Croton (codium): caring for a fastidious handsome man at home

Croton (or codium) is a very bright, attractive plant whose beauty does not depend on flowering. The green-yellow, red or pink foliage is dense and seems very durable. If the croton is healthy, it will be so: a bright bush will delight you with a riot of colors all year round. However, this flower is fussy, should it not please, and the leaves will hang sadly. What should be the care at home for a croton so that it is always cheerful and cheerful?

Description of croton, origin, features

The Croton houseplant is also called codium, now these names are considered to be synonymous. But from a scientific point of view, the second will be more accurate. Crotons are a genus with over a thousand species of tropical shrubs and trees. Their closest relatives, they are part of the same Euphorbia family, are codiaeum. According to the latest data, in this genus there are only 17 species of evergreens. And only one of them, the codiumeum variegatum, (Codiaeum variegatum) is adapted to home conditions. It was his growers who were used to calling croton.

Croton is a tropical plant, it is used to a warm and humid climate.

Kodium comes from the rainforests of southeast Asia (distributed in India, Malaysia, Indonesia) and the islands of Oceania and Australia. The climate in these parts is mild, the temperature does not drop below +25, the rains are plentiful, but short, and the soil is always a little damp. Therefore, the plant fell in love with high humidity and very warm, even hot, air.

According to one version, the name croton plant received from the ancient people who inhabited the Moluccas (Indonesia). According to another, the naturalist scientist Carl Linnaeus gave him the name of the Italian city of Crotone, which in turn was named after the ancient Greek hero.

Croton (codium), like all representatives of the Euphorbia family, has milky juice. is he poisonous to humans and animals. Croton's “milk” can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and skin irritation. Therefore, safety rules must be observed: wear gloves at the beginning of work, and then wash hands and tools. The plant should be out of the reach of small children and animals.

At large, the codium grows above 3 meters

In the natural environment, crotons grow up to 3 meters or more. Home plants are rarely higher than one and a half meters, and there are compact forms up to 60 cm. As a rule, this is an upright bush with variegated leathery foliage. The shape of the sheet plate is distinguished by many options: an elongated or very narrow oval, an ellipse with a pointed or rounded end, two or three blades. In some varieties of croton, spiral, wavy or fancifully curved foliage. Her color is no less whimsical. On one plant, you can see different shades of green, as well as yellow, red, pink and purple, burgundy painting. The pattern and brightness of the ornament drawn by nature depend on the conditions of the flower and age. The more light and the older the croton, the more interesting and rich the color will be.

The older the croton bush, the more varied and interesting its coloring

Adult croton with good care can bloom. But compete with the colorful foliage of inflorescences can not. They resemble a brush and appear in the axils of the leaves, each with one or two dozen small whitish flowers. They are divided into male, consisting of stamens and similar pom-pom balls, and female - curved pistils. On the brush, flowers are of only one gender, but they are revealed simultaneously. Flowering greatly weakens croton, after which growth slows down by 3-4 months. Therefore, at home, peduncles are usually removed.

Male flowers of croton are balls from stamens, they are cute, but take away a lot of forces from a plant

Croton was never considered a simple species to grow. He always enjoyed a reputation as a moody and demanding plant. This luxurious handsome man gets used to a new place for a long time, can get sick right after a transplant, requires a lot of light and high humidity throughout the year, does not tolerate cold and drafts.

Kodiyum (croton) has become easier to grow at home, now there are devices that moisturize the air, and special lamps for plants

Previously, such requirements were difficult to fulfill. But now, flower growers have accumulated rich experience in growing the whimsical croton and are successfully using it. Plants and modern appliances help to fulfill the vagaries of plants. To make the air tropical moist, you can use an electric humidifier or indoor fountain. Short daylight hours will be extended by special lamps. But even with such technical support, the croton will not do without constant attention, it needs to regularly wipe the foliage, form a bush, protect it from temperature changes and pests. This plant is suitable for caring and caring growers.

