This easy - tutelage houseplant tot slew of color to any outer space through its leafage .
Croton , a perennial with woody stems and roots , features leathered , suave - butt on , oval- or lance - influence leaves in bright vividness . These colors are often combined in figure regard mottle and foray , and sometimes , the semblance alteration as the plant life years . Native to Malaysia , the Pacific Islands , and northern Australia , crotons are most oftengrown as houseplantsbut can be brought outdoors for the summertime . In warm climates , croton can also be imbed in the landscape painting to be bask year - round .
All parts of the plant life are toxic to humans and PET .
Credit: Denny Schrock
Where to Plant Croton
If your winter are mild enough to plant croton in the landscape , you could grow it outdoors . Croton needs sun but does not do well in the scorch Dominicus , so choose a placement with fond or mottled nuance . Make certain the soil ply excellent drainage and has a pH between 4.5 and 6.5 .
individual specimens add a splashing of coloration to the back of aperennial flowerbed . A crease of croton planted alongside a walkway , drive , or pool piddle an attractive , pollyannaish hedge or roadblock . As the industrial plant likes dappled shadowiness , you may also set Codiaeum variegatum in groups below a decoration tree .
How and When to Plant Croton
Croton can be planted as a houseplant at any time of the yr . To allow for development , select a container about one - third larger than the flora ’s root ball . sate one - third of the corporation with potting commixture , then place the plant in the pot and backfill with potting mixture to about one inch below the brim .
leaping is the best sentence to engraft croton in the landscape painting . After carefully selecting the site to verify the soil hasexcellent drain , dig out a hole at least twice as declamatory as the root ballock . Backfill the hole with original soil and mulch around the base of the plant , which keep the soil moist and weeds out .
Whether it ’s a container plant life or an outdoor shrub , water it slowly and thoroughly after planting .
Credit: Denny Schrock
Croton Care Tips
Light
Indoors , witness a gay window for the plant . While croton can put up medium lightness , bright light is necessary to fetch out the most intense and vibrant colors . In too much nuance , the color can become moisten out and muted , and the plant ’s leaves will become much greener .
If you are planting a croton alfresco , select aspot with dappled light . Too much direct sunshine can cause leaf burning and scorching , particularly on the lighter - color variety .
Soil and Water
Crotons enjoy being kept evenly moist during summer but involve shorten watering during winter . Choose a well - drain potting mixture , anddo not overwaterthe plants , as that can take to root bunk . Let the top 2 inches of filth juiceless out somewhat between waterings .
Temperature and Humidity
Crotons appreciatehigher humidness , so if grown in a dry environment , stress localize the can on a bed of pebble with pee just below the top of the rocks to increase humidness around the plants .
Keep in mind that crotons are from tropic climate and will not tolerate cold temperatures . It is best to keep them above 60 degrees at all times ; any ice chest than that , they will start losing leave .
Fertilizer
During the growing time of year in the spring and summertime , feed your potted crotons with either deadening - release pellets or fluid fertilizer every two weeks . In the wintertime , when the plant life growth slows down , feeding the plant about once a calendar month is sufficient .
Croton in the landscape painting only demand occasional fertilization in the fountain and summertime .
Pruning
Croton plants only take episodic pruning to cut back the works when it is getting too grandiloquent , or to take away bare stem . reduce the stem back at the desired height encourages new growth . you may also snip off the growing hint of the stems to encourage bushy growth .
Potting and Repotting Croton
Crotons willneed to be repotted occasionallywhen they outgrow their can . select just one pot size of it larger than the current pot and fill it with well - draining potting mix .
Pests and Problems
Overwatering or piteous drain can lead to theme rot . Another problem with too - wet soil isfungus gnats , tiny flies that infest the potting mix .
How to Propagate Croton
Croton is well-heeled to propagate from stem thinning . Wearing gloves , trim a stem 3 to 4 column inch long with 3 to 5 leave-taking . Dip the mown end of the clipping in root hormone gunpowder and insert the cutting in a 4 - inch pot occupy with damp potting mix . Keep it damp but not sluggish . Roots should form in about one calendar month at a temperature between 70 and 80 degrees F. Wait until you see some vigorous vegetative growth before transplanting the cutting to a large container .
Types of Croton
You ’ll find a kaleidoscope ofcolorful leaveson a croton plant , include yellowness , pink , oranges , bronzes , loss , purpleness , and greens . While most plant may have a simple motley leaf with a clean edge of ointment or gold , crotons go all out . The variegation total in an endless variety of figure . The most common is a croton folio boasting brilliantly color vein and margins , the majority of which is deep green . Other type boast spotting or speckled foliage with a green backdrop ; others develop farewell that go forth one brilliant colour and fade as they age .
‘Petra’ croton
This selection ofCodiaeumis one of the most common motley of croton . It has big leafage with veins in reds , oranges , and yellows .
‘Gold Dust’ croton
Codiaeum ' Gold Dust ' is a smaller - leaf variety show with bass - unripe leaves squelch with specks of gold on well - branched plants .
‘Andrew’ croton
This mixture ofCodiaeum variegatum pictumis variegated with a wavy creamy yellow banding around its leaf margin and a two - tone gray - green central leaf body .
‘Red Iceton’ croton
Codiaeum variegatum pictum’Red Iceton ' has foliage that come forth yellow or chartreuse , and bit by bit turns gold with a wash of red .
Frequently Asked Questions
All flora parts contain sticky sap that oozes out when a foliage or a stem is break or thin off . You should always wear protective glove when handling Codiaeum variegatum plant .
Most crotons have large leaves , but there are some small folio type and very narrow leaf type that can impart adorable grain to a garden .
A common intellect for croton defoliation is that that the works is overwatered or underwatered . Temperatures that are consistently below 50 level F or sudden temperature changes can also stimulate the industrial plant to leave out its leaves .
Credit: Denny Schrock
If a croton houseplant is overrun with bug , they are normally brought in with the works . The most common bugs on croton let in mealybugs , jot , scale , and thrips .
update by Nadia Hassani
" Croton . “Pet Poison Helpline .
Credit: Doug Hetherington
" Codiaeum variegatum . “North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension .
Credit: Doug Hetherington
