Vibrant Varieties Of Croton: Unique Plants For House And Garden

Croton variegatum

We value the Croton for its vibrant varieties; each is as desirable to the house plant lover as to the gardener. In addition, its foliage is covered in rare multicolored patterns. If you like exuberant splashes of color and unusual leaf shapes, you will love the Croton. And you’ll find them cheaper than a Jackson Pollock painting!

Typical of many tropical plants, the interesting parts are the foliage; the firm and waxy leaves appear as wide ovals, lanceolate, and sometimes almost appear to be circular. See for example the long, spaghetti-like leaves of the Zanzibar variety, the circular Thai Croton, with lovely shades of pink, and the Croton Andrew with leaves topped with pastel greenish cream and dark green in the lower end. There is one for everybody!

For a full list of tropical foliage plants for house and garden try:

‘The New Tropical Gardeners Guide To Lush Foliage Plants.‘

Croton Size and General Conditions.

You will see Croton plants in sizes ranging from 2′ to 15′ depending on variety and where planted. (We see many Croton plants in our warm climate neighborhood, most are used as smaller or medium-sized shrubs.) Grow them in bright indirect light indoors and outdoors they will be happy in full to partial sun (with a minimum of five sunny hours.) Indoors or out the soil should be rich, well-draining, and moist. Use them outdoors in Zones 9-11. A tropical plant, croton will not accept freezing temperatures.

Croton plants are native to Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands, Indonesia, Malaysia, and northern Australia.

How We Got The Croton

Wikimedia Commons Images

G.E. Rumphius

A Dutch speaking German he worked as a sailor and then a civilian botanist for the company. During his assignment in the East, he produced his historic manuscript covering 1200 plant species. He succeeded despite his own shipwreck, the deaths of his wife and daughter in a hurricane, the loss of the manuscript during the sinking of the ship carrying the document, and his own blindness, all of which failed to stop his creative efforts… And we fuss about Downey Mildew!

The Croton was described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753; by the Victorian Era, they became a greenhouse favorite. In the 1920s breeding the plant was popular in North America, and by the 1950s and 1970s extensive varieties were available and traded around the world. Today if you love the Croton you can expect plenty of choice. Read this from Greenhouse Products News.

How To Use Your Croton Varieties

The Croton plant is unusually versatile, you can use it as a house plant and garden shrub if you are in zones 9-11. In colder climates, you can invite your houseplant outdoors for the summer.

Croton As Houseplants:

1. Light: Crotons thrive in bright, indirect sunlight. Place them near a window where they can get plenty of light but avoid direct sunlight which can scorch their leaves.
2. Watering: Keep the soil consistently moist but not soggy. Water when the top inch of soil feels dry to the touch.
3. Humidity: Crotons appreciate a moderate level of moisture. Regular misting can help, especially in drier climates
4. Temperature: Maintain a temperature range between 60-85°F (15-29°C). Avoid placing them in drafty areas or near heating/cooling vents.
5. Potting: Use a well-draining potting mix and choose a container that won’t easily tip over as the plant grows.

Croton As Garden Shrubs:

1. Location: Plant crotons in a spot that receives full sun to partial shade. In the hottest climates, they prefer some partial shade.
2. Soil: Ensure the soil is fertile, moist, and well-drained.
3. Watering: Keep the soil consistently moist, especially during the hottest part of the year. Ensure good drainage to prevent standing water around the roots.
4. Temperature: Crotons are hardy in zones 11-12. In cooler climates, they can be grown outdoors during the summer and brought indoors when temperatures drop.
5. Maintenance: Regularly prune to maintain shape and remove any dead or damaged leaves.

Crotons are known for their vibrant foliage and can add a splash of color to both indoor and outdoor spaces. Remember that all parts of the plant are poisonous.

Some Ideas For Using Your Croton-For House And Garden

Kokedama

Here, from the Missouri Botanical Garden, are the instructions to follow if you want to make one.

Add One Croton House Plant (Or Many) Indoors

• Provide your Croton houseplant with bright indirect light. Check your variety, some need more sun than others. If your colorful plant turns green, it needs more light.
• Keep an even level of moisture to your pots. You should need about one inch of water per week, less in winter.
• Your Croton will love humus-rich acidic soil. Use a light potting mix, not garden soil.
• Keep the temperature above 60 degrees F. and avoid drafts. Keep the humidity level at 40-80%. Leaves will drop when humidity is too low.
• We have Croton in a mixed border in the south-facing front yard in a mixed border. The plants are several years old, are regularly used for cuttings, and require little effort in a fierce South Florida sun.

