About Caladium bicolor (Aiton) Vent.
Caladium bicolor (Aiton) Vent., commonly called Heart of Jesus, is a species of the genus Caladium native to Latin America. It is cultivated as a houseplant, valued for its large, heart or lance-shaped leaves that have distinctive striking blotching in green, white, pink, and red. Hundreds of different cultivars of this species are available. This plant can be grown outdoors as an ornamental in areas classified as USDA Hardiness Zone 10. It is recognized as a problematic invasive species in Trinidad and Tobago, Guam, Micronesia, Palau, Hawaii, and the Philippines. Naturalized populations of the species are established across most other tropical regions of the world, including Africa, the Indian subcontinent, southeast Asia, and Malesia. C. bicolor contains calcium oxalate crystals, which make all parts of the plant poisonous to humans, livestock, and pets. Contact between the plant's sap and skin may cause skin irritation. If ingested, the plant can cause burning and swelling of the lips, mouth, and tongue, along with nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. If a pet ingests this caladium, additional symptoms beyond effects like vomiting include drooling, pawing at the mouth or face, and decreased appetite.
