Caladium hortulanum 'Heart to Heart'

The Caladium hortulanum 'Heart to Heart' is a stunning tropical foliage plant that belongs to the Araceae family. Native to the tropical regions of South America, particularly Brazil and the Amazon basin, this cultivar thrives in warm, humid environments where it grows as an understory plant beneath the forest canopy. The 'Heart to Heart' series was developed specifically for greater heat tolerance and more compact growth, making it ideal for beginner to intermediate plant enthusiasts. Here's a fun fact: caladiums go dormant in winter, storing energy in their tubers, and can be encouraged to regrow when conditions warm up again in spring.
FOLIAGE AND GROWTH HABIT
This caladium displays a compact, bushy growth habit with heart-shaped leaves that emerge from underground tubers. The foliage features vibrant combinations of green, pink, red, and white, often with striking veining and contrasting borders. Each leaf has a smooth, almost papery texture with a slight sheen, creating an eye-catching display when grouped together. The plant typically reaches 12 to 18 inches in height and width at maturity.
FLOWER DETAILS
While Caladium hortulanum 'Heart to Heart' can produce small, spadix-type flowers typical of the Araceae family, they are generally inconspicuous and pale in colour, lacking significant fragrance or visual appeal. The flowers rarely appear on indoor specimens, and when they do, most growers remove them to redirect the plant's energy toward producing more vibrant foliage. This plant is grown exclusively for its stunning leaves rather than blooms, so flowering is neither expected nor necessary for its ornamental value.
CARE INSTRUCTIONS
🌞 Light: Bright indirect light to partial shade. Requires 4 to 6 hours of filtered light daily. Avoid direct sun, which can scorch the delicate leaves.
💧 Water: Keep soil consistently moist during active growth (spring through fall). Water when the top inch of soil feels dry. Reduce watering significantly in winter when the plant goes dormant. Bottom watering or careful watering at the soil line prevents water from sitting on the leaves.
🌡️ Humidity: Thrives in 50 to 70 percent humidity. Higher humidity levels produce larger, more colourful leaves.
🪴 Soil: Well-draining, rich potting mix with added perlite or peat moss to maintain moisture without becoming waterlogged.
🏺 Potting: Use a pot with drainage holes, 6 to 8 inches in diameter for a single tuber. Plastic or ceramic pots work well. Repot tubers annually when new growth begins in spring.
🌱 Growth rate: Moderate to fast during the growing season. Expect 6 to 10 new leaves within 6 months. Reaches full mature size of 12 to 18 inches within one year. Goes dormant in winter.
👩‍🌾 Fertilizing: Feed every 2 to 4 weeks during active growth with a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer diluted to half strength. Stop fertilizing when the plant enters dormancy in late fall.
🐾 Pet friendly: No. All parts of caladiums contain calcium oxalate crystals, which are toxic to cats and dogs. Ingestion can cause oral irritation, drooling, vomiting, and difficulty swallowing.
WHERE TO PUT IT
Place your Caladium hortulanum 'Heart to Heart' in bright, indirect light near an east or north-facing window, or a few feet back from a south or west-facing window with sheer curtains. It thrives in living rooms, bedrooms, bathrooms, or covered patios during warmer months. The plant looks beautiful on plant stands, shelves, or as a centrepiece on a dining table. Avoid placing it in cold drafts, near heating vents, or in low-light basements where the colours will fade and growth will slow significantly.