Crazy 'Bout Crotons!

Want a brilliant splash of color without the effort?  Need to brighten a dull corner or add some interest to an otherwise boring space?  Interested in adding some drama and unusual texture to your landscape?  The brilliant, colorful croton could be your answer!  Croton, or Codiaeum variegatum, comes in a myriad of colors and shapes providing virtually limitless possibilities with relatively little effort.

Originally a solid green-leafed plant, both nature and man's hybridization efforts have created amazingly interesting shapes and a kaleidoscope of colors including red, yellow, orange, purple, and green.  An individual plant may offer many different colors making it appear flamboyant and pyschedelic! 

In addition to the multitude of colors, Crotons also possess numerous intriguing, unique leaf forms including oak, corkscrew, broad and narrow leafs.  There's also an odd, "interrupted" leaf where the leaf seems to be sprouting a smaller leaf on its end.

The Croton is truly a tropical shrub, tolerating mild winters with no freezing temperature, thus confining its ideal zone(s) to 10-11. When a freeze threatens, care and protection must be offered to the Crotons.  Most zone 9 gardeners enjoy Crotons in the landscape, but take the risk of loosing them.  For this reason, many gardeners prefer to keep them in containers that can be easily relocated during a cold snap.  However, these tropical beauties require humidity and moisture...two conditions not typically maintained indoors, so Crotons do not usually make good long term houseplants.

Another great attribute is the Crotons ease of care.  They let you know when they're unhappy by shedding their leaves or if they're thirsty by drooping their leaves.  If the soil isn't dry and the leaves aren't a bit droopy, watering isn't necessary as over watering will encourage root rot and fungi. They also propogate easily with simple cuttings or air layering, and require little fertilization as they tend to be slow growing.

Some interesting Crotons include Dayspring...

Mrs. Collett...

Arrowhead...

Picasso's Paintbrush...

Stoplight...

and Excellent.

There are MANY more varieties.  Be sure to check your local nurseries for more varieties and the Croton Society at http://www.crotons.org/ .