Caladium
Caladium bicolor
Also called Angel wings and Elephant ear
Houseplant · AroidsDies back to the tuber every autumn and comes again in spring. Let it.
Care at a glance
- Ease
- Hard
- Water
- Every 5 daysDrench and drain — water the whole surface until it runs from the holes.
- Light
- Bright indirect
- Feed
- Every 30 days
- Humidity
- High
- Hardiness
- Indoors, or out in high summer RHS H1B, to 10°C
- Lifecycle
- Bulb
- Origin
- South America
Is it safe for pets and people?
PetsToxic to pets
Affects dogs, cats, horses. Signs: an irritated, painful and swollen mouth, tongue and lips, heavy drooling, vomiting (not in horses) and trouble swallowing.
PeopleNot checked yet
Nobody has checked this one against a source for us yet, so treat it as unknown rather than safe.
Checked against ASPCA and RHS on 2026-07-31.
A guide, not veterinary or medical advice. If a pet or a person has eaten a plant and you are worried, call your vet or doctor now — don’t wait for signs to appear. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
First signs of trouble
- From late summer the leaves flop and yellow one by one with nothing replacing them — lift the compost and the tuber is still firm. It wants a dry rest, not more water.Dormancy mistaken for death · disorder
- The thin papery leaf loses its colour in fine pinpricks and webbing shows where the long stalk meets the blade.Glasshouse red spider mite · pest