Croton requires a lot of attention and care from the grower

Video: the challenges of growing codium

Indoor species and plant varieties

As indoor plants, they began to grow the only species - codium variegatum, as well as its varieties and hybrid varieties. But they represent such a wealth of shapes and colors that other species are simply not useful.

Varieties of codium variegatum:

1. The narrow-leaved croton is equipped with long (about 20 cm) leaves, their width is no more than 1 cm. Yellow-gold touches and specks are scattered on the green backgrounds.
2. The appendage croton is mottled and green. Its broad leaves at the base in the middle taper to a petiole-like shape, and then expand again, forming a small leaf appendage at the end.
3. Curly codium (crispum) is a long, narrow, swirling leaf. On the green - stripes, spots, veins or a grid of different shades of yellow. The brightest representative of the variety is Spirale with uniform turns of leaves.
4. The lobed croton is distinguished by wide leaves, divided into three parts. The central lobe is much longer and wider than the lateral ones. Yellow veins adorn bright leaf greenery.
5. Flat-leaved (platyphyllum) codium - a plant with large (up to 30 cm in length and 10 cm in width), oval leaves, their edges are slightly wavy.
6. Ovalifolia (ovalifolium) with simple leafy plates in the form of an elongated oval with a rounded end, saturated yellow marks are located along the veins.
7. Tortoise variety (tortile) is distinguished by broad leaves at the petiole, which taper to the tip. Against the olive-green background are red-yellow stripes along the central vein and chaotic golden spots.
8. Genuinum (genuinum) variety with solid oval leaves covered with a pattern of silver or gold with a reddish tint. There are forms with fine and ribbon foliage.
9. Codiyum variegatum decorated (pictum) - the initial form for most hybrid varieties. This is a bush with a straight stem (up to 1 meter high), which is covered with dense and rigid leaves. They are painted with a pattern of bright yellow, red, pink spots on a green field.

The most famous varieties and hybrids of codium variegatum pictum:

1. Croton Petra is a branching trunk on which large leathery leaves are located. Yellow veins, an edge and dots are drawn on the main green background. The shape of the leaves is diverse.
2. Mrs. Ayston is a variety with broad, rounded leaves. Young plants have a creamy pattern on them. With age, the color becomes more intense, acquiring a pink, yellow or red color. There are forms of blood red or very bright yellow hues.
3. Excell is easy to recognize by leaves similar in shape to oak. Young leaves, at the top of the plant, yellow-green. At the base of the trunk - maroon.
4. Koroton Mummy is distinguished by narrow, small leaves. The edges of them slightly bend from the center. Coloring combines different shades of green, yellow, red and pink.
5. Zanzibar variety has long (about 40 cm) yellow-green leaves. They bend gracefully.
6. Nervia - a variety with a colored crown of bright green, lemon yellow and pale pink leaves. They are serrated with a well-defined vein in the center.
7. Croton Tamara - a very rare variety. Oval leaves of medium size, two-tone. On the main dark green background, closer to the edges are light green and white spots.
8. Disraeli - a variety with lobed leaves. Above they are green-yellow, below the color of red brick.
9. Codium Black Prince with flat and wide foliage. Coloring is very original: on a dark green, almost black, background - red, yellow or orange marks.

Varieties and varieties of flower in the photo

What is croton variegatum mix

Often, specialized stores offer plants called codium (or croton) variegatum mix. This is not a variety, but an indication that specimens of this variety are collected in the batch. Their color depends on the conditions and age of the leaves. So the same plant may look different. And even specialists sometimes find it difficult to accurately identify the varietal affiliation of croton.

Any sort can be hidden behind the name "croton variegatum mix"

Video: Acquaintance with the Crotons (Codecs)

Conditions for croton (table)

Clean leaves are the key to health

Croton is clean, it can become ill due to the fact that the leaves are covered with dust. Why is wet cleaning so important?

1. Dust closes the pores on the leaves, and this makes it difficult to exchange air with the environment.
2. A dusty film slows down the process of photosynthesis, the plant suffers from a nutrient deficiency.
3. Dust may contain and accumulate harmful substances.
4. Under the dusty layer, insect pests can hide.

