Shade-Loving Plants to Place near Caladiums

Caladiums are made in the shade!  And while they shine the brightest in many shade gardens, that doesn’t mean that they don’t play well with others.  In fact, with the proper pairings, you can make every plant in your shady areas look their best while still showcasing the beauty and variety of your star caladiums. 

Here are some suggestions of shade garden plant pairings for your caladiums:

• Ferns
  Ferns thrive in shade and their lacy, graceful fronds pair beautifully with the bold, heart-shaped leaves of caladiums. Varieties like tassel fern, autumn fern, and Japanese painted fern complement caladiums nicely.
  
• Begonias
  For flowers, wax begonias and tuberous begonias add continuous color. The bronze-leaved begonias also make a striking combo with caladiums.
  
• Hostas
  The wide range of hosta varieties means you can find both solid colored and variegated types to pair with your caladiums. Go for ones with contrasting leaf shapes.
  
• Astilbes
  The feathery, plume-like blooms of astilbes look graceful with caladium's bold foliage. Try white, pink, or red varieties.
  
• Heucheras
  Also called coral bells, the colorful leaves of heucheras stand out against caladiums. Look for purple-leaved ones for contrast.
  

Choose a few companions that complement your caladium colors and combine different textures and leaf shapes for visual interest. This will give you a beautiful, diverse shade garden you can be proud of for months to come.