When you opine of decorative vacation flora , you might bribe traditional Christmas star . But have you ever count a caladium at Christmas ?
University of Florida scientists desire to add caladium , known for their beautiful foliation , as an option for seasonal occasions .
That ’s medicine to Bob Hartman ’s ears . Hartman runs Classic Caladiums LLC , a greenhouse in Avon Park , and he ’s excited about the opportunity to grow and trade caladium during the holidays . Hartman has draft the aid of UF / IFAS plant breeder Zhanao Deng to research caladium bulb storage .
“ For the retiring 23 years , we ’ve done everything we can think of to expand the function of caladiums , ” Hartman say . “ To this end , an area we considered was to attempt a seasonal / holiday market — Thanksgiving , Christmas , and Valentine ’s Clarence Day — with caladiums and to cater Southern Hemisphere securities industry . ”
Right now , Florida caladium agriculturist send their bulbs and plant to all portion of Florida , across the United States , and to about 40 nation globally . In the United States , caladium go chiefly to the Gulf Coast and mid - Atlantic states and California . Across the world , they go primarily to Canada , Europe , and Japan .
But Florida agriculturalist need to explore markets in Southern Hemisphere commonwealth such as Brazil , South Africa , and Australia , say Deng , a UF / IFAS professor of environmental gardening . Among his many specialties , Deng developed new caladium form .
“ To produce beautiful caladium plant for wintertime holidays , growers and nurseries must have quality caladium bulbs to plant from October through December , ” said Deng , a faculty member at the UF / IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center .
To capture these new opportunities , caladium bulbs postulate to be hive away for about 11 months after they ’re harvest , with minimal weighting red and rot and overall good wellness . They also must bring forth attractive plants in container . This foresightful storage period acquaint a challenge for Florida growers .
“ Florida raiser store their caladium light bulb in their barns or storage warehouse with minimal temperature controller , ” Deng pronounce . “ In the summer , temperature in those facility can go up above 90 degree , which dry out up caladium electric light and limits their postharvest living . ”
To identify varieties desirable for longer - term storage and previous - season plant output , Deng and his inquiry squad are screening 12 commercial cultivar in a glasshouse , let in ‘ Florida Moonlight ’ and ‘ Radiance . ’
It ’s still ahead of time in the research . Scientists are still experimenting to see which caladium potpourri will be marketable for the tardy pin and winter seasons .
to boot , Steven Sargent , a UF / IFAS prof of horticultural sciences , and his research squad are store motley of caladium bulb for up to eight calendar month under commercial , ambient temperatures and under two refrigerated temperatures at the UF Postharvest Horticulture Laboratory in Gainesville .
They ’re assessing bulb exercising weight loss and incidences and rigour of Fusarium tuber rot prior to planting in potentiometer . Then Deng ’s squad studies how long it direct for the bulbs to spud and the quality of the plant produce from these medulla oblongata .
The quick storage temperature at the nursery line to those at the Gulf Coast REC , where scientists store caladium bulbs cover with three postharvest chemical in an air - condition storage room at about 70 degree Fahrenheit and 70 percent comparative humidness prior to produce them out in pots in the greenhouse .
“ Selection of proper caladium cultivar will admit Florida growers to take vantage of these novel marketing chance and give consumer another choice for a holiday plant life , ” Deng said .
Classic Caladiums LLC donated the bulbs for this research labor , which is funded by a Specialty Crop Block Ulysses Simpson Grant from the USDA and dispense through the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services .
Source : ifas.ufl.edu
