CROTON
The word “croton” or the Latin binomial, Codiaeum variegatum, might not ring a bell, but if you frequent garden centers or indoor plant merchandisers, you have probably seen the tropical specimens that go by those names. The flowers are insignificant, but the foliage is gaudy–large, leathery, semi-upright leaves in shades of bright yellow, green and red. Last week I bought a croton because it reminded me of a recently deceased friend who had a fondness for the plant. The croton in question stood about eighteen inches above the rim of a good-sized container and it looked like a horticultural Mardi Gras. It seemed only fitting to give to my friend’s family.
My friend, who grew up in Trinidad, told me that crotons reminded her of plants that grow prolifically in her native country. When I looked up Codiaeum variegatum, I was surprised to find that it is not native to the West Indies or even the western hemisphere. The codiaeum genus, which is part of the same euphorbia family as the familiar holiday poinsettia, consists of about fourteen species that are native to Asia, especially the Maluku Islands. This island group is sometimes known as the Moluccas, the Spice Islands or the East Indies. They are part of Indonesia now, but over many centuries the Maluku Islands have been important trade destinations for the Chinese, Arabs, Venetians, Portuguese, British and Dutch. Five hundred years ago, the Europeans’ search for routes to the East Indies and the lucrative spice trade, led to the inadvertent discovery and subsequent colonization of the islands the colonial powers called the “West Indies.” Competition among European trading nations also led to acquisition or smuggling of East Indian spice plant materials, some of which were later cultivated in the West Indies. Crotons are not the source of any spices, but this east-to-west transfer of seeds and plants may have also resulted in the croton finding its way to Trinidad and other islands. It was named sometime in the first half of the nineteenth century by Adrien Henri Laurent de Jussieu, a professor of botany at France’s Museum of Natural History.
The current vogue for interesting indoor and outdoor foliage plants and the popularity of tropical specimens for hot-colored summer gardens should be a boon for crotons. They are fairly easy to find in garden centers, but they are generally less popular than lots of less colorful indoor plants. Why? Because it takes a bit of effort to make them happy.
First of all, you have to be able to provide the plants with a consistent winter temperature that doesn’t drop below sixty-five degrees. This is easy for most of us with central heating, but you also have to keep your showy specimen out of cold drafts. Too many cold drafts and the plant will show its displeasure by dropping leaves. In order to give your croton the bright light it needs, you will probably have to put it near a window. Make sure that it doesn’t back up to a cold glass pane, or the effect will be the same as if you exposed the plant to a cold draft.
As with other euphorbias, water only when the surface of the soil is dry. Feed periodically with a balanced plant food. Being tropical, the croton will appreciate some extra humidity, which can be provided by placing a tray of pebbles and water either under or close to the pot.
If you have a hot-colored garden or a balcony or back porch in need of summer color, the croton can go outside when the nighttime temperature is over sixty. The more light the plant gets, the more the red pigmentation will show up in the flashy leaves. Be sure to return the croton to the indoors as fall begins to set in.
There are many plants that are harder to grow than crotons, so don’t let the cultural requirements deter you from buying one from your local garden center. Interiors can be very dull and dark during the long weeks between New Year’s Day and the first of March. A bright, shiny croton can help you get through until spring.