Jeepers Creepers Foamflower - Hardy Caladium Like
Sometimes when there is a plant I really like that doesn’t work in my area, its easier to find a suitable substitute than to try growing said plant only to have it fail time and time again. That is the case with Caladiums in my case. While they will grow just fine in the summer here in Zone 7, they will not survive the winter and I hate digging stuff up.
Jeepers Creepers
Enter the Jeepers Creepers Foamflower ( Tiarella ‘Jeepers Creepers’). While this foliage plant does not have the same exact shape, it does have similar colors to some Caladiums. So I find it to be a quite nice substitute that has many of the colors that I was looking for. The great thing about the Jeepers Creepers, is that it is hardy from zones 4-9. Interestingly enough, it requires many of the same growing conditions such as shade to partial shade as well as requiring moist humus rich soil. Another nice thing about it is that unlike other Tiarella, this one is not invasive. Rather, it has a slow creeping habit so it spreads slowly and can easily be contained. The plant grows to 6″-8″ with a spread of 12″-15″ and as an added bonus, you get white star shaped flowers in early spring. If you think Jeepers Creepers is for you, Click Here for more information on this plant.
In conclusion, while there are many plants that you may want and can’t have, there are many substitutes that you can find that will work just fine in your area and still give you the same general feel of the original.