in 8b. I moved here from Ft Lauderdale and didn't give a whole lot of thought to caladiums since everything grew in abundance down there. They would get lost in the masses.
I have planted the bulbs in the fall when they were on sale at 50% supposedly being out of season and they came up anyway, albeit small.
I believe the size of the bulb determines how many leaves will grow from it, a more mature bulb, larger, more leaves.
Also, you can't compare them to elephant ears, they are not even related. Elephant ears are hardier than caladiums and in your area can remain evergreen all year.
I also believe the better your soil, the larger the plant and leaves will be. I can buy a plant with big leaves, put it in the ground. The next year it comes back not quite as big. My soil is mostly sand I have been amending for the past 10 years.
dyzzypyxxy said:Hi and Welcome! I think those Caladiums that you have in pots there might need a "rest" aka a dormant period, for a month or two, so I'd put the pots somewhere shady, maybe under an overhang so they don't get too soggy if it rains, and leave them be until, say, April. Then pull them out, add some fert and maybe an inch or two of fresh potting soil and start watering them again. They will come back, I'm sure.
I agree with your other advisors above, you can plant your new bulbs just about any time. If the weather stays cool, you may not see them jump up right away, they will know when to start up. Once you see them up, fertilize and water so they will make lots of leaves, which will make big, new bulbs for you for next year.
I've planted them in fall, and had them live through January, then die back and stay dormant all through the hot, wet summer and come up again in the fall. In fact, I think I had the same ones as you - Florida Beauty.
plantladylin said: Rascal!
I agree with what other members have said, that your Caladiums may re-sprout at some point as long as the bulbs didn't rot. I live way north of you in Daytona Beach and Caladiums will sometimes return here as long as we don't have hard freezes or a lot of rain to where the bulbs get too wet and rot. The pretty one in your photo looks a lot like Fancy-leaf Caladium (Caladium 'Florida Beauty')
Dutchlady1 said:mmmmm, Miami, lots of sun in the yard, have you ever considered Plumeria @Rascal?
dyzzypyxxy said:Hmm, I like EE's too, and I think that dark green/white one you posted above is one of those, isn't it?
The pink one in your other picture might be Carolyn Wharton. This is Gingerland, one of my faves too:
MollyMc said:Rascal, the green and white EE's are Mickey Mouse Taro: Xanthosoma atrovirens.
I used to have a lot of EE's, but so many don't like the cold here. I have a Mickey Mouse that showed up 2 summers ago and grew quite large. It had been years since I saw one there and didn't think it was alive. It died back last winter and didn't come back this last spring. My dogs have that yard now and there's digging going on. One dug up a huge root ball and just left it laying there (how could she?) I planted it in my barn yard garden and hopefully it will come back next summer. Don't know if it was the EE or a ginger. We'll see.
Molly
plantladylin said: Love, Love, Love that Xanthosoma with all the white variegation ... really beautiful! I think I need to put on my wish list!