How to Grow Caladium Indoors: Light, Water and Winter Tubers
Most caladiums bought in Pakistani nurseries in April are dead by December, and most of them were never dead at all. Caladium is a tuber that sleeps every winter. Grow it in bright light with little or no direct sun, keep the soil evenly moist from April to October, then let it die back and store the tuber dry until spring. Do that and the same painted leaves come back year after year.
Before you start
- Plant: Caladium bicolor and hybrids, grown from tubers
- Light: bright shade, at most an hour or two of soft morning sun
- Best window: east-facing; a north window works for green and white types
- Pot: 15 to 20 cm (2 to 4 litres) per tuber, wider than deep
- Growing season: April to October; dormant November to March
- Safety: toxic to children, cats and dogs if chewed
Prefer to listen? This post as a 6 min video · Watch the video
How much light does a caladium need indoors?
Caladiums want light, not sun. Direct afternoon sun bleaches and burns the thin leaves within days in a Lahore May.
In a typical Pakistani flat, an east-facing window or balcony is the sweet spot: an hour or two of gentle sun before 9 am, bright shade after. A north window gives steady, even light that suits the green-edged, white-centred types. South and west windows are too fierce in summer unless the plant sits a metre or two back from the glass or behind a sheer curtain. Too little light and the leaves lose their colour and stems stretch and flop.
- Karachi: humid air suits it; an east balcony is ideal almost all season.
- Multan, Sukkur, Bahawalpur: indoors near an east window in May and June; dry 45°C air crisps leaf edges outdoors.
- Lahore, Faisalabad, Delhi, Islamabad, Peshawar: shady veranda or east window; outdoors in shade from the monsoon onward.
- Hills: a summer plant only, started indoors in May.
What is the best soil for caladium?
Loose, rich, slightly acidic and free-draining. A good mix: 1 part garden soil, 1 part compost or leaf mould, 1 part cocopeat, plus a handful of coarse sand. Plain heavy garden soil in a pot stays wet and rots the tuber. Our potting mix guide explains the cocopeat ratio.
How do you plant caladium tubers?
- Wait for warmth. Plant in March in Karachi and April in the Punjab, when nights stay warm. Cold, wet soil rots tubers.
- Find the top. The upper side is knobbly with small buds (eyes); the bottom is smoother, sometimes with old root threads.
- Plant 3 to 5 cm deep, eyes up, one large tuber or two to three small ones per 15 to 20 cm pot.
- Water once thoroughly, then keep barely moist until leaves show.
- Expect shoots in two to six weeks depending on warmth.
How often should you water caladium?
From May to September, keep the soil evenly moist like a wrung-out sponge. In practice, that means water when the top 2 cm feels dry, often every one to three days in hot months. Mist or group pots together in dry heat; caladiums love humid air. During the monsoon, check that the pot drains and never leave it standing in a saucer. From October, as growth slows, water less. In November, stop. Our watering guide for potted plants covers seasonal timing in more detail.
Feed lightly: a little compost at planting and a balanced liquid fertiliser at half strength every two to three weeks while leaves are growing.
How do you store caladium tubers through winter?
The dormancy step most buyers miss
When leaves yellow and droop in October or November, stop watering and let them die down. Lift the tubers, brush off soil, dry them in shade for about a week, then store them in a paper bag of dry cocopeat, sawdust or newspaper in a warm cupboard from November to March. They must stay dry and not get cold; a cold verandah or the fridge kills them. Check monthly and discard any soft ones. In March or April, plant again. Leaving the tuber in the pot and watering it through winter is the most common way people lose a caladium.
How do you propagate caladium?
By dividing tubers. It is the only practical home method; caladium does not grow from leaf or stem cuttings.
- In spring, before planting, look for tubers with several eyes or small side tubers attached.
- Break off the side tubers, or cut a large tuber into pieces with a clean knife so each piece has at least one or two eyes.
- Let the cut pieces dry in shade for one to two days so the cut surface seals.
- Plant as above. Smaller pieces give smaller plants in the first year.
Some growers scoop out the large central eye with a knife tip so the tuber makes more, smaller leaves and a fuller pot. It works, but only on a big healthy tuber.
Why are my caladium leaves turning yellow or brown?
| Sign | Likely reason | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow leaves in autumn | Normal dormancy | Stop water, store tuber |
| Yellow leaves in summer, wet soil | Overwatering, rot | Let top dry, check drainage |
| Crisp brown edges | Dry air or direct sun | Move back from glass, group pots |
| Bleached, papery patches | Sunburn | Shade from noon sun |
| Faded colour, floppy stems | Too little light | Move nearer an east window |
| Sticky leaves, white fluff | Mealybugs or aphids | Wipe off; see below |
For mealybugs, whitefly and fungus gnats in indoor pots, our pest guide for pots gives organic first steps.
Grow it or skip it?
| Home | Verdict | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Flat with east window, no toddlers | Plant | Ideal light; easy summer show |
| Home with crawling baby or a cat that chews | Skip | Toxic if chewed |
| Hot dry roof, full sun | Skip | Leaves scorch in days |
| Shady veranda, older kids | Maybe | Good, if pots stay out of reach |
Caladium is toxic. All parts contain insoluble calcium oxalate crystals; chewing a leaf can cause burning and swelling of the mouth, lips and tongue, drooling, vomiting and trouble swallowing, in children as well as cats and dogs. Keep pots well out of reach and wear gloves when dividing tubers, since the sap can irritate skin. If a child has mouth swelling or any difficulty swallowing or breathing after chewing the plant, get emergency care straight away; for pets, call a vet. Our guide to poisonous house plants lists other common ones.
Caladium care questions
Is caladium an indoor or outdoor plant?
Both. It grows outdoors in shade during the warm, humid months and indoors near a bright window. What matters is bright light without strong direct sun.
Is caladium toxic to cats and dogs?
Yes. Chewing it causes mouth pain, swelling, drooling, vomiting and difficulty swallowing. Call a vet if a pet chews it.
Why did my caladium die in winter?
It probably went dormant, which is normal. If you kept watering, the tuber may have rotted. Next year, lift and store it dry from November to March.
Can caladium grow in water?
Not for long. The tuber rots without air around it. Grow it in a loose, draining potting mix.
How long do caladium tubers last?
With correct dry winter storage, a healthy tuber can be replanted for several years. Discard any that turn soft, shrivelled or mouldy.
Can I grow caladium from a leaf cutting?
No. New plants come only from tubers or tuber pieces with eyes.
When should I plant caladium tubers in Pakistan?
March in Karachi, April in the Punjab and Islamabad, once nights are reliably warm.
Does caladium need fertiliser?
A little. Compost at planting and a half-strength balanced liquid feed every two to three weeks in the growing season is enough.
More house plants and flowers live in Phool aur Paudhe.