Caladium candium dormancy care (with updates!)

Caladiums are a hardy plant family that sports very dramatically beautiful leaves. However, they do go dormant from time to time. If your caladium dies back, it is more than likely that it is resting, storing up energy for when conditions are favorable again. In this video I share the general care tips, and how they can be induced to dormancy, and subsequently brought back to life. Follow me in this video that was filmed over 8 months period. Species under study in this episode is the Caladium candidum.
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[@rayson7043]

Man...the kind of dedication filming this for almost a year!

[@onlyplants]

🙈

[@alfantoutanaya2832]

I have been collecting Caladium almost one year now, from what I learn so far, Caladium only will dormant when the enviroment are not suitable for them to grow, for example too dry, or too hot, pH is too low or too high, cold winter, and even pest also. So what I'm doing now is using mix of cocopeat, compost and rice husk charcoal, add sprinkle of furadan and slow release fertilizer. Use small pot, when they root bound they will give more pups. I also give them bottom tray, filled with water about 1/4 of the height of the pot and never let it dry. With all that above I find my Caladium never have dormancy, some Caladium collectors even have their Caladium never dormant for years. About the light, most of Caladium do need bright light, and depend on how much color you want, usually mor light equal to more strong color. Caladium candidum is unique, when you put it on direct sun the white color sometimes also becomes green, but if you put it on too much shade the color also green, so it little bit tricky where should we put it, try to have some plants and put on some place with different shade of light. Little tips for growing Caladium's bulb. I find that the new leaf will grow faster when I put it on mini green house (I don't know the name, sorry), about 2 weeks - 1 month. To make bushier, I cut the main growing point, many dormant eyes will wake and grow. I'm sorry, little bit long, I'm excited because I love caladium too, hope it will help. Thank you ❤️

[@onlyplants]

Very good tips!! Thanks for the share

[@KrazyKellyGlass]

Thank you

[@mindfulmadeline]

I love that you do videos over months and months!!! So helpful to see the plants grow over time. Thank you!!!

[@onlyplants]

Thank you 🥰

[@fharyana]

I love how you present in this video.. looks like a science project.

[@Gcat-ln6ok]

There are so many fake "experts" on KZbin, no matter the topic, and it drives me insane. I am a plant beginner myself, but I can absolutely tell you know what you're talking about and you don't try to bs. This is why I always come back to your videos -- you have the rare combination of high knowledge and low arrogance. Thank you for the quality content. Your plants are amazing and so are you. Also, I lol'ed at "2 months later." I don't think my caladiums would be too pleased if I tried to wake them that quickly. Must be nice to have a short winter. Actually I really don't know how these things are timed. How do you decide when to bring them out of dormancy, specifically if you want to start them early indoors?

[@onlyplants]

They do decline after sometime, thats when I induce dormancy 😀

[@JohnHeng-wh4uh]

Koko keren ko. Makasih ko. Dulu waktu masih di medan gampang caladium. Sekarang di Sydney sakit kepala cuacanya. Disini kalau mau bagus caladium harus punya mini greenhouse. Koko buat video tentang caladium lagi dong. Di KZbin gak byk. Koko bagus jelasinnya. Lengkap. Thank you ko. ❤

[@onlyplants]

Makasih ya 🙏🏽

[@1knittinbitch]

I’m obsessed with my caladiums. Thanks for so many updates over such a long period of time.

[@nubbyrose87]

I love these videos were we get to see the results without waiting for months. 🙏

[@mariacapo2618]

Your an amazing teacher , I love when you talk to the plants and salute them... God grant you success , love and peace in your life and we thank you for sharing your amazing knowledge with us💨🙏

[@mitalipandey7870]

I so much agree with you...caladiums go dormant but the key is don't throw them away...have patience...n they are gonna make you happy....I really appreciate your videos...it's got information humor n suspense...full on

[@rsmith6909]

Perfect video in perfect time

[@zalehaburude7752]

Beautiful Caladium.... Here...we called Caladium Tissue. I love it. Thank you and Stay safe...

[@julietpaneda6951]

We have the same caladium ...i tried putting it under the sun and had continuous bottom watering ..and iit looks very healthy and happy for it 🙂

[@onlyplants]

😀😀

[@happysoda1067]

ok im ready to watch this , just got mine last week. thanks

[@gayathryvenkiteswaran6326]

Perfect timing for this video! Mine is about to get dormant and the mystery of the small leaves is now resolved - I will separate them into different pots, I didn't realise they were separate plants. Thanks!

