Common name: Fancy-Leaf Caladium, Artist's pallet, caladium, Elephant's ear, Heart of Jesus Botanical name: Caladium bicolor Family: Araceae (Arum family)
Fancy-Leaf Caladium is a perennial plant grown for its large and showy leaves. It has no stems - the leaves arise directly from the tuber, 6-12 inches long stalks. The stalks are attached to the leaves near the center, rather than at one end (peltate). Leaf are arrow-shaped, 6-14 inches long, and variously spotted or streaked with pink, red, gray, or white. The inflorescence is a 9 inch greenish white spadix, covered by a spathe. Fruit a berry with several or many small ovoid seeds. The whole plant, by the end of its growing season, is about 2 ft tall and 2 ft wide. Fancy-Leaf Caladium is native to South America, grown as a garden plant throughout the tropical world. |
