Care for Croton Plant
Indoor Plants Flowers
Croton plants are one of the more colorful indoor tropical plants. It is hard not to notice this bushy, upright plant because of the vividly colored foliage. The Croton plant, or Codiaeum variegatum pictum, has leaves colored with green, orange and red with the veins often yellow, depending on the variety.
Croton Plant Care
There are many different types of Croton house plants, most often with oval shaped leaves but some of the varieties have forked leaves, long ribbon-like leaves or lobed leaves. Some even have ruffled, twisted or curled leaves. The most used Codiaeum variety is generally the Croton Petra or Norma. These are my favorite Croton plant varieties for use indoors as house plants.
The Croton plant is sometimes referred to by the common name of Joseph's Coat because of its many colors. Croton is a member of the Euphorbia plant family. One of its relatives is the Poinsettia, Euphorbia pulcherrima.
Croton Plant Care Question?
Croton house plant questions? I would be happy to answer any house plant questions as I can. Free of charge, no sign-ups required!
Croton house plant questions or problems? You can send a houseplant question but before you do, please finish reading this page and other house plant care information on watering your indoor house plants, how to help keep your house plant's root system healthy, lighting for your house plants, and basic house plant care. These are most important for your house plant's health and this is some of the information I will refer you to if you send an email.
Working in the interior landscape industry, I get a lot of questions from people about their personal house plants and how to keep their own indoor house plants growing and healthy. That is why I started this website, to help others learn how to care for their indoor plants and flowers. So please read on!
Ads By Google
⚘ How This Website Started ⚘
Hi Plant and Flower People!
I started this website in 2012 while helping my younger brother through a fight with terminal cancer. Between shopping, cleaning, cooking, laundry, doctor/hospital visits, and other tasks to help him, I taught myself HTML/CSS and other skills used in creating a website. My brother had a very successful stock photography website himself and his advice to me was to make a website about something you know.
I had left a job in the interior landscape industry in 2012 (I have worked in the interior landscape industry since 1986) to go across the country to help him out. So that became the subject of this website, indoor house plant and flower care.
It costs money for hosting service, domain fees, etc. to keep websites running. That is why I have third party ads/Amazon products and other affiliate links on webpages. Please use them if they are helpful to you as I earn commissions/ad revenue through them and they help pay costs for hosting, domain name, etc.
If you need some help with the general care of your indoor plants and flowers, read about basic houseplant care. You can also email houseplant care questions or requests for help identifying your mysterious indoor plant!
Please also consider supporting this website with a donation, if you can. Any help is appreciated. Hope you find some helpful information here. Thank you and read on Plant People!
Plant Care for Croton
How to Water
Watering your Croton plant - From spring through summer, in high light let the potting media dry down one-fourth of its depth. In medium light, allow to dry down about 1/2 of the soil depth. Let Croton dry down almost completely fall through winter. Remember that lighting and watering are very relative to each other. Low light will require less frequent watering.
Indoor Croton Plants
Other Care Tips
Temperature and Humidity - Croton should be kept in warm temperatures, with the minimum being approximately 60°F. Keep out of drafts and move away from windows in the winter if you live in a cold climate, as the glass can also get quite cold. Croton plants like high humidity which you can provide by placing on a humidity tray, misting frequently, grouping with other plants or placing in a room with naturally high humidity.
Croton house plants will drop leaves if they are exposed to cold drafts, watering stress (under or over-watering) or insect infestations. In lower light situations, the variegation will fade and some lower and inner foliage will be lost. Keep Croton root bound to help avoid problems due to over-watering.
Lighting for Croton - While it is an attractive plant, it can be difficult to keep looking good if not provided the proper growing conditions and plant care. One necessity for a healthy Croton plant is bright light, whether it is natural or artificial light.
I have had success with Croton under bright artificial lighting. While the variegation will fade somewhat, the colors will become deeper and darker. The Croton plant may also lose more of its lower and inner growth under an artificial light source.
Indoor House Plants and Care
Amazon Affiliate Links - May Earn Commission - Thanks!
Succulent Plants
Costa Farms Live Succulent Plants (11-Pack), Mini Succulent Assortment Potted in Terracotta Clay Pots, Grower's Choice Indoor Houseplants, Great Gift
Live House Plants
Costa Farms Live House Plants (6 Pack), Easy Grow Houseplants, Potted in Indoor Garden Plant Pots, Grower's Choice Clean Air Purifier Planter Set
Fruit Fly Gnat Traps
36 Pack Sticky Traps for Plants - Trap for Fungus Gnat, Fruit Fly Traps for Mosquito and Bug Indoor & Outdoor, Pest Insect Catcher Killer
Many indoor house plants can be kept in very low lighting but Croton is not one of them. To keep your Croton looking good with colorful, dense foliage, provide a bright spot near a window. An east or west facing location is ideal but any brightly lit spot will do. A sun room, greenhouse or atrium would be fantastic for this plant of many colors.