To wipe a croton with wavy or curly foliage, patience is needed, but it is important for plant health

Therefore, at least once a week, take a soft damp cloth and wipe the croton, admiring the colorful patterns. It is better in the morning to dry the plant before night. To facilitate cleaning, pre-spray your handsome man.

For greater beauty, gloss can be added to the foliage. Polishing agents are best taken in aerosol containers. Or try folk recipes. They polish the leaves with beer, a weak solution of vinegar or milk. Do not touch young foliage. And carefully polish an adult, do not push hard so as not to cause injury.

Leathery leaves look good after polishing

Florarium and Croton

Croton lovers say that the most difficult thing is to ensure high air humidity. It is not always possible to create tropics in an apartment in which a finicky plant feels good. Croton will enjoy living in a home greenhouse - the florarium. It is easy to maintain the desired microclimate, including high humidity. Making an open florarium is easy. You will need a container with a door or an aquarium made of glass, transparent plastic.

1. Fill the tank with drainage material (pebbles + charcoal), a porous soil substrate with a high sand content.
2. Plant tropical plants with the same care and maintenance requirements.
3. Moisten the plantings, cover with a lid or just glass, put in a warm and bright place.
4. Florarium plants themselves create a favorable microclimate.
5. From time to time, when condensation occurs, ventilate the mini jungle.
6. Once a few months, arrange a rain for the plants and carry out the cleaning in the florarium: inspect the pets, remove the damaged leaves, add the substrate if necessary.

For plants, choose plants with similar habits

The many-faced croton is an ideal plant for the florarium. To avoid problems with care, you can plant different varieties. Such a "garden" will not work boring. Good neighbors for croton ferns, arrowroots, fittonia, reo, selaginella. Do not plant succulents and cacti with them.

Indoor florarium is sometimes called a bottle garden. Its main difference from an open one is a container with a rather narrow neck that closes tightly. After planting, the bottle garden is watered only once, and then it is clogged and not opened. Plants live in a closed ecosystem. Indoor florarium is not the best choice for croton. He has too large leaves.

Croton is suitable for growing in an open florarium, for a garden in a bottle it is large

Is it possible to grow bonsai from codium

The croton's patterned foliage will look great on a bonsai tree. This idea surely dawns on gardeners. And such bonsai are grown. But with great difficulty and loss. Croton has several qualities that make it unsuitable for this:

• too large and heavy leaves;
• the plant does not tolerate transplantation, and for bonsai it is an annual operation;
• easily lose foliage due to care mistakes;
• straight stem is poorly forming.

You can grow bonsai from croton, but it’s difficult, and the result will not always please

Landing and transplanting

Croton negatively relates to transplantation. Therefore, young plants are transplanted, or rather transferred to a slightly larger (2-3 cm) pot, after a year, and adults after 2-3 years or less. During this procedure, try to maximize the integrity of the earthen coma.

To grow a large codium bush, it will have to be replanted every 1-2 years

If the bush has grown significantly, and you do not want it to be larger, just change 5-6 cm of soil on top of the pot.Soil renewal is necessary when the old one has already turned white from salts or is too thickened.

It’s time to change the soil in the pot with this croton, it has an unhealthy look

Both ceramic and plastic pots are suitable for croton. But it will be better for younger flowers in plastic to make it easier to monitor the state of the root system. But matured crotons are more suitable for ceramic containers. It is heavy and stable, and this is important: due to the massive crown, the plant may fall. In addition, natural ceramics absorb salts that are unnecessary for croton.

A tall croton needs a heavy and stable ceramic pot

Choose a pot that is about the same height and width. Pay attention to the drainage holes, they should be large. Before landing, if necessary, install a croton support.

Large specimens are not transplanted, they are partially renewed soil on top

Croton is used to fertile, but porous and light soil. Sample compositions:

• universal soil for indoor plants, you can add soil for orchids and charcoal;
• into 3 parts of garden land, one and a half - peat and one sand;
• a mixture of compost, sheet soil, peat and sand in equal parts;
• on 2 parts of leafy land, one on peat, half on humus and sand, for airiness cut sphagnum moss;
• into two parts of sheet land, one part of humus, peat, sand.

