Coleus And Caladium Are Great Plants For Containers Or Gardens

The Coleus and Caladium are wonderful colorful plants that can be put in a container or a ground garden. Both of these plant specimens are considered tropical in nature. They thrive in zones nine through eleven are considered a tender or regular perennial. Each plant family has a variety of species with vibrant one tone and multi tone leaves. Both of these plants are used for accenting a container or ground garden. The Caladium is a wonderful indoor plant during the colder months, and does well outside during the summertime in some geographic locations.

Bright Red With Green Border

Great Accent Plant

The Coleus has been around for years and is native to Indonesia, India and Asia. The plant will do great in full sun to shade. It does need well drained soil and the plant will be damaged if the soil becomes too wet. A wonderful aspect of this specie, is its hybrids. Many of the hybrid varieties can be grown in zones three through eleven. In zones three through seven, they are an annual, but in some of zone eight, they can be a tender perennial. Zones nine through eleven are considered a perennial. The Coleus plant can be grown from seed indoors and in subtropical or tropical locations, can germinate outside in full sun. You can also grow from stem or leaf cuttings. Another great aspect of this plant specimen, is its beauty if planted in front of a backdrop of evergreens. In the theme color garden section, there is a page on evergreens and some of these plants would look stunning with the coleus. One of the things I like to do with a garden, is to plant a mass of Coleus in front of a backdrop of evergreens. Stagger some Cypress and a few Loropetalums along with the mass planting. This creates a brilliant colorful garden.

Caladium

Another Caladium

The caladium mixture is another exceptional subtropical and tropical plant. Color ranges from white, pink, red and a soft yellow tone. It is native to South America, Southern Florida and many Caribbean countries. The plant is grown for its colorful foliage. The Caladium loves wet soil conditions and cannot take the heat from the sun in the middle of the day. The plant should be placed in an area that receives a good amount of shade during the day. A northern or eastern exposure will work, as well as a backdrop of larger plant specimens. The Caladium will thrive in shade gardens with some solid or variegated Hostas. Another great accent plant with the Caladium is the Mandevilla. The Mandevilla will do well also protected from the midday summer heat in warmer climates. The Pittosporum is a great evergreen to plant around both the Caladium and Mandevilla. Two of my favorite varieties to use throughout a border or shade garden is the Frieda Hemple which has the base color of red with a green color. The Candidum is an older variety of this plant family, but also one of the most popular. The Canadidum is noted for its white leaves and green in the veins of the leaves.

Both the Coleus and Caladium represent great annual suggestions for colder zones, and superb perennial accents for sub tropical to tropical ground and container gardens. Each of these plant families would enhance any landscape.