The croton is a striking, easy-to-grow houseplant known for its variegated foliage covered in green, scarlet, orange, and yellow splotches. Here’s how to care for a croton in your home orgarden.
AboutCroton
Croton, also called “garden croton,”are native to the tropical forests of Southeast Asia and Oceania. In the wild, they grow aslarge shrubs, reaching up to 10 feet tall (in the home or garden, theystay muchsmaller).
Note: All parts of this plant are poisonous—especially the seeds—so it is not recommended for use in homes with curious pets or children. When damaged, croton produces a milky sap that can irritate the skin,too.
Planting
PlantingCroton
- When choosing a container for your croton, keep in mind that the plantwill grow upright, which eventually may cause it to become top heavy. Pick a container that won’t easily tip over when the croton gets larger. Or, plan to pot up to larger pots overtime.
- Use a well-draining potting mix. Croton likes to be kept moist but notwet.
- In areas with warm, humid summers, croton can be grown outdoors as a unique and colorful landscape plant. They work well in tropical-themed containers or alongside annuals in the ground. When nighttime temperatures drop to around 50°F (10°C), croton willneed to be takenindoors.
Growing
How to Care forCroton
- Place croton in a sunny location such as an eastern, southern, or western window. If croton is getting too little light, its newer leaves will be lesscolorful.
- Keep the soil evenly moist, but let it dry out betweenwaterings.
- If humidity is low in your home, mist around the leaves with water once a week or keep a tray of wet gravel near theplant.
- Croton leaves are dust magnets. Gently wipe the leaves with a moist cloth twice a month to keep them clean anddust-free.
- Fertilize the plant in spring and summer while the plant is actively growing. In fall and winter, fertilize more sparingly or refrain from fertilizingaltogether.
- New croton plants can be started with 4- to 6-inchstem cuttings. Remove the bottom leaves and place the cutting in a glass of water. After roots have formed, plant in a smallpot.
- Repot the plant in the spring if it has grown too large for its currentpot.
Recommended Varieties
- ‘Petra’is a popular cultivar. It has green leaves with red, orange, and yellowveins.
- ‘Gold Star’has green leaves that are splashed with bright gold“stars.”
- ‘Eleanor Roosevelt’ has skinny leaves that range in color from burgundy to lime green. The leaves are mottled with bright yellow as if they were spraypainted.
- ‘Oakleaf’has oak leaf–shaped dark green or bronze leaves with veins in yellow, orange, andred.
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Pests/Diseases
Crotonplants are usually pest and disease-free, though they are susceptible to common houseplant pests such as mealybugs, spider mites, and scale insects.