Here is a discussion of growing Croton as house plants from Gardeners World.

Important Croton Plant Varieties

Here are some notable Croton varieties; these choices should give you some ideas.

Gold Dust Croton (Codiaeum variegatum ‘Gold Dust’)

Gold Dust has dark green leaves, that are spatter painted with bright yellow. It is native to the Eastern Pacific Islands, Indonesia, and Southern Asia. 

The Gold Dust Croton requires rich, moist, well-draining soil. Keep it moist by watering it once the top inch has dried. Choose a spot with access to bright, indirect light for at least 4 hours per day. Humidity is important and should be no lower than 40%.

Mammy Croton (Codiaeum variegatum ‘Mammy’)

Mammy Croton (Codiaeum variegatum ‘Mammy’ – also called ‘Mamey’) It features long, narrow leaves that often curl or twist as it grows, giving it a charming textural air. Its dark green foliage is variegated in red, yellow, orange, and purple — sometimes so much so the new growth hardly shows any green. It can grow 6 feet tall and wide. Here is a fact sheet from the Port St Lucie Botanical Garden

Magnificent Croton (Codiaeum variegatum ‘Magnificent’) features oval green leaves splashed with shades of soft yellow, pink, peach, and orange. Outdoors, this variety prefers some afternoon shade, especially in hot-summer areas. Indoors it does best in high light, like all crotons. It can grow 6 feet tall and wide.

Mother And Daughter (Codiaeum variegatum ‘Mother and Daughter)

Mother and Daughter Croton is noted for its leaf paring in which each long and narrow leaf has a tiny leaf attached. The Croton (Codiaeum variegatum ‘Mother and Daughter’) is an unusual plant with long, narrow leaves that look like they have tiny baby leaves dangling off the tips. The leaves are green with yellow and red markings, and they have thick, leathery leaves that have a shiny surface and grow in a wide variety of colors.

Oakleaf Croton (Codiaeum variegatum ‘Oakleaf’)

Oakleaf Croton (Codiaeum variegatum ‘Oakleaf’) earned its common name because its oval leaves are somewhat lobed, like an oak tree’s. The dark green leaves have a similar variegation pattern to ‘Petra’, showing off red, orange, and yellow veins. It can reach 8 feet tall and wide when grown outdoors. 

Croton Petra (Codiaeum variegatum ‘Petra’)

Croton Petra (Codiaeum variegatum ‘Petra’) is the one we see the most. It shows large, oval green leaves veined and is shaded with bright yellow, rich orange, and deep red. Indoors, over time and with good care, this variety can grow 5 feet tall and wide or so. Outdoors as a shrub, ‘Petra’ can grow about 8 feet tall and 6 feet wide. 

Sunny Star Croton (Codiaeum variegatum ‘Sunny Star’)

Sunny Star Croton (Codiaeum variegatum ‘Sunny Star’) is a smaller selection. It features lance-shaped green leaves speckled and splashed with bright golden yellow. Outdoors as a landscape shrub, it can grow 5 feet tall and wide. Indoors or out, it loves sunlight, as a house plant keep it close to a sunny window.

Thai Croton

Thai Croton often used as houseplants have a unique set of charming shapes and interesting colors, that make them a conversation piece.

Zanzibar

Zanzibar has long narrow leaves and colors in green, red, purple, orange, and yellow. It will set off other plants with larger leaves and add interest to your plant groupings.

This company sells Croton in India, and have published this list of unique varieties, I don’t know where the plants are available but the list with good photos is useful. Notice the pink variety, Icetone.

Are You A Pink Person Like Me?

I love Croton plants. In South Florida, where we garden in Zone 10, we use them in borders where they stay healthy and robust for years. They thrive in our extreme climate which is mild and dry for half the year and hot and wet for the other half. Having Croton in the garden gives us free time for the fussy plants.

However, they come in very bright colors. If your taste runs to pinks and pastels the Croton can accommodate your needs. These plants are still bright but a little cooler and you will not give up the splashy designs.

• Mrs Iceton
• Magnificent
• Mother and Daughter-sometimes has pink mixed with green and yellow.
• Picasso’s Paintbrush-pink, with green, yellow and red.
• Red Corkscrew-twisted leaves with pink, yellow, green and orange.

Croton Care Indoors And Out

Crotons in the Garden

• The Best Climate: Croton loves warm and humid climates their peak hardiness zones are 10-12 where there is no risk of frost. However many Central Florida gardeners in Zone 9 are successful.

