Tag: caladiums

Caladiums denied

Due to extreme weather, Brent and Becky’s Florida supplier of caladiums has determined not to ship any of the Blushing Bride plants that I order. Dismayed as I am to hear this, it just means going back to the online catalog to decide on new plants to grow. I’ve settled on a Snowdrift Astilbe and 3 bulbs of the Picasso calla lily. I only hope this won’t further delay my receipt of these plants. With the warm weather we’ve been having lately, it takes a lot of willpower not to skip work and putter around in the garden all day.

On the other hand, I’m excited to report that my Japanese maple has begun leafing out.

Hostas in Texas? Maybe caladiums instead…

Is it possible that hostas can survive the harsh Texas climate of my backyard? The following report seems to suggest so. I’m thinking of experimenting with hostas in the S1 bed. The white-variegated hostas have particularly caught my eye. From the report, I’m looking at Francee, Albo-Marginata and Patriot…though it seems the Patriot has declined over the 2+ years of the trial. Patriot’s sport, Minuteman, might fare better. Based on the report, So Sweet is looking like a contender…if only it were a more verdant shade of green.

But then again, maybe caladiums are the safer, more reliable option. There are dozens of white-variegated cultivars, Jackie Suthers, White Wing, and Candidum for example, and because of its tropical background (like cannas and callas), stand a better chance of survival in the Texas heat.