Croton is a deciduous shrub from the family Euphorbiaceae. So far, it is not known to many connoisseurs of exotic flora. Sometimes you can hear the name "codium croton". They are identical, therefore it is advisable to look for it under one of these names. The plant is distinguished by large bright leaves with an unusual pattern. His homeland is the islands in the Pacific Ocean, from Australia to India. Caring for croton is quite simple, so the plant is suitable even for beginner growers.
Botanical Description
Croton is a perennial with branched shoots. In the natural environment, it is able to reach 3 m in height, but rarely grows more than 70-120 cm when grown indoors. The plant has dense, erect stems with many lateral processes. On them are large petiolate leaves.
Leaf plates can be of various shapes: from lanceolate and oval to three-fingered. The edges of the leaves are usually flat or slightly wavy. The leaf plate has a pronounced relief pattern along the veins. Often the veins are outlined with variegated lines. The color of the leaves is dark green with yellow, white or pink stains.
During flowering, small paniculate inflorescences form in the axils of the leaves. On a dense peduncle there are several whitish or yellowish buds with long anthers.
Signs of Croton
The croton plant, like all euphorbiaceae, requires careful handling. Its juice can be toxic to pets. It also irritates the skin, so all procedures with a flower are best carried out with gloves.
Croton is considered a plant with powerful energy. It cleans the house of negative fluids, protects it from “energy vampires” and increases the owner’s self-confidence. A flower should be planted in indecisive people, pessimists, as well as those who seek career growth.
Types and varieties of plants
In nature, there are several dozen types of croton, but only variegated croton is used for indoor cultivation. Based on it, several hybrid varieties were bred; their photos are found in catalogs of many stores. The most interesting varieties are the following:
- Petra. The plant forms a sprawling bush with many lateral branches. The leathery foliage is located on the shoots again. The oval or lobed leaf plate has a bright green color with yellowish dots and stripes along the veins.
Croton Petra - Excellent. Three-lobed fused leaves resemble oak. Green and yellow stripes and spots intertwine on the surface of the sheet plate. Pink shades prevail on the back of the sheet.
Exlent - Zanzibar. The leaves of this variety are strongly narrowed and have a compacted base. On a bright green surface there are yellow, orange and burgundy stripes.
Zanzibar - Mrs. Iston. The variety forms a small tree or a sprawling bush with large leaves. On the green leaf plate there are burgundy and pink spots, as well as golden stains.
Mrs. Iston
Breeding
Reproduction of croton is produced by seed or vegetative methods. Croton seeds can be bought or collected independently. After flowering, they ripen in small boxes. Crops are produced in the second half of winter. The day before planting, the seeds are soaked in a root solution to accelerate germination. They are distributed on the surface of sandy peat soil and slightly crushed from above. The pot is covered with a film. Every day the greenhouse is ventilated and the soil is sprayed. Seedlings can be expected 3-4 weeks after sowing. If the soil is slightly warmed up, germination will accelerate.
A simpler and more effective way is to propagate croton cuttings. It is enough to cut apical shoots with 2-3 leaves from March to June. The first few hours contain cuttings in water so that the milky juice does not dry out at the cut. After a while, its residues are removed, and the plants are planted in a sand-peat mixture. A pot with seedlings is left in a bright room with an air temperature of about + 25 ° C. The roots appear in 25-30 days, after which the croton begins to actively shoot out the shoots.
You can get a new plant with the help of air layers. To do this, remove the bark from the lignified part of the shoot and treat the place with root. Then you should fix the lay at the ground with a wire. Within 3-4 weeks, roots appear, and you can separate the shoot from the mother plant.
Transfer
The transplant of a young croton is carried out annually. A more adult plant is transplanted every 2-4 years. Without this procedure, the stalk begins to become bare, and the leaves become smaller, which affects attractiveness. The best time for transplanting is the first half of spring. During this manipulation, it is recommended to remove part of the earthen coma. Extreme care must be taken with the root system. Any damage or trimming of the root mass will lead to illness and a long recovery.
The pot is selected quite deep and slightly wider than the previous one. 3-4 cm thick drainage material is poured to the bottom. The soil for croton is composed of the following components:
- sheet land (2 parts);
- sand (1 part);
- turf land (1 part).
To avoid the development of rot, it is useful to add charcoal to the substrate. If the land was taken on a personal plot, it must be steamed before planting in order to destroy the parasites.
Croton Care
For indoor croton, careful care is not required. The plant is considered quite unpretentious. It loves bright rooms and feels great on the eastern or western windowsills. With a lack of light, the leaves turn pale and can fade. In summer heat, it is still recommended to slightly shade the crown to protect against burns.
The optimum summer temperature for croton is in the range + 25 ... + 27 ° C. In winter, as the light day decreases, it is necessary to transfer the flower to a cooler place and keep it at + 18 ... + 20 ° C. If this difference cannot be achieved, backlighting should be used, since for the plant there is a direct relationship between air temperature and lighting.
The inhabitant of the tropics needs high humidity. Ideally, it should be 80%. The bushes feel great in the conservatory. To achieve this indicator, you can use any means: spray the crown, wipe the leaves from dust, bathe the plant in the shower, place nearby aquariums and trays with wet pebbles.
Croton should be watered frequently and plentifully. It is recommended to use purified, warm water. The soil should not dry out, but excess water in it is not permissible.
Fertilizers begin to be applied in early April and continue until mid-autumn. Do this twice a month, using mineral complexes for plants with decorative foliage.
To keep croton attractive, it is necessary to periodically trim. When the stem reaches the required height, its tip should be pinched. This contributes to the formation of lateral processes and the formation of a thicker shoot.
Diseases and Pests
With improper care, croton is prone to root and stem rot. Fusarium disease, late blight and leaf spot are also possible. At the first signs of the disease, you need to remove the affected parts of the plant and carry out a fungicide treatment.
Parasites attack crotons less often. Sometimes spider mites, scutes or mealybugs can be found on the crown. Insecticide treatment will help to quickly remove pests.
