The Caladium Festival

CALADIUM HISTORY

Caladiums were first grown in the Lake Placid area in the early 1940’s. The industry began to expand in the 1950’s and today consists of over 1200 acres. This acreage is owned and managed by 14 families, some of which have been producing caladiums for over 40 years. Several of the families have the third generation in the business. Caladiums are increasingly popular as landscape plants as their use is becoming more widely known. Much of the popularity is due to the bright color of the leaves, the versatility of the plant, and its simple growing requirements. They are a shade loving plant from the rainforests of the Amazon basin. The plant has no pests and does not require any insecticide treatment or fertilization. The leaves are its feature and they are odor free. Potted plants as well as cut leaves make beautiful arrangements and are long lasting with proper care.

The caladiums are grown in large fields which have been compared to the tulip fields in Holland for their beauty during the summer months.  Many visitors have stated that the drive by the fields is worth the trip to Lake Placid. The patchwork of color of over 40 varieties of red, white, and pink, and all combinations of the colors is truly a handiwork of art.

Learn more about how the Caladium Festival began…