Caladium ‘Lance Whorton’

Caladium 'Lance Whorton' is a lance-leaved Caladium grown primarily for its colorful pink, red, white, and green foliage. It is a frost-tender tuberous plant commonly used in beds, borders, and containers.

Caladium 'Lance Whorton' typically grows about 12–24 inches tall and 12–18 inches wide. Give container plants enough room for their upright, spreading foliage.

It is grown as a summer annual in climates with freezing winters, but its tubers can survive and regrow for multiple years when protected from frost. In USDA Zones 8b–11, tubers may sometimes remain outdoors, although winter protection from wet soil can improve survival.

Caladium 'Lance Whorton' can grow in full sun to partial shade, provided the soil stays evenly moist. In very hot climates, morning sun or filtered afternoon light can reduce leaf scorch.

Yes, 'Lance Whorton' is one of the lance-leaved Caladiums that can tolerate full sun and retain good color when adequately watered. Rich soil and consistent moisture are especially important in sunny locations.

Place it near a bright window with filtered or indirect light, or provide gentle morning sun indoors. Protect the leaves from intense hot afternoon sunlight through glass, which can cause scorching.

Yes, Caladium 'Lance Whorton' performs well in containers, mixed planters, and mass plantings. Use a container with drainage holes and choose a position where the potting mix will not dry out rapidly.

Protect Caladium 'Lance Whorton' before frost and prolonged temperatures below about 40°F. Freezing conditions can kill the foliage and damage or destroy the tuber.

Water when the soil surface begins to dry, keeping the mix evenly moist but never waterlogged. Plants in full sun, hot weather, or small containers may need watering more frequently than shaded plants.

Yellow leaves can result from natural seasonal dormancy, underwatering, overwatering, or root or tuber rot. If the soil is soggy, improve drainage and reduce watering; if the entire plant yellows in fall, it may be entering dormancy.

Drooping usually indicates dry soil, heat stress, root damage, or the beginning of dormancy. Check the soil moisture and drainage first, then move a container plant away from harsh afternoon sun if the leaves remain limp.

Prevent root rot by using loose, well-drained soil and watering only when needed to maintain even moisture. Do not leave the container sitting in a saucer of standing water, and avoid planting the tuber in compacted or persistently saturated soil.

It benefits from moderate fertility during active growth, especially in sandy or nutrient-poor soil. Apply a balanced slow-release fertilizer according to the product label rather than overfertilizing, which can damage roots and encourage excessive soft growth.

Caladium 'Lance Whorton' can occasionally attract common foliage pests such as aphids, thrips, mealybugs, and spider mites. Inspect leaf undersides regularly and treat infestations promptly with a suitable labeled product or water spray.

Plant it outdoors after the danger of frost has passed and the soil has warmed to at least 65°F. Cold, wet soil delays sprouting and increases the risk of tuber rot.

Plant the tubers about 1–1½ inches below the soil surface in loose, well-drained soil. Set the growing eyes upward if they are visible, then water thoroughly without keeping the bed saturated.

Space tubers or plants about 12–18 inches apart for a full display, adjusting slightly for tuber size and the desired density. Closer spacing fills a bed faster but increases competition for water and nutrients.

Use fertile, loose, well-drained loam enriched with organic matter. The ideal soil holds moisture without becoming waterlogged, because both drought and saturated conditions can reduce foliage quality.

Propagate Caladium 'Lance Whorton' primarily by planting its tubers or carefully dividing mature tubers. Each division must retain at least one healthy growing eye, and cut surfaces should be allowed to dry briefly before planting to reduce rot risk.

No, ordinary leaf cuttings are not a reliable way to propagate Caladium 'Lance Whorton'. New plants are normally produced from tubers or tuber divisions, while seed does not reliably reproduce the named cultivar.

You may remove the small, inconspicuous flowers if you want the plant to devote more energy to foliage, but it is not essential. This cultivar is valued for its leaves rather than showy blooms.

Before frost, gradually reduce watering as the foliage yellows, then lift the tubers after the leaves die back. Clean off loose soil, dry them in a warm, shaded, ventilated place for about 7–10 days, and store them in dry peat moss or vermiculite at approximately 50–60°F.

You can bring a container-grown plant indoors before cold weather, but it may still enter dormancy and lose its leaves. Keep the tuber warm and barely moist during dormancy, then resume brighter light and regular watering when new growth appears.

Yes, Caladium 'Lance Whorton' is toxic if chewed or swallowed because it contains insoluble calcium oxalate crystals. Keep the plant and tubers away from children, and seek medical or poison-control guidance after ingestion.

Yes, it is toxic to cats and dogs if chewed because Caladium tissues contain insoluble calcium oxalates. Place it where pets cannot reach it and contact a veterinarian promptly if a pet eats any part of the plant.

The sap may cause irritation, so wear gloves when cutting, dividing, or handling damaged tubers and wash your hands afterward. Avoid touching your eyes or mouth while working with the plant.

Yes, it can produce the small spathe-and-spadix flowers typical of Caladiums, but they are usually inconspicuous and not the plant's main ornamental feature. Its colorful lance-shaped foliage is the primary reason to grow it.