Heart To Heart® Burning Heart Caladium

Light Needs

Partial Sun to Full Sun

(At Least 5 Hours of Direct Sunlight)

Mature Height

15 - 20 Inches

Mature Spread

10 - 14 Inches

Heart To Heart Burning Heart Caladium (Caladium hortulanum ‘Burning Heart’) shows off bronze-red, heart-shaped leaves peppered with pink to orange speckles that glow brightest from late spring through summer in full sun. Each upright clump tops out near 18 inches and keeps its color until chilly nights send the tuber into dormancy. The foliage alone earns accolades—this cultivar claimed a Plant of Distinction award from the University of Georgia for its breakthrough hue and garden performance.

Heat tolerance, deer resistance, and easy maintenance make Burning Heart as practical as it is striking. The mounded habit works as a thriller in patio pots, a bold accent in mixed borders, or a massed tropical carpet beneath palms and shade trees. Native to tropical South America, it relishes humidity yet adapts to drier climates when container-grown. Caladium leaves also last for days in cut-leaf arrangements, adding exotic color indoors.

Heart To Heart® Burning Heart Caladium Care

Set tubers outdoors only after soil warms above 65°F, burying them two inches deep in loose, humus-rich soil that drains well yet stays evenly moist; a pH between 6.0 and 6.5 is ideal. Provide full sun in northern zones for bold bronze coloration or bright shade where summers scorch; at least four hours of direct light keeps colors strong. Water whenever the top inch feels dry, and feed every two weeks with quarter-strength balanced fertilizer to avoid leaf burn. Remove any torn or yellowing leaves at the base to keep the clump tidy—deadheading is unnecessary because flowers seldom appear.

Gardeners in zones 10–11 may grow this caladium as a perennial, while those farther north should lift tubers before frost and store them dry at 50°F until spring. Potted plants can winter indoors in bright light where temperatures remain above 65°F; reduce watering in dormancy and resume regular care when new shoots emerge. Foliage lasts all season outdoors and 8 to 10 months indoors with proper warmth and humidity.

Heart To Heart® Burning Heart Caladium Spacing

Plant tubers 10 - 14 inches apart when edging beds or filling a shade border; the leaves will knit together without overcrowding. Use one tuber in an 8-inch pot, or group three in a 14-inch patio container for an instant tropical centerpiece. In large mixed planters, allow a square foot of surface area per tuber so companion plants do not overshadow its showy leaves.

SKU:

CALBH