The Ma Had Thai caladium in its prior glory – gorgeous, isn’t it?

Caladiums are among the many perennial plants that go into hibernation for a while, so I wasn’t overly concerned when my precious Ma Had Thai caladium died off after it produced the one flower. However, months went by without new sprouts appearing, and I started to worry.

The Humboldtii caladium – one of the smaller varieties of caladium – that keeps dying out on us. We’ve been through a few plants…

I was concerned that maybe the plant didn’t like the potting mix I had used, after all. While it was still in the last growth phase, I had transplanted it to this new home that I generously filled with Tref, reasoning that it was a good quality mix, so it should be good for this caladium.

However, a few months passed after it went into hibernation, and there was still no sign of new growth. I thought I had killed the plant off in the same way that the Humboldtii caladiums keep dying on me. After all, caladiums like a well-draining soil, which Tref can be, but when over-watered – which I’m careful not to do – Tref can stay soggy, especially on cool days.

So it was with trepidation that I finally decided to check whether there was anything left of the plant in the pot.

(Humboldtii bulbs completely disappear or disintegrate, so I wasn’t hopeful.)

Guess what I found?

The bulb that I unearthed – more like a mini jicama!

A bulb of a size I’ve never seen for a caladium! It was bigger than a water chestnut and had a new sprout (I hope) growing from the top.

So, I hope it is just a matter of time before we see new leaves sprouting, because I really, really like this plant!

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