• Light: They prefer full to partial sunlight. Bright light helps maintain their vivid leaf colors.
• Soil: The best soil is well-drained, moist, and slightly acidic, with a pH range of 5.5 to 6.5. However, our South Florida soil is alkaline and it grows well.
• Care: Regular watering is required, especially during hot weather. Ensure the soil remains moist but never waterlogged.

Crotons In The House

• Light: Indoors, Crotons need bright, indirect light. Insufficient light can cause the leaves to turn green.
• Temperature and Humidity: Keep the room temperature above 60°F and maintain humidity levels between 40-80%. Using a humidifier or misting the plant can help maintain the required humidity.
• Watering: Water the plant regularly, keeping the soil evenly moist. Reduce watering in winter.
• Air Purification: Crotons are said to have air-purifying abilities, helping to remove toxins from the air.

Moving Your Potted Plants Between The House And Garden

When we were temperate climate gardeners we grew tropical plants indoors and we enjoyed some of them outdoors in the garden in summer. Croton is the perfect plant for this application. The key to success in doing this every year is to allow enough planning time to prepare the plants for this sometimes stressful transition. More and more I see northern gardeners creating a little tropical oasis in their summertime gardens. How to Acclimate Plants Between The Garden And Indoors may help you schedule the steps.

Croton Maintenance Issues

• To fertilize your Croton plants, you can use liquid fertilizer in alternate months for the entire growing season. Alternately you can use a slow-release pellet.
• To prune your Croton, cut it to maintain the shape you desire and remove damaged branches. Cut each stem cleanly and cut only a maximum of one-third the size of the plant.
• A note on toxicity, members of the Euphorbiaceae family of plants have a free-flowing sap with toxic properties. You may notice irritation.

How To Prune Your Croton

• Wear Gloves, the Croton as a member of the Euphorbiaceae family has a milky sap that can irritate your skin.
• Use hand clippers when possible. You will want to avoid cutting through the leaves on larger outdoor plants.
• Cut the taller branches just above a node. The node has the most growth hormone and you will be helping the branch regrow.
• Use sharp blades that have been cleaned and disinfected.
• How to Disinfect Your Garden Tools For Healthy Plants.

Pests And Diseases Of Croton

Croton plants can attract pests and diseases. Here are some common ones to watch out for:

Pests:

1. Aphids: These small, soft-bodied insects suck sap from the plant, causing leaves to curl and yellow.
2. Fungus Gnats: These pests are attracted to moist soil and can damage roots.
3. Spider Mites: Tiny, spider-like pests that cause stippling and discoloration on leaves.
4. Scale: These insects appear as small, brown bumps on stems and leaves, sucking sap and weakening the plant.
5. Mealybugs: White, cotton-like pests that feed on plant sap, causing stunted growth.
6. Thrips: Small, slender insects that can cause silvery streaks and deformities on leaves.

Diseases:

1. Powdery Mildew: A fungal disease that appears as a white or grayish powder on leaves. It thrives in warm, humid conditions.
2. Leaf Spot: Caused by fungal infections, it appears as small, circular brown or black spots with yellow halos.
3. Root Rot: A fungal disease often caused by overwatering, leading to mushy and decayed roots².
4. Bacterial Leaf Blight: Causes irregularly shaped brown spots with yellow halos on leaves, leading to premature leaf drop.

Prevention and Treatment:

• Regular Inspection: Check your plants frequently for signs of pests or disease.
• Proper Watering: Avoid overwatering and ensure good drainage to prevent root rot.
• Good Air Circulation: Helps prevent fungal diseases like powdery mildew.
• Prompt Treatment: Use appropriate insecticidal or fungicidal sprays as needed, and remove affected leaves to prevent the spread of disease.

Be observant and take action promptly, you can keep your Croton plants healthy and thriving.

Companion Plants For Croton

Croton are used as shrubs and as container plants, here are some plant companions for both uses.

• Podocarpus.
• Loropetalum Plum, burgundy.
• Dwarf Allamanda
• Ixora
• Hibiscus
• Viburnum
• Coleus
• Diplandenia
• Lantana
• Golden Shrimp
• Pentas

Summary,

Croton is a tropical foliage plant we can use indoors or out, but they are not the only ones. For a useful list of tropical foliage plants read ;The New Tropical Gardener’s Guide To Lush Foliage Plants.;

Crotons are a superb choice for adding a tropical touch to your home or garden. Their striking colors and relatively easy care requirements make them a favorite among both novice and experienced gardeners. You will find Crotons available from local garden centers, major chains, and specialty online dealers. Search for your favorites and take pleasure in them.