Have you seen a Caladium do this before? Since I have given up hope on these surviving long enough to bother learning their names, I didn't bother to catch its' name. There is some shredded paper "mulch" in the background. If these pics don't show it, I can try again. The one leaf has a growth coming out of it, like a tail or antenna, like a 2nd leaf.

Tiffany you should have seen my inner dialogue about how to post this because I am woefully inadequate on species, genus, etc.
But I do know there is an Alocasia Stingray,

and it has a tail. AND both caladium and alocasia are in the same family of Araceae.
I must retire for the day because I think I broke my brain.

I love it, by any name! That's a funky fellow!

I never saw it before. It's like an aberration in flowers.

Tiffany, that Caladium looks very similar to this one that I had at our old house:

Pretty! That is like having two caladiums in one.

It could be. Very pretty, Lin!

I don't think so since some leaves have both patterns.

Thank you, Loretta. ; ) We will never know the name of my plant, I didn't keep the tag and it probably just said "Caladium". It would just be guessing.

I don't think the tail is because it's a type of Caladium that usually does that. Sorry, I don't think I made it clear that I wasn't asking, "what kind of Caladium makes tail leaves?" I think it would be a pretty big deal that would have a lot of pics & publicity if there was a Cal like that, pics would be around. it would be out of my price range. LOL!!

But was just curious if anyone had seen any Caladiums making leaves like that. It looks like it got confused and made part of a new leaf right in the middle of another leaf - the kind of thing that's weird, but maybe not so unusual that others haven't seen a leaf like this before, IDK... Will see what it's doing again this weekend.

I've heard it called "interrupted leaves" but I've never seen it on Caladium. It happens on some Codiaeum (Croton).

Interrupted leaf on a Croton (Codiaeum):


A leaf I snipped off of the same shrub:

That is very similar, Lin!

I thought it looked similar but the only plant I've ever seen it on is Codiaeum. I wonder what causes leaves to be interrupted?

IDK but I bet the answer is pretty daggone interesting.

Finally got around to taking another pic of this wild leaf.


This is the happiest Caladium I've had in years.

Do you overwinter your caladiums?

No, I don't try. Sometimes they survive if left where they are, I'd even say they often do. I have high hopes for this particular one because it's in such a protected spot, but that will ultimately depend on what a particular winter has to offer.

The past few yrs, summer survival has been more iffy with long periods of no rain. I would see them start to come back up, then disappear again for good in the dry conditions. Since the Cal of this discussion is among many potted plants, it gets watered often along with the pots.