Spider mites are a very common insect problem with a Croton. They are also prone to mealybugs, scale and thrips. Keep an eye open for these pests, especially when you first bring a new plant home.
It is a good idea to quarantine any new additions to your indoor house plant family for a few weeks just to be sure there are not any insects that were not noticed at first. Wash down your new indoor house plant with a mixture of water and mild dish detergent. I like to add a few drops of Eucalyptus essential oil or Orange essential oil to my house plant cleaning solution.
Apply to top and lower leaf and stem surfaces of your house plants, being careful not to saturate the soil. You can clean by hand or use a spray bottle to apply your house plant cleaning solution. I use a sponge moistened with my cleaning solution to gently wipe the top and lower leaf surfaces. Cleaning of your house plants should be a regular part of your Croton houseplant care.
Never apply anything to the foliage of your plant while it is in the sun or when the soil is dry. Water first and move to a shady location. Hope this has been helpful to you as you care for your Croton plant and all of your indoor plants and flowers! More houseplant care information below...
Ads By Google
Plants & Flowers
Buy Browse Bonsai Trees Plants
A bonsai tree or plant for indoors or outdoors makes a great gift for any gardener. Treat that special person, or yourself, to a beautiful bonsai. May earn commission.
Best Spring Flowers Home Garden
Wonder what types of flowers to plant in Spring? Here are some ideas for flowering plants for your garden, yard, patio, or deck.
151 Flowers Pictures & Care
List of 151 most common flower types in the U.S. with pictures and information on how much sun your flower will need.
Easy House Plants
Sansevieria Plant
Sansevieria plant does not need much care. A great indoor plant for anyone. Will do best in very bright light, even some morning sun. More on Sansevieria care.
Peace Lily Plant
Peace Lily is an easy houseplant to grow but will wilt quickly if let to dry too much. Will produce white spathes if light is adequate. Peace Lily plant has white flowers.
Pothos Plant
Pothos is a popular house plant and will trail over the edge of the pot or climb a trellis or pole. Medium to bright light is best. Easy care house plant.
Aglaonema Plants
Aglaonema house plants are great for the home or office. Can be used as a table plant or floor plant, depending on the size. Easy to grow indoors.
Bromeliad Plant
Bromeliad plants make the list, Guzmania and Aechmea bromeliads in particular. Use bromeliad for a spot where you want to add some lasting color.
Hoya Houseplant
Hoya is a vining type of plant. Great for use as a table or shelf plant or display as a hanging plant. All green or variegated, fragrant flowers.
Home Gardening
How To Grow Cantaloupe & Honeydew Melons
How to grow cantaloupe and honeydew melons. Planting, care, watering, light and more for great tasting melons right from your garden.
How To Grow Blueberries in Your Home Garden
How to grow blueberries. Grow your own blueberries for a delicious harvest from your own backyard garden, year after year.
How To Grow Blackberries in Pots or Beds
How to have a bountiful harvest of delicious blackberries. Planting, care, watering, light, and more for growing blackberries in beds or containers.
How To Grow Strawberries
How to grow strawberries. Choosing, planting, care, watering, light and more for the strawberry plants in your home garden.
Cold Weather Plants
Home & Garden
Cold weather plants. Evergreen, semi-tropical plants, and colorful succulents, take a look at these suggestions to find the right exterior plant for cold weather for your home garden.
Home Gardening
Tomatoes
One of the plants home gardeners often grow is tomatoes. Learn about choosing, planting, care, watering, light and more for the tomatoes in your home garden.
Bromeliad House Plants
Aechmea
Aechmea fasciata bromeliad plant. The Aechmea fasciata and primera are the Aechmea bromeliads most often used as house plant. Pink flower.
Neoregelia
Neoregelia bromeliads are often used for the different colored foliage. Usually shorter than other bromeliads with much less obvious flowers.
Guzmania
Guzmania bromeliad plants. The foliage is much the same but flower color can be nearly white, yellow, orange, red, purple and more.
Social Media Pages
Plants Flowers
on Twitter
Tweets by plantcare2
PFI Facebook Page
Home and Garden
Houseplant Care Question?
