Croton Plant (Spiral Variegatum)

Description

Crotons are one of the boldest houseplants you can t miss because of their colorful foliage. They re particularly eye-catching in bright dining rooms and living rooms where their foliage helps energize a room.

Plant Specifications

Planting And Care

• Croton likes bright sunlight but benefits from partial or filtered shade during hot summer afternoons. Too much sunlight bleaches the colors in the leaves.
• Water croton until water trickles through the drainage hole when the top of the soil feels dry, and then allow the pot to drain freely.
• Croton is a light feeder that benefits from a monthly fertilization schedule. Use an organic fertilizer.
• Re-pot indoor crotons every two years to encourage healthy growth.

Croton Plant Care

Croton is propagated by stem cutting and air layering.1. Stem CuttingsPropagation by rooting a stem from a healthy, mature plant is a method commonly used to propagate croton and many other houseplants. Rooting involves cutting a stem with at least three sets of leaves. A wound is created by removing the bottom set of leaves, and new roots form at the wound site. The stem is planted in a container filled with the lightweight potting mixture and then covered with plastic to create a greenhouse atmosphere.2. Air LayeringAir layering is a propagation technique in which a stem is rooted while its still attached to the plant. The process involves making a diagonal cut through one-third to one-half the diameter of the stem. The wound is treated with rooting hormone and kept open with a piece of toothpick or matchstick. Damp sphagnum moss is packed around the area, with the moss carefully covered with plastic wrap. When the stem roots, it is planted in a container filled with lightweight potting soil or a mixture of ingredients such as perlite, sand and peat moss.

Croton Plant Special Feature

The colorful foliage and air purification ability.

Croton Plant Uses