Croton Information
Croton (Codiaeum variegatum)
Family: Euphorbiaceae
Crotons with their colorful, glossy foliage and variation of leaf types
are one of the most popular plants in Florida. It is a native of the tropics
from Java to Australia and the South Sea Islands, and because of the
Crotons'
susceptibility to cold injury, is restricted to the southern and warmer
parts of central Florida. Cold injury normally shows as leaf dropping soon
after periods of cold weather.
Major leaf types
Broad Leaf Croton - large and broad leaves
Oak Leaf Croton - mimics perfectly the structure of a true oak leaf.
Semi-oak Leaf Croton - indistinctly lobed; many varieties.
Spiral Leaf Croton - leaves are twisted - RH, LH, partial.
Narrow Leaf Croton - width is 2-4" and length is usually 2-4 x width.
Very Narrow leaf - width is usually 1/2" or less; long and droopy.
Small leaf - original shape; length about 2" max.
Interrupted Leaf Croton - leaf blade stops; midrib continues for about 1"; leaf
blade continues.
Recurved leaf - leaves curl back on themselves; scarcest leaf type.
Pruning Information
Crotons may be pruned heavily during spring or other mild periods of the
year. Crotons may attain a height of 8-10 feet, and tend to produce the
heaviest foliage at the top of the plant. It is wise to cut back rather
heavily to force new foliage lower down on the stem. It is best to prune
about one-third of the branches, then wait until new growth has started
before pruning again. This keeps the Croton plant more uniform in shape and more
attractive during the pruning process. Pinching out the tips of Crotons will
encourage multi-branching and therefore, a more attractive, fuller specimen.
Propagation Information
Crotons are easily propagated from greenwood cuttings, leaf bud cuttings,
or if plants are desired quickly, by air layering. Make your cuttings from
4-12 inches in length and insert them in sand or peat, or in a mixture of
the two, for rooting. In air layering, a ring of bark is removed from the
branch to be layered, from two cuts spaced from one-half to one inch apart,
exposing the wood. The cambium layer, a slight green area immediately
underneath the bark, should be completely removed to prevent new bark from
forming again rather than roots. Wrap the cut surface with a ball of moist
sphagnum moss about as big as a man's fist. The entire ball is then wrapped
with plastic film or aluminum foil. The plants will root quickly at the
point the cut was made, and after the roots are established, the branch is
removed from the parent just below the roots, and planted in a pot or in the
garden where it is to grow.
Growing Information
Crotons develop their best leaf colors when planted in shifting sun.
Plants placed in shade or semi-shade tend to develop a large amount of green
color. Soil should be enriched with compost, muck, or peat moss, and the
plants fertilized regularly with a general purpose fertilizer, preferable
one that has an high acidic rating, such as an azalea fertilizer. Also, up
until September, use of high nitrogen is preferred. After that only use a
fertilizer that has more phosphorus and potash.
Pests and Diseases
Pests: scale, mites, thrips, and root rot diseases.
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