Caladium White Queen
Plant Care,  Propagation

Caladium White Queen

Welcome to our guide to the Caladium White Queen, covering all you need to know about care and propagation. The key to carding for a Caladium White Queen is to keep the soil moist and give the plant plenty of light.

Caladium White Queen Care Summary

Light needs:Bright indirect sunlight, some direct.
Watering needs:Check soil weekly and water if the soil is dry 2/3 of the way down.
Fertilizer:A balanced feed or one slightly higher in phosphorous, every 3 or 4 weeks in spring and summer.
Soil:Normal potting compost with 10% added perlite.
Humidity: 50% and above.
Temperature:18-26 (64-79°F). 
Where to buy:Try our list of Rare Plant Shops.
Common issues:Overwatering.

Introduction

One of my favorite plants, the Caladium White Queen is impressive with it’s bold pink veins on delicate leaves.

See also: Pink Syngonium, Geogenanthus Ciliatus, Rhaphidophora Hayi Care.

Light Needs

Give them bright, indirect sunlight, some early morning direct too is ok. Don’t move them outside to direct sun in one go though, acclimatize them slowly or they can burn.

Tip: give them lots of light, some direct is good to encourage those vibrant colors.

How Often To Water

If they are entering a dormant period in winter, do not water them at all, let them dry out completely. The rest of the year you want to check the soil each week and water it if the soil is dry most of the way down (say 2/3). They want to keep slightly moist and not totally dry out, you also do not want it soaking wet.

Fertilizer

Use a balanced feed or one slightly higher in phosphorous, every 3 or 4 weeks in spring and summer.

Caladium White Queen - leaf detail
Caladium White Queen – leaf detail

Soil

They want a soil that drains well, you can use normal potting compost and then add some perlite (aim for 10% to 20% of the potting mix being perlite).

When to Repot

Repot them in spring and use it as a chance to split a few tubers off and pot them up separately if you want more plants. They do not need repotting every year, but refreshing the soil will encourage growth.

Humidity

Aim for a decent humidity level, 50% and above is ideal for the leaves to thrive.

Temperature

A good range in the daytime is 18-26 (64-79°F). Minimum temperature at night should be 5°C (41°F).

How to Propagate Caladium White Queen

Caladiums need to be divided at the tuber, you can dig up the plant and take out a tuber and repot it up separately to start a new plant. A good time to do this is in early spring.

You need to be really careful when doing this and you need to break the tuber, so be as careful as possible to not cause too much damage to the roots/tuber.

Caladium White Queen USDA Zone

They can grow outside in zones 9-11.

Is It Toxic To Cats?

They are toxic to dogs and cats if eaten, causing voting and numbness of the mouth. Seek vets advice immediately if your pet eats any.

Caladium White Queen Drooping

Caladiums can droop when they are both under and over watered, you should check the soil and adjust watering accordingly. Caladiums go dormant in winter and can droop when the temperatures drop.

Caladium White Queen - underside of leaf
Caladium White Queen – underside of leaf

Caladium White Queen Vs Summer Breeze

These two caladiums are very similar, in coloring, the summer breeze is bigger with more pronounced pink veining.

Caladium Fiesta Vs White Queen

The fiesta has a much brighter reddy/pink color to it’s veining, which are much wider.

Where To Buy

Try our list of Rare Plant Shops.

FAQs and Common Problems

Be really careful you don’t overwater them, especially in winter as the roots and tubers can rot easily.

Caladium White Queen Turning Yellow

Sunburn, as well as under or over watering cause yellowing. Make sure you check the soil regularly and water them only if needed as well as avoiding midday sun.


Additional Resources

Buy: we recommend a digital thermometer hygrometer (amazon affiliate link) to measure humidity.

Links:

  • More info on the RHS plant page.

Other Articles You Might Like

There you have it, here ends our guide to this beautiful plant. You might also like our other articles:

Pink Syngonium, Geogenanthus Ciliatus, Rhaphidophora Hayi Care.

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