I know I do. I was preparing to share a short article with you about caladiums and how I'd never seen them bloom. Well, lo and behold the other day a few under my oak tree began blooming. I took a few pictures and planned to post them here as a "well I'll be darned" thing.

Now I'm double darned. Not only did I learn that caladiums bloom, I also learned they are actually closely related to elephant ears! For those of you who already knew that, just ignore me. For those of you who didn't, can you believe it?

I've never been a real fan of caladiums. I always thought they were too "prissy" - I just didn't care for the leaf colors. Somehow or other I had a few bulbs so stuck them under the oak tree just because nothing else would grow there. I was surprised when they started popping up so just left them.

Caladium hortulanum, comes in a variety of colors and is usually selected based on the leaf color most desired in the landscape. They prefer shade/semi-shade and a somewhat moist soil. If you like caladiums, you can plant them in pots and keep them in your house. Here's something else I didn't know. Apparently the bloom is really a seed pod and can be cut off at the base of the plant to redirect its energy to leaf production. Another little piece of info - they are poisonous to people and animals if ingested and will cause irritation to the mouth and digestive tract. Not that anyone would knowingly chew on the leaves, but kids and pets wouldn't think it through so precaution is key to placement. Happy Florida gardening and keep an eye on your caladiums.