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CALADIUM 'Blizzard'

Image of Caladium 'Blizzard'

Carol Cloud Bailey

Family

Araceae

Botanical Name

CALADIUM 'Blizzard'

Plant Common Name

Angel Wings, Blizzard Caladium

General Description

Caladiums are tuberous tropical perennials grown for their colorful leaves. The fancy-leaved hybrid 'Blizzard' (or 'Florida Blizzard') is a University of Florida introduction selected for its vigor and its uniquely marked leaves, which are veined and heavily splashed with silver-white. This cultivar resulted from a cross between 'Aaron' and 'White Christmas.'

Like most fancy-leaved caladiums, 'Blizzard' has large heart- or arrowhead-shaped leaves that scorch in hot sun (in contrast, strap-leaved hybrids have narrower, more sun-tolerant foliage). All caladiums thrive in warm, fertile, moist soil with good drainage. The roundish tubers rot in cool moist conditions. Plants go dormant in prolonged dry weather.

Caladiums are perfect for brightening shady areas and combining with blooming plants. Where hardy, use them as garden accents, or mass them as showy ground covers. In temperate zones tubers can be dug in fall and stored in a dry airy place until spring, or potted plants can be over-wintered indoors. Removing the tuber's central bud before planting results in leafier, denser growth.

Characteristics

  • AHS Heat Zone

    12 - 4

  • USDA Hardiness Zone

    10 - 15

  • Sunset Zone

    H1, H2

  • Plant Type

    Bulb or Corm or Tuber

  • Sun Exposure

    Partial Sun, Partial Shade, Full Shade

  • Height

    18"-38" / 45.7cm - 96.5cm

  • Width

    18"-24" / 45.7cm - 61.0cm

  • Native To

    Hybrid Origin

Growing Conditions

  • Soil pH

    Acidic

  • Soil Drainage

    Well Drained

  • Soil type

    Loam

  • Growth Rate

    Fast

  • Water Requirements

    Average Water

  • Habit

    Clump-Forming

  • Seasonal Interest

    Spring, Summer, Fall

Ornamental Features

  • Flower Interest

    None

  • Flower Color

    White, Green

  • Foliage Color (Spring)

    White, Green, Silver

  • Foliage Color (Spring) Modifier

    Spotted/Mottled

  • Foliage Color (Summer)

    White, Green, Silver

  • Foliage Color (Summer) Modifier

    Spotted/Mottled

  • Foliage Color (Fall)

    White, Green, Silver

  • Foliage Color (Fall) Modifier

    Spotted/Mottled

  • Fragrant Flowers

    No

  • Fragrant Fruit

    No

  • Fragrant Foliage

    No

  • Bark or Stem Fragrant

    No

  • Repeat Bloomer

    No

  • Showy Fruit

    No

  • Edible Fruit

    No

  • Showy Foliage

    Yes

  • Foliage Texture

    Coarse

  • Foliage Sheen

    Matte

  • Evergreen

    No

  • Showy Bark

    No

Special Characteristics

  • Usage

    Bedding Plant, Container, Groundcover, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical

  • Sharp or Has Thorns

    No

  • Invasive

    No

  • Self-Sowing

    No