About a quarter of the pot should take up drainage. It will help remove excess moisture from the roots. Expanded clay, crumb of red brick, polystyrene, vermiculite are suitable as drainage material. Before planting, be sure to sterilize the soil and drainage, scald the pot with boiling water.

Transplant croton

1. Put a drainage layer on the bottom of the pot.
2. Sprinkle part of the soil on top, moisten it.
3. Remove the plant from the old pot carefully, without breaking the lump of earth with roots.
   

   During the transplant, try to maintain the integrity of the earthen coma

4. Inspect the roots; carefully remove the rotten ones.
5. Move the plant to a new pot.
6. Gradually fill the earthen lump with new soil, compacting the void between it and the pot wall. In the process, shake the container slightly so as not to leave empty areas.
7. Water the plant lightly, spray it and place in a slightly shaded warm place.
8. After a week, return to a permanent place, take care, as usual.

Croton painfully suffers a change of pot. To help him, add a rooting product to irrigation water once a week (Kornevin, Zircon, Epin, Ecogel). It can be sprayed from a very fine spray with Epin's solution (2-3 drops per glass of water).

After the transplant, the croton is stressed, take it more carefully than usual

Support

Most varieties of indoor croton have massive dense leaves and a relatively thin stem. This imbalance is not noticeable at a young age. But over the years, the crown becomes richer, and the trunk does not have time to increase weight and tends to fall under its weight. So that the plant does not break, support is needed. For starters, sticks made of bamboo or another tree are suitable. You can buy a support for the liana (a stick wrapped in coconut fiber) or make something from improvised materials.

The support should help the croton not bend under the weight of the crown

How to choose a healthy plant

When choosing a croton in a store, pay attention to the color of the foliage. In a healthy plant, it is bright, and veins are especially expressively drawn. Look at the arrangement of the leaves. They look up at the crown or are almost parallel to the soil from the bottom of the trunk - this is the norm. Sadly hanging is a sign of illness. Examine leaf plates carefully: dents, dry spots, dots — possibly traces left by pests. Check the stem, if it has holes, it indicates that the croton throws off the leaves. Make sure that the earthen lump is in good condition - not overdried and not flooded. If you find disturbing symptoms, it is better to abandon the acquisition of croton.

This plant is clearly painful, in a healthy croton leaves do not hang

Just bought a croton, withstand at least two weeks in quarantine, let it adapt in a new house. And only then transplant. All transport soil should be removed if problems are found: rot, acidification, pests. If there is nothing, take care of the roots, leaving the soil.

Video: flower transplant lesson

Croton care at home

When caring for a luxurious croton, consider its tropical inclinations: a love of heat and high humidity. And also we must remember that a bright leaf pattern must be supported by top dressing. And do not forget about the formation of the bush.

How to water and fertilize

Large leaves evaporate a lot of moisture. Therefore, croton loves soft and slightly warm water, and abundant watering in spring and summer. It is only important to maintain balance and not flood the plant. Excess moisture leads to rotting of the roots. Water the croton during active growth, when the top layer of the soil dries 1-2 cm.

Croton is watered and sprayed with soft, warm water

Reduce watering in the fall. And in winter, wait until the soil is dry for at least two days, and only then water it. Follow the rule: the cooler the air, the more modest watering. But do not allow the drying of an earthen coma. If the soil is completely dry, the croton will hang the leaves. You can return them to their normal state: water by immersing the pot and spray the plant.

Croton is sensitive not only to the quality of water, but also to its temperature. It should be settled or filtered, slightly warmed up. A croton drenched in cold water can fall.

To maintain the brightness of the foliage, regular feeding is necessary.

In spring and summer, twice a month, fertilize the motley handsome man with mineral fertilizing. Pay attention to their composition. Most useful for bright leaves of a potassium plant. Nitrogen negatively affects their color. In winter, croton also needs food. But at this time, top-up only once a month and reduce the dosage of the nutrient solution. Apply fertilizer after watering so as not to harm the roots.

