Caladium Cultivars

Caladium varieties developed at the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station, an agricultural and natural resources research program of the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS), are licensed by the Florida Foundation Seed Producers, Inc. If your company is interested in  propagating caladium varieties, please contact Florida Foundation Seed Producers, Inc. to request a license agreement.

Berry Patch™ '75-14' (U.S. Patent PP21,089)
Caladium Variety


 

Description: Berry Patch™ '75-14' is a new, spotted, fancy-leaved variety with superior tuber yields.  This variety is vigorous, resistant to sunburn, and performs well in full-sun landscapes.  With its multiple branching habit and plant vigor, Berry Patch™ '75-14' produces high-quality plants in container forcing.  Leaves of Berry Patch™ '75-14' are peltate, sagitate-cordate, with green-white palmate-pinnate venation. The upper surface of leaves has dark-green margins bordering the entire leaf, except for the basal leaf valley, where the upper leaf surface is grey-purple. Interveinal areas are green-white near the central main vein and change to dark green near the margin. Leaves have a small, red-purple blotch at the petiole attachment and numerous grey-purple spots. The undersurface of Berry Patch™ '75-14' leaves has a grey-green margin. Primary veins are grey-green, and netted venation is grey-green. Interveinal areas are green-white near the central main and large veins and change to grey-green near the margin. Grey-purple spots are numerous and scattered between primary veins. Petioles are light green at the apex, but the colors diffuse into a dark brown at the base.

Plants grown for approximately four months in full sun in ground beds had an average height of 15.7 inches. The largest leaf on plants grown in a 45-percent-shaded greenhouse produced from an intact No. 1 tuber in a 4½-inch pot averaged 7.5 inches long and 4.7 inches wide eight weeks after planting. Jumbo-sized (greater than 1½ inches in diameter and less than 2½ inches in diameter) tubers are multi-segmented, bearing five-to-six dominant buds. Tuber surfaces are brown with the cortical area yellow-orange.

For additional information on Berry Patch™ '75-14', please see the UF/IFAS EDIS Publication, "Berry Patch™ '75-14' - A New University of Florida Caladium Variety for Use in Sunny Landscapes and Containers", authored by Drs. Zhanao Deng and Brent K. Harbaugh.

Where can you obtain bulbs Berry Patch™ '75-14'?
There are no entities licensed to propagate bulbs of Berry Patch™ '75-14' at this time.  If you are interested in obtaining an exclusive or non-exclusive license to propagate and sell Berry Patch™ '75-14', please contact FFSP.

License Availability:  FFSP is seeking exclusive or non-exclusive licensees for the USA and other international territories.  If your company is interested in obtaining a license, please contact FFSP.

Cranberry Star™ '75-37' (U.S. Patent PP20,792)
Caladium Variety

Description:  Cranberry Star™ '75-37' is a new variety with a unique combination of leaf and tuber characteristics that make it ideal for use as a potted plant or for growing as an accent or border plant in shady landscapes (Deng et al., 2008).  Cranberry Star™ '75-37' produces bright white leaves with green veins, similar to the leaves of 'Candidum', one of the most popular caladium varieties. However, Cranberry Star™ '75-37' is distinct in that it has numerous bright purple spots on its leaves.

Tubers of this variety are multi-branched, and de-eyeing may be not required even when forcing in small (4½ inch) containers. This trait can help growers save time and cost in preparing tubers for pot forcing. In field trials, Cranberry Star™ '75-37' produced more tubers and showed higher production values than 'Marie Moir' and 'Miss Muffet', two spotted commercial varieties. These characteristics should benefit growers as well as consumers who produce or use caladiums.

Cranberry Star™ '75-37' leaves are heart-shaped and have green veins, white interveinal areas, and numerous purple spots. Plants grown in ground beds for four months in full sun had an average height of approximately 18 inches. The largest leaves averaged up to 10 inches long and up to 6 inches wide. Jumbo-sized tubers are multi-branched, bearing five to six dominant buds.