[@Nikibaby74]

Omg yesssss!! This is exactly the video I needed. I have about 8-10 caladiums I need to overwinter. THANK YOU 😊

[@sandybeachlane1528]

I was having lunch but when you said caladiums love full sun, I had to leave my food and move my plant, pronto! 🤣 I had one come out of dormancy and thank goodness I was too lazy to throw out the soil to reuse the pot.

[@victoriagrapsidou3474]

I had a peculiar experience with my first CALADIUM new wave import. It came with two mushy leaves. I cleaned the soil from the roots and pot it in lecca . It sprouted a new leaf ! After that a second one came and when it established a good rooting system I transferred it to aroid potting mix with organic fertilizer cutting off the leafs, It started growing new leafs again!! It has two leafs now and the colour(red with green veins) starts to establish bit by bit. I put it in a bright outdoor location and it is doing fine! I have two varieties now and this video of yours comes in the right moment as fall has started here in Greece. low temperature, rain, cold nights and the next day sunny and high temperatures..it's crazy! Thank you Sean ill try the dormancy test for sure!!!

[@oishd6077]

Good to see you back after so long!! Also thanks for the tips! ✨✨

[@angelamitchell6749]

Thank you I just got this plant.. now I understand more about what it takes to keep it growing from year to year 😊

[@adriennesarti274]

This is the most informative propagation video ive ever watched. I really appreciate the time you put into this video and now i know exactly what to do with my caladiums ❤

[@onlyplants]

🙏🏽

[@klcpca]

I love caladiums and I'm planning on getting a bunch for next Spring!

[@adriennesarti274]

I have successfully brought my caladium our of dormancy by following this video 🥲💗 im so proud of myself and thankful for this video!

[@onlyplants]

🥰🥰 yaye

[@debs_boho_jungle]

SeN, Hi! Your timing is so spotl on its spooky! Haha!! I was just going to research how to care for a Caladium growing in a Flumenensis I bought! BONUS 😀 Thanks for this very helpful information!

[@Nikibaby74]

Same! Perfect timing ⏱

[@onlyplants]

😀😀

[@debs_boho_jungle]

@@onlyplants got her re potted. So glad , now I watch her grow until dormant..unless I can trick her...lol

[@earth2mike]

Thank you sooo much for this video! I feel happy now with my Caladium... mine we call Heart of Jesus and I think you call it Red Star in Indonesia... mine is in a pot growing happily under 2 travelers palm, so it's getting full sun but a bit obscured by it's giant neighbors... I was feeling concerned because I thought that too bright of a sun could kill it but after watching this video I now know that it is happy where it is as it has 4 gigantic leaves (no scorching) and several small leaves underneath it, I was amazed it flourished despite of non-stop monsoon and sometimes torrential rain... I need to re-pot it in a few months time as there are several new growths too... I know I can confidently do it because of you... 🌱🪴🌿🇵🇭

[@onlyplants]

😀😀

[@mrsnigraham7269]

Thanks for sharing. I love caladiums. I have had a couple out on my back porch all summer, and it has been super HOT in Vegas.

[@onlyplants]

Whoaaa cool to see that they can grow in no humidity 😀

[@baginhand9721]

I loved this video so much, thanks for sharing your calcium journey!

[@tobefree944]

Very informative video! My caladium is growing super short and small leaves and I’ve been thinking it’s too much light! I will definitely put them in full sun and water them everyday! Thank you Sean!

[@Miles_Hoffman]

Thanks for the video- I love how you take us thru time 😁

[@onlyplants]

Make this change gradually if you can, and also do fertilize lightly

[@Ingriddjapry]

I really enjoy your videos for plant caring guides as we live in similar climates. (holla from bali!) Thank you for creating great content and will be looking forward to more plants videos!

[@onlyplants]

😀🙌🏽

[@arthuslim]

Whenever Sean said this is gonna be a long video, I was as if I strike lottery. Yes!

[@onlyplants]

😅

[@andrescastillo07]

Great video! I just won a caladium on a giveaway, so this video came just in time! hehe I almost die when you took the plant out of the pot and it was full of mealybugs x_x

[@onlyplants]

Lol mealy bugs are everywhere

[@sharpestdart]

I overwintered two caladiums last year successfully. They didn't grow as big and lush as they were when I bought them but at least they grew. I let them go completely dormant outside and brought them in before the frosts hit (Canadian winters aren't conducive to keeping tropicals alive 😀). I kept them in their original pots and didn't disturb the bulbs. I just left them in a dark room for the winter without watering them at all. In the spring I watered them and put them in front of a sunny window. They took a long time to wake up but they finally did. The only thing I'll do differently next time is to bring them out of dormancy a lot earlier 😊 I look forward to your propagation video!

