Do you want to know how great Croton Plants are? Well, for that you only need to look for the scientific name - the 'Codiaeum variegatum Excellent'. There aren't too many indoor plants for which their scientific name doubles up as a review!
The boffins that decided on the name were certainly on to something - the Croton Plant really is excellent. The foliage is absolutely stunning - a vibrant array of colours that you don't normally get with an indoor plant. This is a show-stopping tropical plant that would make a wonderful addition to any indoor display.
Keeping a Croton Plant indoors is a relatively simple process, but we want to simplify everything for you in this easy-to-digest guide to Codiaeum variegatum care. We'll tell you everything you need to know about how to care for Croton Plants, from how much light and water they require, to how to propagate new plants.
Are Croton Plants easy to care for?
We'll keep things simple to start with - if you are worried about whether you have what it takes to look after a Croton Plant, we can categorically say that you absolutely have. The fact that you have started reading a page entitled 'Croton Plant Care' automatically qualifies you for the job!
They are low-maintenance plants - not quite as low-maintenance as some other house plants, but still pretty easy to keep going. They are pretty good at telling you if they need a bit more care, so as long as you know the signs (which we will talk you through in this blog) then you will be able to help your Croton Plant thrive!
What are Croton Plants?
Croton Plants are tropical, evergreen shrubs that originally come from Western Pacific Islands, as well as Sri Lanka and Malaysia. They are from hot, humid climates, and they are best known for their striking foliage, full of vibrant colours, which vary between the different Croton Plant varieties. You'll see red, orange, bright yellow and green leaves on different Croton Plants, or even bronze in the case of the Oak Leaf Croton.
This has led to them being known as Joseph's Coat plants - in reference to the 'technicolour dreamcoat' of the bible story. The bright orange and red colours has also given it the name 'Fire Croton'. All these names emphasise that this is a bright, colourful and exciting plant to have in your home.
It's not warm enough in the UK to have outdoor Croton Plants, so we only have varieties that can live indoors. These are fast-growing plants, and can grow up to a maximum height of around 90cm - making them a perfect centrepiece for your indoor displays.
How to care for Croton Plants
Now that you know that you can look after a Croton Plant, let's get into the specifics. We'll now run through everything you need to know about Croton Plant care.
It's best to start with Croton watering, as this is probably the factor that you will need to pay most attention to. If you're looking for one phrase to sum up what a Croton Plant needs in terms of water, "little and often" is probably perfect. They need regular watering (once a week in the Summer, once every couple of weeks in the Winter), but they only need an inch or so every time. The best way to check to see if your plant needs watering is to touch the soil - moist soil and it won't need a drink, dry soil an it's time for a little water.
They're not too fussy when it comes to light, but again, too much is just as bad as not enough. Bright light is great, but they need to be out of direct sunlight- otherwise their leaves are vulnerable to burning. Any bright room will be fine, but away from the window is probably best. They can tolerate partial shade, but you are more likely to get brightly coloured leaves when they get plenty of bright light.
As this is a tropical plant that you're dealing with, it will like a little mist every now and then - just a little spray of water will help it to grow nice and healthy.
Finally, if you want it to really thrive, and produce really vibrant leaves, full of colour, then it would benefit from a little bit of fertiliser during the growing season (early Spring to late Summer). Just a little, every couple of weeks, and you'll really notice the benefit.
Here's a quick-fire summary of how to care for Croton Plants:
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Origins: Malaysia, Sri Lanka and West Pacific Islands
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How much light: Bright indirect light, keep out of full sun
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Water requirements: About an inch of water once a week during the growing season, and every other week outside of the growing season. When the top soil is dry
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Humidity requirements: A quick spritz with a water mist will help bring out those vibrant colours!
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Soil requirements: Croton plants grow best in well-draining potting soil or cactus compost
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Temperature requirements: 18°C to 27°C, minimum 13°C
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Pruning requirements: Trim to help keep its shape, and remove dead or dying foliage if you notice any leaf drop.
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Pests: Keep an eye out for spider mites, aphids or mealybugs on the leaves. You can just wipe them off with a damp cloth if you see any.
Propagating Croton Plants
It's actually quite difficult to grow Croton Plants from seed - the best way is to propagate by cutting a stem from a parent plant. Pick one that has about three leaves, cut it off, and then place it in soil. It's usually best to use a rooting hormone to help stimulate the new growth of the roots (you can use aloe vera as a natural stimulant). You can also put it in water, and roots will develop - just remember to change the water every few days to avoid stagnation.
Enhance your indoor plant setup with Prickle
We think a Croton Plant makes a perfect centrepiece for an indoor plant display, but you have the power to create your own incredible, unique setups by combining different plants. We have a huge range of options, whether you want other varieties of Croton Plants, like the Lil Red Banana Croton, or just the adorable Lil Croton, or whether you want to combine them with different plants entirely.
If you have any questions at all, our team would love to hear from you - use @prickplantsuk on social media or email contact@prickleplants.co.uk. Whatever you want to know about indoor plants, we'll be able to help you!