How to wake a Caladium: an Elephant ear plant in winter and in spring

A Caladium also known as an Elephant ear plant. But I call this houseplant "big heart" because huge leaves of this tropical phytoalien look like colorful hearts.

Some of plant lovers don't want to grow a Caladium at home because this green friend has a rest period in fall and in winter. (The top part of this plant dies. We should keep the bulbs and wait for spring, when Caladium bulbs wake up). Nevertheless I think it's good quality of this green person. 

A Caladium (an Elephant ear plant).

Many of tropical houseplants are afraid of dry air. Unfortunately they often wither in our houses in winter. However an Elephant ear plant can sleep in a pot and doesn't suffer of dry air in a room. Today I'd like to tell you about how to keep a Caladium bulbs in winter and how to wake a Calladium in spring.


I'm going to share with you my own experience of an Elephant ear plant cultivation indoor.

The bulbs of my Caladium sprouted in the soil at a shade place!

My gorgeous green friend started to fall asleep in last August. His leaves had been withering little by little. I knew this member of Aroid (Araceae) family of plants has a rest period and didn't worry about it. However I reduced frequency of watering. 


When the leaves died I located the pot with Caladium bulbs in a shade place. I wet the soil from time to time because the substrate shouldn't be dry. 

Once they will be big Elephant ears...

Experts say that the perfect temperature for the bulbs is 55.4-66.4 degrees Fahrenheit (13-18 degrees Celsius). But I kept their with room temperature. And they have survived!



4 weeks ago I noticed the bulbs sprouted in the soil. I transplanted
their in a new pot and located on my windowsill. One day the mini "shoots" will became big colorful Elephant ears or huge hearts...

The new leaves.

P.S. (5. 04. 2015).

My Caladium is growing!

Ceratostylis rubra: an amazing ruby orchid

Do you like rubies? I think the best ruby for an orchid lover is flower of Ceratostylis rubra. This ceratostylis is a miniature orchid with thin sharp leaves and red-orange flowers. They are tiny but very colorful. Flowers of this mini orchid shine as small ruby stars. Today I'm going to tell you about how to grow Ceratostylis rubra indoor.

Ceratostylis rubra

I've consulted about care of this flower with Denis Silchenko (mail: dem4ig@ukr.net), who is a collector of rare orchids. Denis has many unusual plants at his home. I will tell you about another miniature orchids from his collection in my next posts. However today our hero is Ceratostylis rubra.

This floral character prefers high humidity (near 80%). Therefore Denis recommend to cultivate Ceratostylis rubra in a mini orchidarium. If you decide to grow your green pet on a windowsill, you have to add moisture to the air or else the plant may die. This green person is afraid of dry air.

"A small red star". Ceratostylis rubra in the Denis Silchenko's mini orchidarium

Also this ruby orchid likes bright diffused light. It needs sun ray in morning or in evening. Nevertheless if you grow the mini plant on a southerly windowsill, you have to shade your flower at noon. 

In addition this mini orchid demands temperature drop. Difference between day and night temperatures should be 41-44.6 degrees Fahrenheit (5-7 degrees Celsius).

Watering of this plant should be very gingerly. Ceratostylis rubra doesn't stand over watering and under filling. The substrate should always be slightly wet. 

As a lot of tropical orchids, the plant loves warm wind but doesn't bear cool draught. Many flower lovers grow this "ruby star" near a fan. My consultant makes wind for his orchids by the instrumentality of... computer coolers.


If you cultivate the ceratostylis on a windowsill you may plant it in a pot. However if you grow the orchid in a mini orchidarium, block planting is correct for this mini houseplant.

On the pictures: The orchid from the Denis Silchenko's collection. The photos was taken by the orchids collector specially for my blog.
 

A hyacinth in a pot: how to grow Hyacinthus indoor

The tender flowers of this plant look like colorful rain. A hyacinth in a pot is a popular gift for the spring days. My mother adores this flower. When I give her a hyacinth (Hyacinthus) she is very happy. Today I'm going to tell you about how to grow Hyacinthus indoor.

A hyacinth in a pot

This spring duke is beautiful in all respects. He has got amazing leaves and flowers. Even the bulb of a hyacinth is nice. It looks like a wonderful dome. However many of plant lovers value scent of plant first of all. As you know, hyacinth flowers smell sweet. The scent is a component of many luxury perfume compounds. For example, Cristalle Chanel has aroma of hyacinth in the middle notes.

Our spring duke

A hyacinth is an outdoor plant. This creature of Nature often is a decoration of gardens and parks. Nevertheless this flower can grow at our houses not long. Care of Hyacinthus is not very difficult.

A pink hyacinth (Hyacintus)

A hyacinth in a pot prefers a light place. Cool is better than warm for this green friend. This spring duke may fade fast in a warm room. If you locate your blooming flower at a room with low temperature (46-50 degrees Fahrenheit/ 8-10 degrees Celsius) the flowering will be long-continued. But this plant requires room temperature before the blooming.

Also this flower loves regular watering. But water shouldn't drop on the bulbs. We have to water this plant very gingerly.


Our green friend likes to play hide-and-seek. The top of the plant dies after the blossom fading. However the bulb is live. It can grow in a garden. We should cut a dead part of a hyacinth, keep the bulb and plant it outdoor in a warm season.