FOLIAGE PLANT
Caladium Candidum
Almost translucent white leaves veined in deep green — the classic white caladium, and still the most striking shade plant you can grow.
White Leaves, Green Veins
Caladium ‘Candidum’ is the variety most people picture when they think of caladiums: large heart-shaped leaves that are almost pure white, crossed by a network of deep green veins. Held up to the light they glow.
It grows from a tuber, throws up a clump of 30–45 cm leaves through the warm months, and dies back completely in winter. That dormancy is normal and necessary — the tuber rests, then returns stronger the following season.
Leaf Character
Leaves are 15–25 cm long, heart-shaped, and so thinly white that light passes through them. The green veining is bold and clearly drawn. Colour is best in bright shade; in deep shade the leaves stay small, and in direct sun they burn.
Key Features
✓ Near-white heart-shaped leaves with deep green veins
✓ Leaves 15–25 cm long, glowing when backlit
✓ Clump of 30–45 cm through the warm months
✓ Grows from a tuber and rests in winter
✓ Ideal for shaded balconies and under trees
✓ Returns stronger each year from the same tuber
🌱 Recommended Potting Mix
No garden soil at all — perlite for air, vermiculite to hold the steady moisture aroids want.
Caladium
Potting Mix
Potting Mix
50% Cocopeat
Holds moisture, keeps the mix light.
30% Vermicompost
Slow-release nutrients and microbes.
10% Perlite
Aeration and fast drainage; holds 4x its weight in water.
10% Vermiculite
Holds 16x its weight in water, plus nutrients.
Pro Tip: Do not start the tuber until nights are reliably above 18°C. Cold, wet soil rots it.
Growing and Care Guide
Simple essentials for healthy and balanced growth.
Sunlight
Bright shade or filtered light. Direct sun scorches the white areas within days.
Watering
Keep consistently moist through the growing season. Stop almost entirely once leaves yellow.
Soil
Rich, organic, moisture-retentive but free-draining.
Temperature
Grows between 15°C and 32°C. Best growth 21°C to 29°C. Below 10°C damages the tuber.
Fertilizer
Liquid feed at half strength every two weeks while leaves are actively growing.
Pruning
Remove spent leaves at the base. Let the last leaves yellow naturally before dormancy.
Temperature Tolerance
What this plant enjoys, what it merely survives, and where it stops.
Ideal range
Days 28–35°C · Nights 22–26°C
The day and night temperatures commercial caladium crops are grown at. Nights must stay above 21°C in early growth, and 27°C is better still.
Active growth
Above 12°C
The growing season only runs while prevailing temperatures stay above 12°C.
0°C
7°C
18°C
22°C
28°C
35°C
40°C
LethalCold stressChilling injurySafe but slowIdealActive growthWarm — tolerable
❄️ Cold limits
Below 21°C soil
Do not plant yet
Plant tubers only once the soil is at least 21°C (70°F). Cooler soil causes tuber rot and slow growth.
Below 20°C
Growth hampered
Holding tubers below 20°C but above freezing slows sprouting and greatly reduces leaf and daughter-tuber development. The damage grows with how long the cold lasts.
Below 18°C
Chilling injury
Tubers go soft or rubbery, leaves emerge late and unevenly, and the foliage can turn pink or green — the disorders growers call pinking and greening.
Below 7°C
Damage, then death
Caladiums are damaged below 45°F (7°C). Even a light frost kills the foliage outright and damages the tubers underneath.
🌡️ Heat limits
Above 35°C
Beyond the production range
Commercial crops top out at day temperatures of about 35°C and no higher limit is published. In an Indian summer the real damage comes from harsh midday and afternoon sun scorching the thin leaves, rather than from air temperature on its own.
Figures from UF/IFAS Extension and GrowerTalks caladium production guidance (chilling injury below 64°F, plant at 70°F soil, damage below 45°F), ISHS Acta Horticulturae 177_49 on low-temperature effects on caladium tubers, and NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.
Climate Zone Compatibility
Where this plant performs across India’s growing zones.
