When to plant caladiums
Plant caladiums 3–5 weeks after the last spring frost. Wait until the soil is at least 70°F. That works out to zone 5b (late May to early June), zone 7a (early May to mid May) and zone 9a (late March to early April).
Caladiums planting dates by zone
| Zone | Plant outdoors | caladiums ready from |
|---|---|---|
| 4a | Jun 5 – Jun 19 | Aug 11 |
| 4b | Jun 3 – Jun 17 | Aug 9 |
| 5a | Jun 1 – Jun 15 | Aug 7 |
| 5b | May 26 – Jun 9 | Aug 1 |
| 6a | May 21 – Jun 4 | Jul 27 |
| 6b | May 15 – May 29 | Jul 21 |
| 7a | May 6 – May 20 | Jul 12 |
| 7b | Apr 27 – May 11 | Jul 3 |
| 8a | Apr 17 – May 1 | Jun 23 |
| 8b | Apr 6 – Apr 20 | Jun 12 |
| 9a | Mar 23 – Apr 6 | May 29 |
| 9b | Feb 25 – Mar 11 | May 3 |
How to plant caladiums
| Plant as | tubers |
|---|---|
| Soil temperature | 70°F or warmer |
| Depth | 2 in |
| Spacing | 8–12 in |
| Light | Part shade to shade |
| Time to bloom | 60–90 days |
| Start indoors | 4–6 weeks before the last frost (zone 6a: Mar 19 – Apr 2; zone 8a: Feb 13 – Feb 27) |
Caladiums need warm soil (70°F); cold soil rots tubers.
Start them indoors in pots for an earlier display.
Hardy only in zones 9–11; dig and store elsewhere.
When to expect flowers from caladiums
Grown for foliage; leaves last until cool fall nights.
Exact dates for your town: planting calendar · frost dates by state.