Questions about your indoor house plants or plant care problems? You can send a house plant question, free of charge, no sign ups, registration or log in required!
Before you send a houseplant care question, please be sure to read this information on watering your indoor house plants, how to help keep your your indoor house plants root system healthy and lighting for your indoor house plants and flowers. These are most important for the health of your house plants and this is some of the information I will refer you to if you send an indoor house plant or flower care question.
You can post comments, find answers to plant care questions, or share some of your own plant wisdom on our plant care Facebook Page, Twitter page or visit my plant care blog. You can also find plant pictures, gardening ideas, and more at our plant and flower Pinterest page.
Thanks for visiting and come back soon as houseplant care information, pictures and more are being added all of the time. I hope that your indoor tropical house plants and all of your plants and flowers are happy, green and growing because that is why I started this indoor house plant and flower care website, PlantAndFlowerInfo.com.
Common House Plants Flowers Care Guide
Indoor Plants Pictures Names ⚘ Best Indoor Plants ⚘ Adiantum Fern Care ⚘ Aechmea Bromeliad Plant ⚘ Aglaonema Plant Care ⚘ Aglaonema Maria Plant Care ⚘ Aglaonema Silver Queen Plant Care ⚘ Aglaonema Silver Bay Plant Care ⚘ Anthurium Plants ⚘ Aphelandra Plant ⚘ Arboricola Plant Care ⚘ Aspidistra Plant Care ⚘ Asplenium Nidus Plant Care ⚘ Basic Houseplant Care ⚘ Birds Nest Ferns Plant Care ⚘ Boston Ferns Plant Care ⚘ Botanical Calendars ⚘ Bromeliad Plants ⚘ Build A Greenhouse ⚘ Buy Greenhouse ⚘ Buy House Plants ⚘ Cast Iron Plant ⚘ Chinese Evergreen Plant Care ⚘ Chlorophytum Plant Care ⚘ Codiaeum Houseplant Care ⚘ Corn Plant Care ⚘ Croton Plant Care ⚘ Devil's Ivy Plants & Care ⚘ Dieffenbachia Plant Care ⚘ Dracaena House Plant Care ⚘ Dracaena Janet Craig Plant Care ⚘ Dracaena Marginata Plant Care ⚘ Dracaena Warneckii Plant Care ⚘ Dumb Cane Plant ⚘ English Ivy Hedera ⚘ Ferns Plant Care ⚘ Ficus Trees Plants ⚘ Fittonia Plant Care ⚘ Flower Calendars ⚘ Heart Leaf Philodendron ⚘ Hedera English Ivy ⚘ How to Care for Marble Queen Pothos ⚘ Hoya House Plants ⚘ Lady Palm Plant ⚘ Lucky Bamboo House Plant Care ⚘ Maidenhair Ferns ⚘ Marble Queen Pothos ⚘ Marginata ⚘ Money Tree Plant Care ⚘ Mother In Law Tongue Plant Care ⚘ Names Pictures of Plants ⚘ Nephthytis ⚘ Norfolk Island Pine ⚘ Orchid Flowers ⚘ Palm Plants ⚘ Peace Lily Care ⚘ Philodendron "Brasil" Plant Care ⚘ Philodendron Cordatum ⚘ Philodendron Silver Care ⚘ Plant Calendars ⚘ Poinsettia Plant Flower Care ⚘ Pothos Plant Care ⚘ Rhapis Palm Plant Care ⚘ Sansevieria Plant Care ⚘ Schefflera Plant Care ⚘ Self-Watering Planters ⚘ Care of Silver Bay Plant ⚘ Snake Plant Care ⚘ Spathiphyllum Care ⚘ Spider Plant Care ⚘ Care of Syngonium Plant ⚘ Succulent Plant Care ⚘ Warneckii Plant Care ⚘ Weeping Fig Tree ⚘ Zebra Plant ⚘ ZZ Plant House Plant Care ⚘ Plant Links
Other Plant Flower Links
Best Indoor Plants ⚘ Indoor House Plants Pictures Names ⚘ Water Indoor Plants ⚘ Lighting Indoor Plants ⚘ Bonsai Plants ⚘ Common House Plants ⚘ Indoor Palm Plant Care ⚘ Orchids ⚘ Pets & Plants ⚘ Buy Tropical Orchids Orchid Care ⚘ Plant Flower Gifts ⚘ Buy Plants Flowers ⚘ House Plant Guide ⚘ How To Books ⚘ Flowers Plants Poster Prints ⚘ Orchid Art & Posters ⚘ Gardening Calendars ⚘ Greenhouse Books-Gardening