[@onlyplants]

Do fertilize them and give lots of direct light 😀 should theoretically increase leaf size

[@sharpestdart]

@@onlyplants Thank you, I will. I'm terrible at fertilizing my plants. It happens sporadically at best

[@Gcat-ln6ok]

Me too. I wish I'd started mine way earlier. They take forever to wake up indoors.

[@NewMindGarden]

Very beautiful 🌷🌷

[@RuthIlongga]

thanks for sharing

[@eck4917]

Beautiful

[@NewbiPai]

King Sean

[@onlyplants]

🙈

[@jillianleblanc9370]

Thank you for sharing beautiful and amazing plants collection lovely garden HOW can I buy your plants have a blessed day my friend

[@onlyplants]

Thank youu. Unfortunately I cannot ship out of Indonesia

[@none-ya-dam821]

I use a lot of mulch with those in my yard.

[@namfon4354]

amazing! i almost trow it away.

[@Meanchin]

That bit about the inflo had me cackling 🤣 can you share how you treated the mealy bugs? Thanks!

[@onlyplants]

I have a video titled mealy bugs and another video titled pest control. I use combo of natural and chemicals

[@kendravoracek3636]

💚💚

[@lindadianamurrell6653]

💚

[@onlyplants]

Thank you Linda! 😀

[@ninyomannursawitri1230]

My calladiums has been growing up since 2 months in dormant period 😇

[@clydefowle1740]

They are 🔥 in 🇹🇭 right now 🌱

[@onlyplants]

Is that why my Thai friends are posting them on facebook lol

[@fignewton0000]

I was convinced my 2 caladiums died off so I simply put new plants in the pots. The cheeky monkeys were still alive and came out after the winter and I left them in their original pots which they eventually took over again. I ended up removing the new plants I put in there

[@onlyplants]

😀😀

[@mariacapo2618]

💖

[@raf1717]

I thought Caladiums only go to dormancy in non-tropical places. Do they also loose all of their leafs during dormancy in tropical climates? I saw one guy on youtube from SEA said they only stop growing bigger during dormancy but not loosing their leaves which only happened in places with autumn/winter seasons.

[@onlyplants]

I guess I let mine dry out too much and it induced dormancy. Sometimes its a good idea to let them rest a bit.

[@felixpalacio2272]

Sean, caladiums are considered "corms" other individuals also call them bulbs or tubers as well.

[@onlyplants]

I believe the professional growers call then tubers, I guess bulb was not the right word to call them 😅

[@hoyas]

Does inducing dormancy help caladiums grow better? Debating whether to bring them indoors over winter so they don’t die back vs just leaving them outside

[@onlyplants]

My feeling is that they do

[@shanthasingaram7687]

Hi Sean, you are my favourite. I hv 5 caladiums which has gone dormant, do I hv to remove the bulbs to repot it to another media soil and if so to what kind of media soil? Thank you so much

[@onlyplants]

You can keep in the same medium 😀just gradually underwater it till you leave it completely dry for periods of time

[@morning-fix]

What's the best potting mix for caladiums? Mine are small and die quickly. Should they be kept in shallow pots and watered sparingly? Mine aren't thriving despite repotting them twice with soil that's supposed to be fast draining. Help!

[@onlyplants]

They need direct light, and some species even need full sun. Never let the media dry out completely. If its a large plant with many leaves its even safe to water daily as they can be very thirsty.

[@morning-fix]

@@onlyplants Thanks so much! Watering is tricky but will try to get it right and place them in more light 🙏🙏

[@morning-fix]

@@onlyplants It worked. Thank you ☺️

[@aniliname]

For root mealies, try watering with a tea made from tobacco. It's safe for plants but toxic for animals and great for pest control.

[@onlyplants]

Interesting. I wonder where we can get pure tobacco though 😀

[@aniliname]

@@onlyplants I would just ask my smoker friends for a cigarette and cut it open and use that. You can also usually get tobacco for rolling one's own cigarettes be readily in most places where cigarettes are purchased.

[@federicacavaliere433]

Hi! And what if the Caladium doesn't want to go on dormancy? I live in a pretty warm house, also in winter time, I think there is no big change of temperature from summer. Should I force it to go dormant even if it is healthy and shouts out new growth?