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Cold hardiness
Chilling below 18°C · tuber damaged below 7°C
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Optimal growth temp
Days 28–35°C · nights 22–26°C
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Winter dormancy
Yes — full winter dormancy
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Heat stress above
Above 35°C
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Ideal Indian zones
Z5 · Z6 · Z7 · Z10 · Z11 · Z12 · Z14
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Temperature range
12°C to 35°C
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✅ Ideal — thrives here
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Z5 — Subtropical Monsoon · Winter 8–14°C / Summer up to 38°C
Elevation 50–600m · Monsoon 5–6 months · Rainfall 1,800–4,000mm · Humidity 75–95%
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| ✅ |
Z6 — Subtropical Monsoon Highland · Winter 10–13°C / Summer up to 32°C
Elevation 800–1,400m · Monsoon 5–6 months · Rainfall 1,500–3,200mm · Dry season 5–6 months — no frost ever
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Z7 — Humid Subtropical · Winter 8–15°C / Summer up to 42°C
Elevation 100–700m · Dry season 3–4 months · Rainfall 800–2,200mm · Summer hot — 38–42°C
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| ✅ |
Z10 — Tropical Mid-Elevation Monsoon · Winter 9–15°C / Summer up to 38°C
Elevation 600–1,500m · Monsoon 6–7 months · Rainfall 2,500–6,000mm · Humidity 80–95%
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Z11 — Tropical Monsoon Coastal · Winter 14–24°C / Summer up to 38°C
Elevation 0–200m · Monsoon 5–6 months · Rainfall 1,400–4,000mm · No frost ever
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| ✅ |
Z12 — Tropical Wet & Dry Savanna · Winter 11–17°C / Summer up to 40°C
Elevation 300–1,000m · Dry season 5–6 months · Rainfall 700–1,600mm · Deccan Plateau — distinct wet and dry seasons
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Z14 — Tropical Wet & Dry Savanna Coastal · Winter 17–22°C / Summer up to 42°C
Elevation 0–400m · Dry season 4–5 months · Rainfall 700–2,000mm · Coastal — humid year-round
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⚠️ Workable — grows, but needs help
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Z4 — Subtropical Highland · Winter down to 0–8°C / Summer up to 33°C
Elevation 1,200–2,200m · Rainfall 500–3,600mm · Mixed monsoon · Dormancy sufficient at elevation
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Z8 — Subtropical Semi-Arid · Winter 5–12°C / Summer up to 44°C
Elevation 10–200m · Dry season 7 months · Rainfall 400–800mm · Semi-arid steppe
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Z9 — Cool Tropical Highland · Winter 5–12°C / Summer up to 28°C
Elevation 1,600–2,500m · Nilgiri Hills / Western Ghats · Rainfall 1,500–3,000mm · Monsoon 5–6 months
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Z13 — Tropical WDS Hot Interior · Winter 11–18°C / Summer up to 48°C
Elevation 200–700m · Dry season 6–7 months · Rainfall 700–1,600mm · Summer scorching — 45–48°C peak
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Z15 — Tropical Semi-Arid · Winter 12–16°C / Summer up to 45°C
Elevation 450–600m · Humidity 35–75% · Rainfall 600–900mm · Dry season 7 months
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Z18 — Tropical Hot Semi-Arid · Winter 16–20°C / Summer up to 46°C
Elevation 300–800m · Dry season 7–8 months · Rainfall 500–700mm · Western Ghats rain shadow
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❌ Not suitable
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Z1 — Cold Alpine · Winter down to −20°C or below / Summer up to 20°C
Elevation 3,000–5,500m · Rainfall <300mm · Dry season 8+ months · Deep dormancy — hardiest conditions
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| ❌ |
Z2 — Cold Hills · Winter down to 1–5°C / Summer up to 25°C
Elevation 1,800–3,000m · Rainfall 700–4,000mm · Monsoon 4–5 months · Full dormancy — excellent vigour
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| ❌ |
Z3 — Subtropical Hills · Winter down to 3–8°C / Summer up to 28°C
Elevation 1,500–2,500m · Rainfall 800–2,500mm · Monsoon 4–5 months · Full dormancy — best colour
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Z16 — Subtropical Hot Semi-Arid Continental · Winter 4–13°C / Summer up to 48°C
Elevation 100–450m · Dry season 6–7 months · Rainfall 600–900mm · Summer scorching — 44–48°C peak
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| ❌ |
Z17 — Subtropical Hot Arid · Winter 5–12°C / Summer up to 50°C
Elevation 200–300m · Dry season 9–10 months · Rainfall <400mm · True desert climate
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Season by Season
Spring (Feb – Apr)
Start the tuber once nights hold above 18°C. First leaves appear in 3–4 weeks.
Summer (May – Jun)
Full growth. Keep in shade and never let the pot dry out completely.
Monsoon (Jul – Sep)
Peak season — humidity and warmth are exactly what it wants.
Autumn (Oct – Nov)
Leaves begin to yellow. Reduce water and stop feeding.
Winter (Dec – Jan)
Fully dormant. Store the tuber dry and above 15°C until spring.
How to Plant
01. Choose a shaded spot with bright ambient light and no direct sun.
02. Use a wide, shallow pot with good drainage holes.
03. Fill with the recommended moisture-retentive mixture.
04. Set the tuber 5 cm deep with the knobbly side facing up.
05. Water lightly and keep warm until shoots appear.
06. Increase watering as the leaves expand.
Frequently Asked Questions
All the leaves died in winter — is it finished?
No. Full dormancy is normal for caladiums. Keep the tuber dry and above 15°C and it will sprout again in spring.
Why did the white parts turn brown?
Direct sun. The white tissue has no chlorophyll to protect it and burns very quickly.
Which way up does the tuber go?
Knobbly side up. If you cannot tell, plant it on its side — the shoots will find their own way.
Can I grow it indoors?
Yes, near a bright window out of direct sun. Indoor plants often stay in leaf longer than outdoor ones.
The White Leaf That Glows in the Shade
Bring light to the darkest corner of the balcony, and watch it come back every spring.
Leaf pattern, variegation, plant size and dormancy behaviour may vary depending on plant maturity, climate, light, nutrition, soil and local growing conditions.
it was fine
The plant is thriving well. Leaf is white, as shown and looks stunning.