If you're in the Chicago area, for next year's planting try Gethsemane for a large variety of caladiums. They are started by bulbs, so you can also purchase them that way from Home Depot. It's cheaper to buy them as bulbs, I did a container that way last year and they turned out great and were very quick to grow. I love the variety of color in the leaves. Plus, I'm a sucker for green and pink...
I've only used caladiums in pots so far and they've done quite well. Here are a few examples from around the web.
I think this is my favorite, just gorgeous (and huge)!
Next year I'd really like to try incorporating these in our shady backyard. They're an annual, so you'd have to plant each year, but they look awesome!
Anyone have any shade favorites they like to plant? Please share!
Nice pictures Beege. I forgot to buy a caladium this year! When are you going to do a post on your deck?
ReplyDeleteI love them, but our yard just gets too much sun!
ReplyDeleteI live in TX & all my plants are in containers so far because they must be moved into the shade under the oaks during the hot summer months while they like sun all fall, winter & spring. However I grow coleus and begonias most of the year on my big shady porch. They are perennial so cannot do frost. Like caladiums, they come in plenty of gorgeous colors to choose from. For me there's only one choice in begonia I know of so far, the dragon wing is tolerant of high heat. When I lived in Seattle, I could grow them all & fuchsias too! You should grow them, they are delightful & will live for 10 years in the same hanging basket with proper winter care & fish fertilizer.
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