[@onlyplants]

I would let it live its life as they like it hahha. Mine dies back now and then and thats when I know to let them rest.

[@mrsnigraham7269]

Question- Do they have to go dormant or can you just keep growing them? And how cold can they tolerate?

[@onlyplants]

Not sure about temperatures but mine seem to go dormant on their own regardless of care. I think they need their rest/detox period.

[@shuetligoh1988]

How often do you add the slow release ferts?

[@onlyplants]

Every 4-6 months 😀

[@kunfoopanda]

Hi. I’ve a question about inducing dormancy. In our weather Amaryllis lilies don’t go into dormancy. So some people say it’s important to put them into dormancy. Some say it doesn’t matter. What do you suggest ?

[@onlyplants]

Im not familiar with this topic but my personal experience is that they grow back quite fiercely. Maybe its like a detox or rest period for them.

[@paulastafford1642]

How did you get rid of the mealy bugs?

[@onlyplants]

Neem oil spray. I have 2 videos if you type in “onlyplants pest” on the youtube searchbar

[@carpediem.9]

So to induce dormancy we have to water it less and less and then let the plant dry ?

[@onlyplants]

Yeppp just cut back on watering slowky

[@peteinuk]

I thought they preferred shade? Mine is in shade and leaves are very small?

[@earth2mike]

I thought so too... but I notice that mine is chasing the brightness as all leaves were trying to reach for it (I tucked it further in behind 2 travellers palm) so I dragged it out where it's totally bright (it's a Caladium Heart of Jesus and potted) but not too exposed to the scorching sun (I live in the Philippines 🇵🇭 by the way) and man I was rewarded with 4 giant leaves, several baby leaves and 4 new shoots! And it is still growing! Despite of monsoon and heavy rain for weeks! But knowing that it definitely like the sun bec of this video give me peace of mind...

[@peteinuk]

@@earth2mike I'm in grey England so I am moving it to the windowsill! Poor thing is struggling in the shade!

[@tiffanylim3769]

How do u deal with the root mealy bugs?

[@onlyplants]

Neem oil soil drench, or in bad cases chemical pesticide carbofuran.

[@Natali98061]

One question: Do you sell Caladims ? How I can order Caladiums to Qazaqstan?

[@onlyplants]

Ooh I dont… but Thailand is the Mecca for Caladiums 😀 and they can be bought in bulbs

[@jaszz7]

Sharing my experience here to get big leaves. No fertilisers with high nitrogen/worm castings but use bone meal instead. Worm casting would not give you the prized colours. Need to keep the soil more acidic so mixing in more peat moss to improve acidity.

[@onlyplants]

Very helpful! Will look into it. Bone meal has high phosphorus content I wonder if thats what they like. For acidic soil can add coffee grounds I wonder?

[@ld4028]

WTF you are so nonchalant with the mealies - I’d yeet that whole boy right into the sun. Please teach me how to achieve this level of chill

[@onlyplants]

Haha first of all they are very common. And second of all they are quite easy to kill/treat. I use both chemical and natural pesticide but both actually work.

[@tonygray9174]

Great video as always. I'm in a somewhat similar climate as you in Florida and noticed that Caladium tubers has a better chance of surviving dormancy when I dry store them in a closet vs leaving them in a pot. Less chance of the tubers rotting. Surprisingly though, the ones that I leave in the ground during dormancy has a very good survival rate. Here's a short 3 min. clip of how a massive Caladium farm does it- m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/qH2saZaCor9_d9E

[@onlyplants]

Mind blowing! Woww

[@tonygray9174]

@@onlyplants You're also correct about the the Caladiums needing sun. That particular farm is located in Lake Placid, Florida which is in the hottest part of the state and they grow them in direct sun without any shade cloth.....98% of Caladiums sold in the world are grown in that area.

[@annalevenson7234]

Why so many mealy bugs?

[@onlyplants]

They love caladiums here 🥹

[@RobertJModri]

Oh gosh! I hate root mealybugs. Regular mealybugs are so much easier to deal with but root mealybugs are sneaky and should go extinct!

[@onlyplants]

Haha they can really stunt growths on plants

[@jenniferwolford4646]

Not all caladiums like full sun.

[@onlyplants]

I was told that by a few people so I guess it must be true 😀 have to start digging deep into this.

[@aaronng88]

Tat trash caldium pic tho😂😂