Are you looking for a low maintenance plant that adds color and beauty to your landscape with very little effort? Say hello to the overlooked beauty of the garden, the croton. Crotons (Codiaeum variegatum), are tropical evergreen shrubs native to Malaysia and India. They thrive in our central Florida landscapes but do not get the attention they deserve. Although they have no showy blooms, their foliage is stunning with colors of green, red, orange, yellow, pink, purple, bronze, and even white depending on the variety.
To get the most color out of your croton, whatever variety you choose, the type of light it receives is important. Too much Florida sun can burn the leaves, so they do best in partial shade. They can be grown indoors but they need indirect light from a sunny window. Crotons do make a great container plant and are often used as centerpieces in colorful arrangements.
Soil conditions are simple to adhere to. They need fertile, well-drained, moist soil but need to dry out between watering. Once established, they are drought tolerant and can survive on rainfall alone. Of course, in containers they will need watering more. Our Florida heat can be brutal on container plants but be careful not to over-water as crotons could suffer. Wilted leaves may signal overwatering but if the bottom leaves dry out and fall off you may not be watering enough. Troubleshoot before taking action to remedy.
Most croton varieties are usually pest and disease free, but they can on occasion have scale, mite, thrip, mealybug or fungal problems. Checking your plants regularly will enable you to spot and catch these issues early.
Do be careful with crotons however, they are poisonous when ingested and the sap can irritate your skin. Best to wear gloves to be safe when planting them.
Crotons planted in groupings can give an explosion of color to a dull spot in your landscape. Why not give them a try?
For more information, contact UF/IFAS Extension Polk County at (863) 519-1041 or visit us online at http://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/polk. The Plant Clinic is open Monday-Friday, 9:00 am-4:00 pm to answer your gardening and landscaping questions. Give us a call or email us at polkmg@ifas.ufl.edu.
If you are not in Polk County, Contact your local UF/IFAS Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Plant Clinic.
The Florida Master Gardener Volunteer Program is a volunteer-driven program that benefits UF/IFAS Extension and the citizens of Florida. The program extends the vision of the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, all the while protecting and sustaining natural resources and environmental systems, enhancing the development of human resources, and improving the quality of human life through the development of knowledge in agricultural, human and natural resources and making that knowledge accessible.
This article was written by Master Gardener Volunteer Rita Fletcher under supervision of the Master Gardener Volunteer Coordinator and Residential Horticulture Extension Agent Anne Yasalonis.
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