Fancy - Leaf Calladiums

Common name: Fancy-Leaf Caladium, Artist's pallet, caladium, Elephant's ear, Heart of Jesus, Bkeeding Heart.

The leaf here is not as big as it looks.  Though caladiums can well grow 12 to 30 inches.  This one is pretty small, but my neighbour has huge leaves! 

Caladiums are tender perennials that start from tubers. . The heart- or arrowhead-shaped leaves may be why they are refered to as angels wings.  Caladiums are grown for their tropical look and bold, colorful foliage. There are over 100 varieties that offer unique color combinations in shades of green, red, pink or white, with prominently colored veins and contrasting backgrounds and borders. The leaf color tends to be more intense in partial shade.

It has no stems - the leaves arise directly from the tuber, 6-12 inches long stalks. The stalks are attached to the leaves near the center. It is known to have an inflorescence and a fruit that is a berry.  Have never ever seen them. Fancy-Leaf Caladium is native to South America, grown as a garden plant throughout the tropical world.



 Botanical name: Caladium bicolor    Family: Araceae (Arum family)

Pictures taken at Hyderabad. The second one by my bro M

Information -

www.extension.iastate.edu/.../feb04/feb0407.html

http://www.flowersofindia.net/catalog/famwise.html