Outdoor croton plants can reach around 8 feet tall but houseplants are much smaller.
However, be careful about where you plant as crotons are toxic to humans and animals.
Light
Croton plants need a fair amount of sun.
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Bright, indirect light is best.
If the plant is getting insufficient sun, the leaves will turn all green.
Water
Keep croton plants evenly moist in the summer.
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Crotons need about 1 inch of water per week.
Reduce watering in the winter to biweekly.
Watch the plant for signs that it needs more water, such as wilting young foliage.
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If it’s still moist, hold off on watering.
Mist frequently during the growth period.
Soil
A well-drained, moist soil that has been enriched with compost is ideal for a croton.
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This plant prefers humus-rich, acidic soil.
Lack of humidity and bright light can affect leaf color.
Keep the humidity level at 40 to 80 percent.
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If the humidity isn’t high enough, the plant might drop some of its leaves.
Because fertilizers vary widely by punch in, read the package instructions for feeding quantity.
Stop giving fertilizer during the winter months.
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Yourbest target NPK ratiosare 3-1-2 and 8-2-10 (nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium).
Remove unhealthy leaves and branches or if you want to maintain a specific shape.
Trim just above a node or leaf set.
Try not to remove more than a third of the stem at one time.
The plant will regrow from the cut portion.
Instead, propagate croton plants by stem cuttings or “sports.”
Stem cuttings will encourage new growth and control the size of the plant.
In addition, crotons sometimes produce sports, or shoots, that are entirely different from the parent plant.
These offshoots can be potted up independently but only cuttings reproduce a plant identical to the parent.
However, the process for propagation is the same.
Get a container with ample drainage holes.
It should be only one size larger than the plant’s current container.
Put 1 to 2 inches of damppeat-based potting soilinto the bottom of the new container.
Set it in the center of the new pot.
Fill in around the roots with potting soil.
Overwintering
Crotons are sensitive to cold weather.
Use gardeners blankets to keep the frost away.
These coverings keep in the warmth and protect against ice and harsh winds.
Common Pests & Plant Diseases
Croton is susceptible to a few plant diseases and pests.
The insects that like croton plants includemealybugs,spider mites,scales, andthrips.
Use pesticides to remove these pests or consider less harsh alternatives, such ashorticultural oilorinsecticidal soap.
When caring for a croton plant indoors, low humidity can make the plant particularly susceptible to spider mites.
Mist your plants daily to help avoid an infestation.
Crown gall is a common bacterial infection that affects crotons.
Crown gall appears as thick, swollen growths on the croton’s stems and the veins of its leaves.
It can spread to other plants and leave a path of destruction in its wake.
Anthracnoseis a fungal infection that is sometimes called leaf spot or leaf blight.
It makes tan-colored spots on the leaves.
Cut off any infected foliage, and avoid letting the leaves touch other plants since its spores can spread.
If most of the plant looks affected, treat the plant with a standard copper-based garden fungicide.
Crotons rarely flower when grown indoors, though it is possible.
What Does a Croton Flower Look and Smell Like?
The flower stem looks like a feathery vine, and the tiny blooms don’t have a scent.
Relocating an indoor plant outdoors when the temperatures are warm might spur flower production.
It will not hurt the plant.
Watch for these signs of problems to help your croton plant thrive.
Summer in tropical zones might be a little too much for some crotons.
Reduce or hold off on applying fertilizer during a heatwave or higher temps.
Intensely hot days will stress out crotons and can cause graying or flat colors.
Fans or air ventilation can cool down the leaves and will help preserve the health of the leaves.
Check water levels, and don’t let the plant dry out during periods of high heat.
Curling or Rolling Leaves
Leaves can roll or twist when they get large.
To fix this, reduce fertilizer.
The plant is likely growing too quickly and might need more light to grow properly.
Move the plant to a location with more lighting if you could.
Leaf Drop
A well-grown croton plant keeps its leaves down to the soil level.
Crotons will drop their leaves at any hint of cool temperatures or cool drafts.
Even croton plants outdoors drop leaves after a cold night.
Bring in the plant if your plant is in a pot outdoors and temperatures dip below 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
Insect activity can also cause leaves to fall, namely mites and mealybugs.
Inspect the undersides of leaves closely for tiny eggs or insects.
Crotons can be high-maintenance plants unless their environment is just right.
Crotons are good indoor plants but it can be a challenge to mimic their ideal conditions and preferred temperatures.
If it is too cold, the plant will start losing leaves, for example.
However, crotons are well worth the effort for the explosion of color they can provide in a room.
Four Benefits of Houseplants.
North Dakota State University Extension.