For additional information on Cranberry Star™ '75-37', please see the UF/IFAS EDIS Publication, "Cranberry Star™ '75-37' - A New University of Florida Caladium Variety", authored by Dr. Zhanao Deng.

Where can you obtain bulbs of Cranberry Star™ '75-37'?
FFSP has non-exclusively licensed the following entity for the propagation and sale of Cranberry Star™ '75-37' bulbs:

License Availability:  FFSP is currently seeking non-exclusive licensees for the USA and other international territories.  If your company is interested in obtaining a license, please contact FFSP.

Dr. Brent™ 'UF404' (U.S. Patent Pending)
Caladium Variety

  

Description:  Dr. Brent™ 'UF-404' is a red, lance-leaved caladium variety with a unique coloration pattern (bright red with colorful blotches). This variety produces a good amount of tubers, and it sprouts early. As a result, it can quickly develop many large leaves. De-eyeing is not required for producing quality pot plants in containers although de-eying can increase leaf number and results in shorter plants with smaller leaves. 'UF-404' has excellent resistance to leaf sunburn and chilling injury. These characteristics make this variety well suited for container forcing and landscape use.

Leaves of Dr. Brent™'UF-404' are lanceolate; leaf margins are dark green, but central and main veins are red to purple. Interveinal areas are red/purple near the leaf center to yellow-green or orange toward the margins and have irregular blotches (Figure 1). Plants grown for four months in full sun in ground beds have an average height of 11 inches. The largest leaves on plants can be up to 10 inches long and 7 inches wide. Jumbo-sized tubers (2½ - 3½ inches in diameter) are multi-branched, and each tuber bears four to seven dominant buds.

Mature leaves of Dr. Brent™'UF-404' were detached from potted plants and exposed to 45 degrees F for three days in a growth chamber. The chilled leaves were then held at ambient temperatures for 10-11 days and examined for signs of chilling injury (chlorotic and necrotic areas). Four chilling tests were conducted in June to August 2007. 'Florida Red Ruffles' (U.S. Patent PP13,136) and 'Candidum' were used as the chilling-resistant and chilling-susceptible controls, respectively. Dr. Brent™ 'UF-404' had less areas injured from the chilling treatment than both 'Candidum' and 'Florida Red Ruffles' (U.S. Patent PP13,136), indicating that Dr. Brent™ 'UF-404' has better chilling resistance than those varieties.

For additional information on Dr. Brent™ 'UF-404', please see the UF/IFAS EDIS Publication, "'Dr. Brent™ 'UF-404' – a New University of Florida Caladium Variety for Use in the Container and the Landscape", authored by Dr. Zhanao Deng.

Where can you obtain bulbs of Dr. Brent™ 'UF-404'?
There are no entities licensed to propagate Dr. Brent™ 'UF-404' at this time. If you are interested in obtaining an exclusive or non-exclusive license to propagate and sell Dr. Brent™ 'UF-404', please contact FFSP.

License Availability:  FFSP is seeking exclusive or non-exclusive licensees for the USA and other international territories. If your company is interested in obtaining a license, please contact FFSP.

'Firecracker Red' (U.S. Patent PP20,461)
Caladium Variety

Description:  Jumbo-sized tubers of 'Firecracker Red' are multi-segmented, usually bearing three dominant buds. Tuber surfaces are brown with the cortical area yellow to a darker yellow-orange.  Leaves are peltate, sagittate-cordate, with palmate-pinnate venation. The center veins are red and diffuse into a red-purple color toward the leaf edge. The upper surface has an irregular green margin, bordering the entire leaf except for the basal leaf sinus where it is grayed-purple. Interveinal areas are red in the leaf center diffusing into a grayed purple toward the leaf margin. Petioles are streaked dark red-purple and light red-purple.

