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27 May, 2024 | Growing Gaze

CROTON Plant CARE | Codiaeum Variegatum Care Tips

 

Today we’re going to talk about the Codiaeum variegatum, also known as a croton

Other names for them are rushfoil and Joseph’s coat. I don’t think it looks like Joseph’s coat, but then again, do I know a Joseph who has a coat? I don’t know.

Crotons are fairly easy to take care of once you get them in the right spot. Croton plant care involves knowing they can be grown indoors and outdoors, so if you bring your plants outside for the summer, you can bring this one, but do be careful. I’ll tell you why in a second. They’re really known for their super bright leaves and their bright yellows, reds, and oranges.

They come in a bunch of different forms with loads of really funky leaves. They can have some pretty funny names, so I’m going to put some for you because I think it’s fun.

So there’s the banana croton, the bush on fire croton, the Eleanor Roosevelt croton, gold dust or gold sun, the magnificent croton, mammy croton, Mrs. Iceton croton, oak leaf croton, petra croton, sunny star croton, yellow Iceton croton, and the Zanzibar croton.

So yeah, let’s get into croton plant care.

Table of Contents

Moving Crotons

The first thing I want to start with is one of the potential problems: crotons hate being moved. They really don’t like big changes of scenery. Croton plant care leaves falling off can happen if you bring it outside in the summer, you want to be very careful and know that they might actually lose all their leaves in that process.

The same goes for when you’re bringing it home from the store; they really don’t like that and can go into shock quite easily, causing them to drop all their leaves. Just know that this is totally normal. Continue giving them the TLC they need, and it should be okay.

They are pretty hardy. They bounce back in a few weeks to a month and it should be okay. Just treat them like normal and it’ll be fine.

Potted fire croton plant for care placed in hallway near white closet.

Picture Credit : Pexel.com

Light Requirements For Croton Plant Care

Light is super important for crotons. They really like direct bright sunlight, probably about four to six hours a day. In flats with not very many windows, it is a little bit difficult.

They can also get a bit leggy when they don’t get enough light. So just be aware that this is a thing that can happen.

My croton lives about two meters or six feet away from a southwest window. In the spring and autumn, I think it gets probably about an hour of direct sunlight a day because the sun is slightly lower on the horizon and can come in the windows. In the summer, the sun goes too high to have light where it is. So it does get some sunlight.

Watering Tips For Effective Croton Plant Care

I find knowing when to water crotons really easy because they go on full wilt when they are thirsty. Their leaves are fairly horizontal.

If the leaves kind of go down, it basically just tells you that it’s thirsty so you don’t have to worry about water metering it or anything.

They will tell you when they want to be watered just by drooping down. That’s basically a sign that they need water, which is totally fine, totally normal. All you have to do is give them some water and they’ll just perk right back up again and it’s great.

In the winter, I probably only water it every 10 to 14 days. I think it just really depends. They do like to be quite moist but not wet.

But again, like I said, they’ll tell you when they need it and I just go by that rather than trying to stick to a schedule. 

Temperature Requirements

They like to be fairly warm. Their ideal is between 15 and 27 degrees Celsius or 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

That’s when they thrive the most. Any hotter or colder than that and they won’t be very happy. At less than 12 degrees Celsius or 55 degrees Fahrenheit, the leaves could start getting brown and being super unhappy.

So try not to let it get colder than that because the croton’s gonna have a bad time. Also, they dislike warm and cool drafts and you don’t want them sitting right up next to a window because those get quite hot in the summer and cold in the winter. It could burn or not freeze but be too cold for the leaves. So don’t put them right up against windows.

That’s not their vibe.

Temperature Range Description
15 - 27°C (60 - 80°F)
Ideal temperature range
Above 27°C (80°F)
Can tolerate, but monitor closely for signs of stress or dehydration
Below 12°C (55°F)
Risk of leaf browning and plant stress
Below 7°C (45°F)
Can cause severe damage or death

Understanding Humidity

Crotons like humidity. They are originally from tropical countries and so they like it to be a bit more humid.

Average to high household humidity should be fine. If you have a really well-lit bathroom that gets sun, that’s the perfect place for this. You can also put them on pebble trays if you find that easier than misting, but it’s totally up to you.

Croton Plant Care: Potting & Soil

When it comes to soil, they like moist but well-draining soil, so you don’t want to use something too heavy.

Medium-weight soil should be fine, but you also don’t want it to be too dry. Again, it’s a balance. You just have to figure out what’s right, and if that means drier soil and watering it more often, then if that’s what you gotta do, that’s what you gotta do.

Also, it’s really important that your pot has drainage holes because you want the water to come out the bottom. You do not want it to sit with wet feet.

They don’t like that all that much. You want to repot these when you see that the roots are starting to come out at the bottom of the pot. You want to make sure that you’re potting only one size up, which is an extra two or three centimeters bigger, or an inch to an inch and a half. Make sure you’re repotting in the spring because that is the time they like it the most. Also, do beware because they don’t like moving. Repotting them could cause them some shock and the leaves could fall off a bit, and again, that is totally okay. Just keep giving them the love and care and it should be fine.

Green and Brown Leaves Plant

Picture Credit: Pexel.com

Fertilizer

When it comes to fertilizing, you want to fertilize these probably about once a month in the spring and summer, but not at all in the autumn and winter.

Propagation

Propagating this plant is actually pretty easy. What you need to do is cut about seven to ten centimeters or three to four inches of the stem from the top.

You want to make sure it has about three to five leaves on it, and you can either stick that in water and wait for it to root or stick it in soil and wait for it to root that way. It probably takes about a month to a month and a half for roots to start growing. If you do the soil method, you want to make sure that you’re keeping it in a warm place and you’re keeping the soil moist just because that’ll encourage the roots to grow better.

Toxicity

One of the only downsides to crotons is that they are actually toxic to humans and pets. So like I always say, don’t eat your plants, don’t let your pets eat your plants, don’t let your kids eat your plants. No one should be eating these plants because if ingested, it could cause irritation of the mouth and stomach and you could even vomit, which isn’t very fun, is it? So just don’t do that and you’ll be fine.

So that’s it, that’s all you need to know about croton plant care, also known as the Codiaeum variegatum.

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Siam From Growing Gaze

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About Me – Growing Gaze

Welcome to Growing Gaze

My name is Siam, and I’ve been passionate about indoor gardening for over 4 years. I created Growing Gaze to share my knowledge and help you cultivate your own green oasis. Whether you’re new to gardening or looking to refine your skills, you’ll find plenty of tips and insights here. Enjoy your journey with plants!