Caladium ‘Candidum’

Cultivated origin of Caladium ‘Candidum’

‘Candidum’ is a 19th-century French Caladium selection associated with Louis Van Houtte’s breeding work in Europe during the 1860s. It became one of the long-established white Caladiums in commercial cultivation.

How to care for Caladium ‘Candidum’

• Light: Give it bright filtered light. A bright spot set a little farther back from the window can also suit it.
• Temperature: Keep it warm. Protect the leaves and tuber from cold draughts, cold window glass and other cold conditions.
• Water: When the plant is growing, water once the top of the mix begins to dry and the pot feels lighter. Water thoroughly and let the excess drain.
• Humidity: Keep it away from hot, dry air such as heating vents, and keep some airflow around the leaves.
• Potting mix: Use a loose, airy mix that drains freely and still holds some moisture.
• Feeding: Feed with a balanced houseplant fertiliser while new leaves are growing, following the label.
• Rest: If the leaves yellow and die back, water less. Return to normal watering when new shoots appear.
• Repotting and propagation: Repot when the tubers crowd the pot or the mix becomes compacted. To propagate, divide a mature tuber so each piece has a healthy bud.
• Safety: Caladium tissue contains calcium oxalates that can irritate the mouth, skin and eyes. Keep it out of reach of children and pets, and wash your hands after handling damaged tissue.

Common problems with Caladium ‘Candidum’

• Wilting with dark or soft roots: Excess moisture and poor drainage can lead to root rot. Inspect the roots and tuber. Cut away the rot with a clean tool until you reach firm, healthy tissue. Discard everything you remove, then replant in fresh, well-drained mix.
• Yellowing, scorched edges or distorted growth: Irregular watering, cold exposure and too much or too little fertiliser can produce similar symptoms. Check whether the potting mix is staying too wet or too dry, inspect the roots, and check whether the plant has been cold and whether it has been fed recently.
• Soft, wet tuber tissue: Bacterial or fungal rot can spread through damaged tubers. Separate the plant. If the damaged area is small, cut away the rot with a clean tool until you reach firm, healthy tissue. Discard everything you remove. Discard a tuber that is extensively soft or rotten.
• Fine stippling, webbing or distorted new leaves: Spider mites, thrips and other sap-feeding pests can affect Caladium foliage. Separate the affected plant and inspect the leaf undersides. If treatment is needed, use a product labelled for indoor ornamental plants and follow the label. Repeat treatment only as directed on the label.

Caladium ‘Candidum’ is toxic to people and pets

• Keep this plant away from children, cats and dogs.
• Its leaves and stems contain insoluble calcium oxalate crystals, which can irritate the mouth, throat, skin and eyes.
• Chewing may cause burning pain, drooling, swelling, vomiting or difficulty swallowing. Contact a veterinarian or medical professional after exposure, especially if swelling or breathing problems occur.

Caladium: where the name comes from

The genus name Caladium comes from Malay keladi, a word used for taro-like aroids.

Étienne Pierre Ventenat established the genus Caladium in 1800 in Magasin Encyclopédique, volume 4, page 463.