'Firecracker Red' plants grown for approximately 4 months in full sun in ground beds had an average height of 22 inches. Its leaves are similar in size to other red-leaved fancy cultivars, averaging 13 inches long and 9 inches wide. The largest leaf on plants grown in a 25% shaded greenhouse produced from an intact number one tuber in a 5-inch pot averaged 9 inches long and 7 inches wide 7 weeks after planting.

Landscape performance of cultivars grown under full-sun conditions was evaluated in 2003 and 2004. Plant height, number of leaves, and foliar characteristics were recorded about 4 months after planting. 'Firecracker Red' had excellent overall plant performance ratings for the first two rating periods (22 July, and 31 Aug.), and a lower, but good rating for 16 Nov. 'Firecracker Red' was the tallest cultivar evaluated in this test and, again, exhibited desirable landscape traits.Landscape performance of cultivars grown under full-sun conditions was evaluated in 2003 and 2004. Plant height, number of leaves, and foliar characteristics were recorded about 4 months after planting. 'Firecracker Red' had excellent overall plant performance ratings for the first two rating periods (22 July, and 31 Aug.), and a lower, but good rating for 16 Nov. 'Firecracker Red' was the tallest cultivar evaluated in this test and, again, exhibited desirable landscape traits.

For additional information on 'Firecracker Red', please see the UF/IFAS EDIS Publication, "'Firecracker Red' Caladium - a University of Florida Cultivar for Sunny Landscapes and Large Containers", authored by Drs. Zhanao Deng and Brent K. Harbaugh.

Where can you obtain bulbs of 'Firecracker Red'?
FFSP has non-exclusively licensed the following entity for the propagation and sale of 'Firecracker Red' bulbs:

License Availability:  FFSP is currently seeking non-exclusive licensees for the USA and other international territories.  If your company is interested in obtaining a license, please contact FFSP.

'Florida Blizzard' (U.S. Patent PP14,406)
Caladium Variety



Description:  'Florida Blizzard', when compared with major white-fancy cultivars, has demonstrated the potential to produce a superior number of leaves and to produce an attractive 10-cm container plant when buds are excised (Evans et al., 1992). The unique leaf color of 'Florida Blizzard' is complementary to 'Candidum' and 'White Christmas', offering an attractive addition to the white-fancy segment of caladiums.

'Florida Blizzard' plants grown for 7 months were 81-97 cm tall. Jumbo tubers are multi-segmented, 6.4-8.9 cm in diameter, beating 7-9 dominant buds. Tuber surfaces are brown with the cortical area yellow. Leaves are peltate, sagitate-cordate, 26-30 cm long and 18-20 cm wide, with white penniform venation. The upper surface has dark-green margins of variable width. Intervenial areas are green with large white blotches. A thin, greyed-purple line, 1 mm wide, occurs along the basal leaf valley and at the petiole apex. The undersurface is greyed-green along margins and primary veins, with white veins and interveinal blotches. Petioles are 3-6 mm in diameter and yellow-green.  The foliar color pattern of 'Florida Blizzard' represents a unique design in caladium fancy-leaf selections. 'White Christmas' is the popular white fancy-leaf cultivar closest in appearance, but differs sharply in having prominent dark-green veins compared with the white veins of 'Florida Blizzard'.

Landscape performance of cultivars grown under full-sun conditions was evaluated in 1998 and 1999 on the same plots used for evaluating tuber production. Plant height, number of leaves, and foliar characteristics were recorded months after planting. 'Florida Blizzard', 'Candidum', and 'White Christmas' produced similarly tall, vigorous plants compared to 'Candidum Junior'. Number of leaves for 'Florida Blizzard' was greater than for 'White Christmas' and 'Candidum Junior' and similar to 'Candidum'.

'Florida Blizzard' tubers were forced in 10-cm containers and growth compared to commercial fancy-white cultivars in 1998 and 1999.  Leaf production of 'Florida Blizzard' from tubers with excised dominant eyes was superior to all cultivars in both years. Leaf production from intact tubers in 1999 was similar for 'Florida Blizzard' and 'White Christmas', but both cultivars produced fewer leaves than 'Candidum'. Excision of dominant buds of 'Florida Blizzard' resulted in significant reduction in plant heights, leaf length, and leaf width, while increasing the number of leaves. Also, bud excision resulted in a more compact plant for 'White Christmas', but not for 'Candidum'.

