Heart of Jesus
- Common Name: Heart of Jesus
- Scientific Name: Caladium bicolor
- Family Name: Araceae
- Origin: South America
- Height: 1 to 2.5 ft
- Width: 1 to 2.5 ft
- Growth: Fast
- Zone: USDA Zones 9 through 10
- Light needs: Part shade to full shade
- Salt tolerance: Low
- Soil/pH/Texture: Prefers a moist, well drained, and organically rich soil with an acidic pH between 6.0 and 6.5.
- Moisture: Soil should be kept moist. This plant grows best in humid conditions.
- Drought tolerance: Low
- Pests/Diseases: Snails and slugs may chew holes in the leaves.
- Growing conditions: It should be grown in a shady, humid area, free from direct sunlight. The soil should be well-drained, but it should not be allowed to dry out. Mulching the soil around the plant can help with moisture retention. It should also be fertilized regularly. This plant is not tolerant of frost, and even temperatures below 45°F can cause damage; the plant should be brought indoors if temperatures get this low, or the bulbs should be dug up and stored until temperatures rise.
- Characteristics: Leaf petioles grow upright directly from the bulb and are usually dark red or green. At the end of each petiole is one heart-shaped leaf that may be up to 1.5 ft long. The colors and patterns of the leaf vary by cultivar, but they are usually green with patches of pink, red, and white throughout. This plant rarely blooms, but when it does, it usually produces one flower consisting of a white spade surrounding a small white spadix.
- Propagation: By bulb division.
- Facts: This plant contains irritating calcium oxalate crystals, so it should be kept out of reach of children or pets.
- Designer considerations: Most commonly used for mass-planting, especially in shady areas, as this plant’s bright colors brighten up an otherwise dull area. It also does well indoors in hanging baskets and containers, where it adds a tropical ambience to the room, especially when paired with ferns.
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Location
Butterfly Garden
Heart of Jesus