Araceae

Heart of Jesus

Caladium bicolor (Aiton) Vent.

Family: Araceae
Genus: Caladium

Pets and kids

CatsToxic
DogsToxic
KidsToxic

Why

Cats: Toxic

Toxic to cats (moderate). Toxic principle: insoluble calcium oxalates.

Signs: oral irritation, mouth swelling, excessive drooling, vomiting, difficulty swallowing.

Caladium bicolor - North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox University or extension

Dogs: Toxic

Toxic to dogs (moderate). Toxic principle: insoluble calcium oxalates.

Signs: oral irritation, mouth swelling, excessive drooling, vomiting, difficulty swallowing.

Caladium bicolor - North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox University or extension

Kids: Toxic

Toxic to young children (moderate). Toxic principle: calcium oxalate crystals.

Signs: oral burning, lip swelling, tongue swelling, vomiting, diarrhea.

Caladium bicolor - North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox University or extension

Heart of Jesus (Caladium bicolor) — FlowerPhoto: Diogo Luiz, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist

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Is Heart of Jesus safe for cats, dogs and kids?

Is Heart of Jesus safe for cats?

No. Our sources call Heart of Jesus toxic to cats (moderate). Toxic principle: insoluble calcium oxalates. Signs: oral irritation, mouth swelling, excessive drooling, vomiting, difficulty swallowing.

Caladium bicolor - North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox University or extension

Is Heart of Jesus safe for dogs?

No. Our sources call Heart of Jesus toxic to dogs (moderate). Toxic principle: insoluble calcium oxalates. Signs: oral irritation, mouth swelling, excessive drooling, vomiting, difficulty swallowing.

Caladium bicolor - North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox University or extension

Is Heart of Jesus safe for kids?

No. Our sources call Heart of Jesus toxic to young children (moderate). Toxic principle: calcium oxalate crystals. Signs: oral burning, lip swelling, tongue swelling, vomiting, diarrhea.

Caladium bicolor - North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox University or extension

Ate some? Call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 (a fee may apply). For a child, call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 (US). If they are struggling to breathe or collapse, call 911. Don't give anything by mouth unless a vet or poison expert tells you to.

See all cat-safe plants, dog-safe plants and child-safe plants.

Common names

By language (12)

Arabic: كلاديون ثنائي اللون
Catalan: Papagai
Chinese: 五彩芋, 花叶芋, 花葉芋, 红水芋
Dutch: Tinhorão
English: Heart of Jesus
Japanese: ニシキイモ, カラジウム
Malay: Keladi merah, Keladi hias, Keladi hiasan
Polish: Kaladium dwubarwne
Portuguese: Tinhorão
Spanish: Kaladium dwubarwne
Swedish: Kaladium
Thai: บอนสี

Synonyms

Alocasia rex N.E.Br.
Alocasia roezlii N.E.Br.
Arum bicolor Aiton
Arum pellucidum Fulchir ex Kunth
Arum pulchrum Salisb.
Arum vermitoxicum Vell.
Arum vermitoxicum Vell. ex Kunth
Caladium albicans Stange
Caladium albopunctatissimum Jacob-Makoy ex H.Karst.
Caladium amabile Verschaff.
Caladium amoenum Engl.
Caladium appunianum Engl.
Caladium argyrospilum Lem.
Caladium auritum Jacob-Makoy
Caladium baraquini Hérincq
Caladium baraquinii W.Bull ex J.Dix
Caladium barilletii Anon.
Caladium barraquinii Hérincq
Caladium barraquinii Lem.
Caladium bicolor f. argyrospilum (Lem.) Engl.
Caladium bicolor f. argyrospilum (Lem.) Vent.
Caladium bicolor f. barraquinii (Hérincq) Engl.
Caladium bicolor f. brongniartii (Lem.) Engl.
Caladium bicolor f. brongniartii (Lem.) Vent.
Caladium bicolor f. chantinii (Lem.) Engl.
Caladium bicolor f. chantinii (Lem.) Vent.
Caladium bicolor f. devosianum (Lem.) Engl.
Caladium bicolor f. devosianum (Lem.) Vent.
Caladium bicolor f. haematostigma (Kunth) Engl.
Caladium bicolor f. macrophyllum (Lem.) Engl.
Caladium bicolor f. macrophyllum (Lem.) Vent.
Caladium bicolor f. mirabile (Lem.) Engl.
Caladium bicolor f. mirabile (Lem.) Vent.
Caladium bicolor f. neumannii (Lem.) Engl.
Caladium bicolor f. neumannii (Lem.) Vent.
Caladium bicolor f. perrieri (Lem.) Engl.
Caladium bicolor f. perrieri (Lem.) Vent.
Caladium bicolor f. punctatissumum Stange
Caladium bicolor f. regale (Lem.) Engl.
Caladium bicolor f. regale (Lem.) Vent.

and 138 more.

Flowers

In flower: February, April to June, October to November (from 33 flowering iNaturalist observations worldwide)

Characteristics

Growth habit: Forb/herb
Lifespan: Perennial
In the US and Canada: Lower 48 states: introduced, Pacific Basin: introduced, Puerto Rico: introduced, U.S. Virgin Islands: introduced

Photos

FlowerPhoto: Diogo Luiz, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: Greg III Espera, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: Joan Simon from Barcelona, España, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: jsudre, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF
Photo: Helio Lourencini, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: Joan Simon from Barcelona, España, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: LAYS RODRIGUES SILVA SANTOS, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF
Photo: Helio Lourencini, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Fernando Junior, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF
Photo: Helio Lourencini, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: Wee Hong, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons

More in Caladium

Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.