The unique foliar characteristics of 'Florida Blizzard' make it an attractive addition to the white-fancy segment of caladium cultivars. Plants grown in 10-cm pots from tubers with excised buds produce compact plants with more leaves than 'Candidum' and 'White Christmas', and tuber production compares favorably with those important cultivars.

'Florida Blizzard' is intended for forcing in containers of 10- to 20-cm diameter and is best grown in partial-sun to shady locations in the landscape. Foliage color is enhanced when plants are grown with 40% to 50% light exclusion.

For additional information on 'Firecracker Red', please see the UF/IFAS EDIS Publication, " 'Florida Blizzard' Caladium - A University of Florida Cultivar", authored by Drs. Brent K. Harbaugh, Baldwin D. Miranda, and Gary J. Wilfret.

Where can you obtain bulbs of 'Florida Blizzard'?
FFSP has non-exclusively licensed the following entity for the propagation and sale of 'Florida Blizzard' bulbs:

License Availability:  FFSP is currently seeking non-exclusive licensees for the USA and other international territories.  If your company is interested in obtaining a license, please contact FFSP.

'Florida Calypso' (U.S. Patent PP10,466)
Caladium Variety



Description:  'Florida Calypso' has a unique leaf having large red veins radiating from large central red veins and has a combination of colors with rose and white blotches on the leaves.  The plant also has unique large intact multisegmented tubers.

'Fllorida Calypso' is intended for forcing in containers of 10 to 20 cm diameter and can be grown from shady to full sun locations in the landscape. Tubers should be de-eyed when planted in 10 to 15 cm pots, but the main vegetative buds should not be excised before planting in large containers. Best foliage color and definition is obtained when plants are grown with 35% to 40% light exclusion.

Where can you obtain bulbs of 'Florida Calypso'?

FFSP has non-exclusively licensed the following entity for the propagation and sale of 'Florida Calypso' bulbs:

License Availability:  FFSP is currently seeking non-exclusive licensees for the USA and other international territories.  If your company is interested in obtaining a license, please contact FFSP.

'Florida Irish Lace' (U.S. Patent PP13,135)
Caladium Variety

Description:  'Florida Irish Lace' is a lance-leaf type caladium variety with dark green leaves, dark green veins, and heavily ruffled margins.  'Florida Irish Lace' has a compact and densely-flilant habit with upright, outwardly arching and symmetrical plant form.  The multiple buds on 'Florida Irish Lace' tubers eliminates the need for de-eyeing.  'Florida Irish Lace' has excellent sun tolerance and is recommended for use in container forcing, hanging baskets, and landscapes.

Where can you obtain bulbs of 'Florida Irish Lace'?
FFSP has non-exclusively licensed the following entity for the propagation and sale of 'Florida Irish Lace' bulbs:

License Availability:  FFSP is currently seeking non-exclusive licensees for the USA and other international territories.  If your company is interested in obtaining a license, please contact FFSP.

'Florida Moonlight' (U.S. Patent PP13,135)
Caladium Variety

Description:  'Florida Moonlight' is a fancy-leaved type caladium variety with large white leaves, white primary veins, and green secondary veins and margins.  'Florida Moonlight' has superior vigor compared to other white caladium cultivars when grown in outdoor landscapes.  'Florida Moonlight' is recommended for potted plants, hanging baskets, and partial-sun to shady outdoor landscapes.

Where can you obtain bulbs of 'Florida Moonlight'?
FFSP has non-exclusively licensed the following entity for the propagation and sale of 'Florida Moonlight' bulbs:

License Availability:  FFSP is currently seeking non-exclusive licensees for the USA and other international territories.  If your company is interested in obtaining a license, please contact FFSP.