Croton is useful, especially if it is capricious, growth stimulants (Epin, Zircon, Uniflor Rost). They are used no more than twice a month, you can spray with a solution or pour.

Video: Croton enjoys watering

Peace and winter lighting

Croton does not have a pronounced resting period; it simply stops growth with the advent of cold weather and a decrease in daylight hours. The best temperature for wintering is + 18-20. Below is already fatal for a gentle croton. And he already suffers without the sun. It will help to winter the artificial increase in daylight hours to 12-14 hours.

If you extend daylight in winter, croton will continue to grow foliage

Under the lamps, the croton will build up colorful leaves in the winter. Incandescent lamps are not suitable for illumination. The plant needs LED lamps of a warm spectrum, they give the maximum effect. Slightly worse are phytolamps, gas-discharge lamps or ordinary luminescent ones.

Formation

To keep the croton attractive for many years, he needs regular pruning, they are carried out in the spring, until the plant begins active growth. The upper shoots are shortened, causing the side buds to develop. The first time a young croton is nipped, when its growth is only 15-17 cm. Then every 20 cm. Recommended to cut a plant with a height of 40 cm, cut branches will be cuttings for propagation.

Croton spring trimming awakens lateral buds

Remember to wear protective gloves before trimming the croton. The milky juice of the plant is poisonous, but it quickly heals the wounds. For greater safety, you can sprinkle them with sulfur or coal powder.

The haircut is also hygienic in nature: remove dried twigs eaten by pests. But Croton does not always understand the importance of the procedure and begins to act up. To raise the mood and tone of the plant, spray it, it is possible with a stimulant, and cover with a package. A mini greenhouse will help the croton get used to the new form.

Care errors and their elimination (table)

How to save a croton that has dropped all leaves

Croton, who lost all the leaves but retained a living trunk and roots, can try to revive.

1. Dilute Epin in warm water. Spray the plant abundantly.
2. Put in a bag and tie.
3. Take away at night in a warm place, if in the afternoon - then in the shaded.
4. Remove the bag after 10-12 hours, place the pot in a warm, bright place, but without direct sunlight.
5. Water as the soil dries, very little. If there are no leaves, then the moisture almost does not evaporate. There is a danger of waterlogging of the soil.
6. After this, the side kidneys should wake up.
7. Recovery did not occur - check the condition of the roots and trunk.
8. If they are alive, repeat the procedure after 10-14 days.
9. The trunk dries - resuscitation is unlikely to help.

Video: resuscitation of a withered croton by transplant

Diseases and pests (table)

Breeding

Croton is most often propagated by cuttings, less often by seeds or air layers.

Cuttings

Spend it in the spring, usually after cutting the plant. Rooting will be better in a heated greenhouse.

1. Cut the cuttings to 6-8 cm from lignified healthy shoots.
   

   Healthy adult shoots needed to root

2. Remove the lower leaves, cut the upper half.
3. Wash off the milky juice in running water.
4. Treat the cuttings with a rooting agent and dust the cuts with charcoal. Soak them for 2 hours in the air.
5. Deepen the cuttings in a moistened, light substrate (peat + sand).
   

   To root, you need a light substrate, high temperature and humidity
6. Close the greenhouse with a lid, maintain the temperature + 25-28 degrees.
7. Put it in a bright place without direct sun.
8. It takes 2-3 weeks to root. After planting the cuttings in separate pots with a nutrient substrate.
   

   After rooting, transplant young crotons into nutrient soil

Some gardeners claim that croton can be propagated by leaves. They are buried in the soil and covered with a bag. The seedling is occasionally sprayed, watered, kept in partial shade. After 2-3 months, the roots will grow. However, the experiment will fail if there is not even one kidney for the development of the shoot. Therefore, along with the leaf, it is necessary to cut off a piece of the stem.

The leaf that gives the roots does not guarantee that a new plant will grow

Seeds

Propagating croton seeds for a long and difficult time. It should be noted that this method does not preserve parental qualities, and the seeds quickly lose their germination. And without a greenhouse with lower heating can not do.

