Associate Caladium or Elephant Ear

In a "jungle" woodland

If we consider caladium as an annual plant, it can certainly be grown in the garden in open ground. In this case, it should be welcomed in a cool woodland area, sheltered from direct sunlight and drafts.

You can accompany a Caladium ‘White Queen’ with other subtropical plants such as a Tree fern (Dicksonia antartica), a Schefflera delavayi, cousin of our indoor scheffleras, and a classic yet always effective Fatsia japonica.

Not very hardy, but so spectacular, the Red Abyssinian banana brings a remarkable presence in just one season. However, it should be kept in a pot to bring it indoors before winter to protect it from frost.

To echo the “elephant ear” foliage of caladiums, you might opt for colocasias, such as Colocasia esculenta ‘Black Magic’. Ferns of all kinds will always be welcome in the woodland areas of a garden, but why not try a more exotic fern (though unfortunately a bit tender!) like a Blechnum brasiliense ‘Volcano’, a Brazilian fern with young red-purple fronds.

In the bottom left, the Caladium ‘White Queen’, accompanied by a Fatsia japonica, a tree fern, Colocasia esculenta ‘Black Magic’, a Red Abyssinian banana, a Schefflera delavayi (© Wendy Cutler), and a Blechnum brasiliense Volcano

In an original border

Still in a woodland area with partial shade, caladiums can be placed within a border between a path and the flower beds. Ideally, you should opt for foliage colours that are quite subtle, yet will enhance the foliage of other plants behind the border caladiums.

For this, caladiums with green leaves maculated with white-silver will be perfect. For example, Caladium ‘Aaron’ develops heart-shaped leaves that are pearly white edged with dark green, truly luminous. Moreover, it is a small-growing caladium: 50 cm in all directions.

These caladiums will form a light border that will enhance the dark foliage of a rather rare bush, Chinese Helwingia. This is a small evergreen Asian bush, with long arching stems adorned with beautiful, narrow, dentate leaves that are dark green with purplish reflections. A few Coniogramme emeiensis with an elegant upright habit, dressed in lustrous foliage striped with pale green-yellow, will elegantly dress the base of the bush.

The green and white foliage of Caladium ‘Aaron’ can be echoed by a few other perennials with green and white-silver leaves: a few hostas ‘Allegan Fog’ and, why not, one or two large Acanthes ‘Whitewater’.

Caladium ‘Aaron’, Coniogramme emeiensis, Acanthus ‘Whitewater’, Helwingia chinensis, and Hosta ‘Allegan Fog’

Head in the tropics, but feet on the terrace

Some potted caladiums with particularly colourful foliage, such as Caladium ‘Red Flash’ and Caladium ‘Carolyn Whorton’, will bring a cheerful touch to a terrace, a balcony, or inside a small courtyard.

They can be paired with a classic Dipladenia or Brazilian Jasmine. A beautiful Agave attenuata not only reveals a lovely rosette of foliage but also blooms every year, unlike other agaves. Cordylines can be grown in pots for many years, such as the stunning variety Cordyline ‘Charly Boy’, whose red hues will beautifully complement the red tones of certain caladiums (notably Caladium ‘Red Flash’).

Caladium ‘Carolyn Whorton’, Caladium ‘Red Flash’, Cordyline ‘Charly Boy’, Dipladenia, and Agave attenuata

One dreams of travel in their living room or office.

Indoors, you can place your caladium near other tropical plants. The Caladium ‘Fannie Munson’ produces stunning rose-magenta leaves at the centre, edged and veined with green around the periphery, enhanced by carmine red main veins. A marvel!

The ideal would be to accompany it with houseplants from the same geographical area (South America), or even from the same botanical family (Araceae): Monstera deliciosa, Anthurium digitatum, Spathiphyllum floribundum, Dieffenbachia seguine…, as well as marantaceae like Maranta leuconera. Let’s not be exclusive and add a beautiful Asian plant: Alocasia macrorrhizos, commonly known as… Elephant ear, just like the caladium.

Caladium ‘Fannie Munson’, Marantha leuconera, Monstera deliciosa and Spathiphyllum floribundum