Croton

Croton (Codiaeum variegatum) originates from South East Asia. There, it grows in tropical forests as a colorful bush belonging to the Euphorbiaceae family. As with other Euphorbiaceae, its plant parts contain a white, milky sap which is slightly poisonous and therefore irritates mucous membranes.

Croton is an evergreen and upright growing shrub which can grow up to seven feet tall over time.

Different shaped and colored leaves are characteristic of croton: narrow or wide, full margined or lobed, the leathery, shiny foliage has a wide color pallet - from yellow to green, orange, orange-red and purple. Depending on the variety, Croton can also have flecks or sprinkles of color on its leaves.

The greenish-white, inconspicuous flowers are arranged in long clusters and grow from the top leaf axils. However, they only rarely appear on plants which are cultivated indoors.

The colorful leaves of Crotons require a humid location in the house and lots of light, but not direct sunlight as otherwise the colors fade. It is essential to avoid drafty locations, cold feet and room temperatures below 64 degrees Fahrenheit. Otherwise, it will drop its leaves and the lower trunk area will become bare. During the resting phase in winter, a spot with temperatures around 61 degrees Fahrenheit is sufficient.

Standard commercial potting soil is a suitable substrate. A layer of gravel in the pot as drainage ensures that water can run off.

Give Crotons plenty of water in summer in particular and ensure the air is humid. It’s best to spray the leaves daily with water and frequently wipe them with damp cloth. Waterlogging and water in the flower pot saucer should be avoided, otherwise the roots will rot. Crotons are also suitable candidates for hydroponics.

In the summer time, Crotons can be given a low dose of standard liquid fertilizer once a week, diluted in its water. During the winter months, fertilizing in a three to four week tact is sufficient.

Crotons can be repotted into a new plant pot every two years. The best times for this are spring and summer.

It is not necessary to prune a Croton.

Varieties belonging to pictum (Croton variegatum var. pictum) vary in leaf shape and color. Commercially available varieties include:

• ‘Aucubafolia’ has shiny leaves wtih yellow dots;
• ‘Norma’ has leaves which are visually similar to oak foliage, but with red veins;
• ‘Van Ostensee’ has extremely narrow, yellowish-green sprinkled leaves.

Crotons can be propagated with head cuttings head cuttings. These can be cut from January to March. Important: It requires soil temperature of around 86 degrees Fahrenheit and a highly level of humidity in order to take root. It can also be propagated through layering.

If the cultivation temperature is too cool, this can lead to the croton dropping its leaves and becoming susceptible to spider mites and thunder bugs.