FAMILY: Euphorbiaceae

GENUS: Codiaeum

SPECIFIC EPITHET: variegatum

CULTIVARS: ‘Banana’, ‘Gold Dust’, ‘Mammy’, ‘Norma’, ‘Petra’, ‘Sunny Star’ and many others.

Crotons have been popular in tropical gardens for centuries. Crotons grow into shrubs and small trees in their native habitats of India, Malaysia, and some of the South Pacific islands. Few other plants can surpass them in both foliage color and leaf shape variation. Leaf colors range from reds, oranges and yellows to green with all combinations of variegated colors. Leaf shapes vary from broad and elliptical to narrow and almost linear. Leaf blades range from flat to cork-screw-shaped. Since some cultivars are tolerant of interior environments, crotons have also become very popular as interior potted foliage plants. One additional point, often overlooked, is that foliage of crotons is excellent material for use in floral arrangements. Both individual leaves and entire branches can be used in floral designs

Fact sheet: Croton

Sold at Nassau County Master Gardener Plant Sale