Video: croton propagation by air layers

Florist reviews

Always use extra croton lighting. In any latitudes. 12-14 hours a day under a 10 W LED lamp at a height of a meter from the plant - and it will grow almost anywhere very quickly. I have several plants thriving, with the couple standing in poor places (draft), but bright light (~ 15000 lux ) - it compensates for everything. It is very desirable to have constant lighting, buy a reliable time relay, and do not trust the inclusion of backlighting to your own schedule.

neznaika

//www.botanichka.ru/blog/2010/02/04/croton/

I had the first croton at work in my office. The only problem I encountered was the mite who regularly attacked it. And so he grew quickly, looked beautiful. Then they gave me a croton for my birthday. I left him at home. And he grows great and very beautiful. Therefore, in the greenhouse, I without fear bought discounted molehills.

Natalie

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Many years ago, the croton fell, growing quite successfully. The roots were not damaged, but after the fall, the cuttings from it disappeared, if they took root, then they suffered the same fate. So much I tormented with him, and died. Now I know for sure that crotons do not tolerate flights and tremors. In general, it happens to them that way, after the transplant, mine began to disappear, he did not like the soil, and he urgently had to root the crown. He sat, thought, and 3 years after an unsuccessful transplant began to give lateral shoots. If peat oxidizing acidifies the soil, then you can feed. Look at the roots, pull it out of the flowerpot. Maybe there are pests or earthworms in the soil that eat young roots. As far as I noticed, croton does not like organic fertilizers. You can try to shed and spray with immunocytophyte, many plants respond very well to it. Crotons are also very fond of spider mites, sometimes it is not visible at all. After its work, crotons also dump damaged leaves in the same way.

Galka

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My friends cut the stalk in the summer, stuck it in the ground and gave it to me in the winter. It is growing well, and in general it seems to me that the difficulties with croton are greatly exaggerated. The only thing I know for sure is that when trimming it should be warm and humid (indoors, of course), so it is necessary to trim after the batteries no longer heat up.

irina-bahus

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At my friend (a biologist, works at the Biology Research Institute), crotons are cut in packages, dressed on the bottom and tied in a knot on top. Leaves become soft for a while. Rooted, gain elasticity.

Olive tree

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Croton can be propagated by leaf. Even in the fall. In October, I just stuck an excellent leaf into the ground, poured it, tied it in a bag. Put in the shade. Occasionally sprayed and watered. And in February, the roots had already grown. I don’t know when the shoots will be, because I propagate with a leaf for the first time. In November, I propagated a variety of mammi with a cuttings. There was a small twig with one leaf. Put the cuttings in water, added root and vermicompost. In early February, planted in the ground. After a couple of weeks, new leaves appeared. Grade Gold Sun cuttings in August with a long branch of 20 cm with the release of leaves. Planted in September. It seems that the croton does not care when to multiply and in what way. By the way, biohumus significantly accelerated the growth of barely growing roots.

Eva

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Crotons like to sit without growth, especially dubious.Since they prefer acidic soil, I poured them with succinic acid into a very weak solution, and after 2 weeks they began to grow. Checked repeatedly.

T.Tamara

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Crotone news !! I didn’t live and didn’t do it for about 7 months ... I didn’t show any signs of life ... I threw off 3 sheets and that's all ... Now I moved it to the south room, behind the tulle, started to water more often (otherwise I let it dry for a couple of days until the leaves lowers) - now no ... changed the top layer of the earth, added humus ... and after yesterday's shower !!!! voila !!! - finally!!!

Maria

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Croton was brought by a tiny plant from Cuba. I form. Twice it has already been pruned and so interesting it turns out that you prune one twig, and 3-4 young shoots grow on the site of the cut.

Yavia

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Croton (or codium) is a very elegant plant. Its painted, patterned leaves will decorate any room. But not everywhere you can grow up capricious handsome. The sun, warm and humid air - this is what he needs for a long and beautiful life. These conditions are not so difficult to fulfill. Experienced growers successfully grow entire collections of luxurious plants. They know where one croton settled, the other takes root more easily.