A new and distinct cultivar of Caladium plant named ‘SCH OF16-414’, characterized by its upright plant habit and intermediate to tall in height; dense, leafy and bushy appearance; vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate; fancy-type leaves that are greyed yellowish green in color with red-colored venation and dark green-colored margins; and petioles that are tannish pink in color with dense greenish brown-colored streaks, stippling and tessellations.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Caladium plant, botanically known as Caladium X hortulanum, commercially referred to as a fancy leaf-type Caladium and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘SCH OF16-414’.

The objective of the Inventor's breeding program is to create new Caladium plants that have uniform plant habit, exceptional container and garden performance and attractive and unique leaf coloration.

The new Caladium plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in April 2015 in Avon Park, Florida of Caladium X hortulanum ‘Frieda Hemple’, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with Caladium X hortulanum ‘Southern Charm’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 27,942, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Caladium plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled outdoor nursery environment in Avon Park, Florida in September, 2016.

Asexual reproduction of the new Caladium plant by “chipping” the tubers (cutting the tuber into segments with each segment containing an axillary bud and tuber cortical tissue) in a controlled outdoor nursery environment in Zolfo Springs, Florida since April, 2017 has shown that the unique features of this new Caladium plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘SCH OF16-414’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘SCH OF16-414’ as a new and distinct Caladium plant:

Plants of the new Caladium differ primarily from plants of the female parent, ‘Frieda Hemple’, in the following characteristics:

2. Leaves of plants of the new Caladium are larger than leaves of plants of ‘Frieda Hemple’.

Plants of the new Caladium differ primarily from plants of the male parent, ‘Southern Charm’, in the following characteristics:

Plants of the new Caladium can be compared to plants of Caladium X hortulanum ‘White Queen’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Caladium differ primarily from plants of ‘White Queen’ in the following characteristics:

Plants of the new Caladium can also be compared to plants of Caladium X hortulanum ‘Summer Breeze’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 25,420. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Caladium differ primarily from plants of ‘Summer Breeze’ in the following characteristics:

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in 15-cm containers in a polypropylene-covered shade house (30% light reduction) in Avon Park, Florida and plants grown in ground beds under full sunlight conditions in an outdoor nursery in Crewsville, Florida. The plants were grown under cultural practices typical of commercial shade house and outdoor nursery production. During the production of the shade house-grown plants, day temperatures ranged from about 28° C. to 33° C., night temperatures ranged from about 22° C. to 25° C. and light levels were about 1,300 μmol. During the production of the outdoor nursery-grown plants, day temperatures ranged from about 29° C. to 35° C., night temperatures ranged from about 23° C. to 26° C. and full sunlight conditions. Plants grown in the shade house were five to six weeks old and plants grown in the outdoor nursery were seven months old when the photographs and the detailed description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 and 2015 Editions, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.