All You Need To Know About Caladium Sweetheart

Caladium Sweetheart is a charming tropical plant that is prized for its stunning foliage and color. Being a ‘plant and forget’ houseplant, it’s generally easy to maintain this pink and green caladium variety.

However, like all plants, Caladium Sweetheart requires proper and more specific growing conditions to thrive and stay healthy. We’ll explore some of the essential tips and tricks for you to know to keep this plant looking best all year round.

Basic Caladium Sweetheart Pink Information

Common Name(s): Sweetheart Caladium, Sweetheart Pink Caladium

Scientific Name: Caladium ‘Sweetheart’

Plant Family: Araceae

Country of Origin: Southern America

Natural Habitat: Tropical and subtropical regions

Size: Approximately 15 to 24 inches (38 to 60 centimeters) high and wide

Toxicity Level: Mildly toxic only if large quantities are eaten

Color(s): Pale pink, rosy pink, flamingo pink, magenta, bright green, dark green

Flower Shape: Tiny, arum-like flowers but seldom blooming

Is Caladium Sweetheart A Rare Cultivar?

Caladium Sweetheart Pink is not considered a rare cultivar, however, most of the time its popularity makes it difficult to find this plant in nurseries, garden centers, and online plant stores.

Foliage and Blooms Appearance

Identical to most caladium varieties, Caladium Sweetheart is favored for their vivid foliage instead of their blooms. This plant features ruffled heart-shaped foliage that is slightly roundish, with a rosy, pale, or flamingo pink base and prominent magenta veins.

The outer part of this variety can be either dark or bright green. Although producing arum-like flowers with white spathe and pale greenish-yellow spadix, you’d likely not find them blooming and that’s completely normal.

Size and Growth

The Sweet Heart Caladium is part of small to medium-sized houseplants that typically grows and spreads to about 24 inches (60 centimeters). Known as a rather slow-growing plant, the growth of Caladium Sweetheart can be affected by many factors that can be caused by the environment itself or by human error. With proper maintenance, Caladium Sweetheart can be grown as an annual or perennial.

Is the Sweet Heart Caladium Odor-free and Allergen-friendly?

Yes, Caladium Sweetheart is fragrance-free and does not have a distinct scent. While Caladium varieties are not known to be an allergic plants, this plant could still trigger allergic reactions in some people as they contain toxic chemical compounds.

Is Caladium Sweetheart and Florida Pink the Same Plant?

Strikingly almost identical in terms of look, Caladium Sweetheart and Florida Pink are not the same variety. Caladium Florida Pink features more elongated and pointed ruffled wing-shaped foliage. The green edges of this plant are also more notable than the ones in Caladium Sweetheart. Nonetheless, these two are equally breathtaking!

How Toxic Is Caladium Sweetheart? 

Caladium Sweetheart is considered a mildly toxic houseplant, moreover if large quantities are eaten. Like all aroids, this pink and dark green caladium variety contains toxic chemical compounds known as calcium oxalate crystals. It’s best to keep the plant out of reach of pets and children. To minimize your from getting poisoning, make sure to protect your hands and clothes, and directly wash after and before touching the plant. 

Can You Grow Caladium Sweetheart Pink Indoors?

The compact size and attractive visual of Caladium Sweetheart make them favored not only as outdoor but also as indoor houseplants. Whether it’s indoors or outdoors, ensure to provide the plant with proper growing conditions for optimum lush and healthy thriving.

The Complete Caladium Sweetheart Care Guide

Light

Sweet Heart Caladium is a ‘shy’ houseplant. They prefer bathing under bright but indirect sunlight over direct light as it can be harsh and scorch their delicate leaves.

However, if the plant is kept too long in a lower light environment, the foliage may lose its bright pink color and revert to green. When grown indoors, a north or east-facing window is the ideal location for the plant, as it receives the right amount of indirect light without being too warm.

Watering

Caladium Sweetheart loves consistent watering to keep their soil moist, but this plant is not a fan of overwatering and being soaky. A general trick to water this plant is when the few inches of the topsoil feels dry when touched, then you’re safe to go. During winter or low growing season, decrease the amount of watering but you still need to monitor the soil moisture levels. Never let the soil of Caladium Sweetheart completely dry out.

Temperature and Humidity

Warm and humid areas are what the Caladium Sweetheart adores the most. The ideal temperature range for this plant is between 65°F to 85°F (18°C to 29°C). They tolerate temperatures as low as 60°F (15°C) but never go down below the minimum line. 

Along with a warm environment, Caladium Sweetheart also loves high humidity, where a minimum 50% to 80% humidity level is what they need to grow. In drier areas, increase the humidity by regularly misting the foliage, placing a tray of pebbles filled with water near the plant, or simply moving the caladium to a more humid room.

Soil

The soil requirements for Caladium Sweetheart are pretty much simple. They need well-draining, slightly acidic soil that is high in organic matter. You can use a high-quality aroid potting mix that contains a balanced combination of perlite, coco peat, and some handful of manure or worm castings. Avoid using clay soil as this type of soil holds too much water and moisture and can lead to root rot.

Fertilizing

When it comes to fertilizing, the best time to feed the Caladium Sweetheart fertilizer is during its active growth phase, which is from early spring to its peak during summer. Choose water-soluble fertilizers with equal amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.

Fertilize every two to four weeks during this growing season and do not over-fertilizing. Add high organic matter such as manure, natural-based compost, crushed eggshells, or coffee ground to help improve the soil’s fertility and maintain its structure.

Propagation

The propagation process of Caladium Sweetheart is not complicated, as it can be done through tuber division and stem cuttings, which are the two most recommended methods. To propagate using the tubers, first, you need to separate the plant into smaller sections, making sure each has its roots and stems. Replant each section in its pot. This process can typically be done when the Caladium Sweetheart is actively growing.

To propagate using stem cuttings, select a healthy and disease-free stem and cut it into sections that are at least 3 inches (7.5 centimeters) long. Ensure each stem has one foliage and a node, as this is where the new roots will emerge. Place the cuttings in their planter that is filled with high organic matter soil, and maintain as usual. If done right, you can expect new roots to develop in about two to four weeks. 

Repotting and Pruning

Although not a fast-growing foliage plant, Caladium Sweetheart still takes benefits from regular annual repotting to allow new roots to grow. Depending on the pot they’re growing in, you’d likely need to repot the Sweetheart Caladium to about once or twice a year.

For pruning, it doesn’t necessarily have to be done, but Caladium Sweetheart can take advantage of this pruning session to remove any dead or damaged leaves along with promoting new growth. Avoid cutting back more than one-third part of the plant.

Common Pests and Diseases

If not thrived under the proper growing conditions, Caladium Sweetheart is susceptible to problems such as pests and diseases. Tiny pests such as mealybugs, spider mites, scales, and aphids can cause symptoms like yellowing or browning leaves, discolored leaves, stunted growth, wilting leaves, to brown spots. 

However, these symptoms might also be the result of human error (e.g. under or overwatering, improper light), so it’s best to make sure which likely would be the cause of the problem. Fortunately, these problems are very treatable by using insecticidal soap, neem oil, or horticultural oil, although the best you can do is to ensure it matches all the proper growing environments the Caladium Sweetheart needs.

Wrapping Up

Caladium Sweetheart is a pink and green caladium variety that is not just about beauty, as this plant also offers a low-maintenance regime option for plant enthusiasts with any experience. Requiring only bright but indirect sun, consistent moisture, well-draining soil, and warm temperate, Caladium Sweetheart is surely a rewarding addition to any landscape!