Croton Codiaeum variegatum

Croton is grown for leaves that look painted: broad, thick and leathery, splashed, veined and blotched in some mix of yellow, orange, red, pink, green and near black. The colours are not fixed. New leaves usually open green and yellow, then darken through orange and red towards burgundy as they age and as the light gets stronger, so one plant carries several colours at once and shifts over a season. This plant is sold under the species name rather than a named cultivar, so the exact leaf shape and pattern vary from plant to plant; expect the classic broad leaved croton rather than one particular form.

The name trips people up. Gardeners call it croton, but botanically it is Codiaeum, and the true genus Croton is a separate group of plants in the same euphorbia family. What matters more for anyone handling or pruning it is that Codiaeum has a milky sap, as many plants in the euphorbia family do.

Light makes the colour

Crotons colour in proportion to the light they get. In tropical and subtropical gardens, from north Queensland down to Brisbane and the warm north coast of New South Wales, they take full sun if watered well and make dense, rounded shrubs for borders, low hedges and mass planting around pools and patios. Further south, find the warmest spot you have, such as a north facing courtyard or a sheltered corner against brick, and accept that the plant will slow down and may drop some leaves in winter. In sheltered Sydney gardens that often works. In Melbourne, Adelaide and Canberra it is a pot plant that comes indoors for winter, or lives inside full time. Indoors, give it the brightest window in the house, with a few hours of direct sun if possible. In a dim room the new growth comes through plain green and the stems stretch, which defeats the point of growing it. Outside, plant into rich, free draining soil, mulch well, and keep it evenly moist through the warm months without leaving it waterlogged.

When the leaves start falling

Leaf drop is the croton's alarm signal, and it has several triggers. Nights below about 10 degrees, a cold draught from a door, the blast of an air conditioner or heater, or a sudden change of position can all send it shedding its lower leaves. A newly planted or newly moved croton often drops leaves for a few weeks before it settles, and the fix is patience in a good position, not extra water. Overwatering in cool weather causes the same symptom and rots the roots, so let the top of the mix dry between drinks in winter. Indoors, dry air invites spider mite, which shows as fine pale speckling and webbing under the leaves, while mealybug and scale hide along the stems. Wipe or rinse the foliage regularly and treat early with a horticultural oil or insecticidal soap.

Pruning with gloves on, and choosing a form

Prune while growth is active, from late spring into summer. Cut leggy stems back to just above a leaf node and the plant branches below the cut, filling out within a season. The sap that bleeds from every cut irritates skin and eyes, so wear gloves and keep your hands away from your face. All parts are poisonous if chewed, the seeds especially, for people and pets alike, so keep it out of reach of dogs that chew plants. Feed with a slow release fertiliser in spring and again in midsummer. For the same plant in a quieter mood, Gold Dust Croton carries green leaves freckled with gold instead of the full spectrum and copes with somewhat lower light. Both sit among the bold leaf plants in Tropical Plants, and crotons pair well with cordylines, palms and gingers.

Choosing a size

This plant is supplied in one size, 300mm, at $81.95 per plant. The size shown is the pot it arrives in, which is the rootball, not the height of the plant. Not sure which to choose? Read our guide to when to plant in Australia.