Tropic Croton

Biological Name:

Croton spp. (Tropic-Croton)

Natural Habitat:

Tropic-Croton: This plant is native to tropical regions of the world, and it can grow in a variety of habitats, including forests, fields, and disturbed areas.

Description:

Tropic-Croton also known as Croton is a plant that is native to grassland and prairie regions of North America. It is an annual herb that can grow up to two feet tall and it has small oval-shaped leaves and small yellow or white flowers that bloom in the summer. The plant is known for its colorful variegated leaves and it is often used as an ornamental plant in gardens and landscapes.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Do dove like Croton?
A: Commonly referred to as Doveweed, Croton glandulosa derives its common name because of the dove’s affinity for the plant. Specifically, it produces seed that doves will consume and it also provides ample cover from predators. There are also proven benefits for quail populations.
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Q: How do you promote Croton growth?
A: Place plants in a sunny window.Plant in Miracle-Gro® Indoor Potting Mix.Water when the top 2 inches of soil is dry.Feed with Miracle-Gro® Indoor Plant Food.Prune when the plant is getting too tall or the stems have gone bare.
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Q: What is the best fertilizer for Croton?
A: Down to Earth Organic Fruit Tree Fertilizer Mix 6-2-4.Dyna-Gro Foliage-Pro Fertilizer 9-3-6.Miracle-Gro Indoor Plant Food 1-1-1.Jobe’s Indoor Houseplant Fertilizer Spikes 13-4-5.Espoma Organic Indoor Houseplant Food 2-2-2.Osmocote Smart-Release Plant Food Plus 15-9-12.
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Q: What is best to plant for dove?
A: A number of agricultural plantings are attractive to doves, including: browntop millet, dove proso, grain sorghum, corn, peanuts, soybeans, sunflowers, wheat, and many others. However, wheat, browntop millet, corn, sunflowers, and dove proso are some of the best choices for planting in dove fields.
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Q: Is the Croton plant deer resistant?
A: scientific namecommon name(s)image galleryCroton capitatus var. lindheimeriWoolly Croton Lindheimer’s Hogwort Woolly Texas Goatweed Woolly Doveweed4 images
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Q: Do Crotons attract bugs?
A: The major arthropod pests of croton include mealybugs, mites, scales, and thrips. Mealybug, mite, and scale infestations are typically the result of bringing infested plant material into the greenhouse.
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Q: Why is my croton unhappy?
A: Under watering, over watering or cold temperatures are usually the cause for a dying croton plant. Temperatures lower then 50ºF cause the crotons leaves to drop and the plant to die back. Under watering and low humidity can cause the leaves to turn yellow, die back and drop off.
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Q: What is Croton plant used for?
A: Popular uses include treatment of cancer, constipation, diabetes, digestive problems, dysentery, external wounds, fever, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, inflammation, intestinal worms, malaria, pain, ulcers and weight-loss.
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Q: Do crotons clean air?
A: BREATHE EASY WITH PETRA CROTONS Houseplants are known to help purify the air in your home and Crotons provide the same benefit. According to the EPA, the level of pollutants in our indoor air is significantly higher than the air we breathe outdoors.
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Q: Where is the best place to put a croton plant?
A: Place croton in a sunny location such as an eastern, southern, or western window. If a croton is getting too little light, its newer leaves will be less colorful. Keep the soil evenly moist, but let it dry out between waterings.
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Q: How long do croton plants live?
A: How long do crotons live? The average lifespan of indoor croton is two to four years. To keep your plant outliving its lifespan, take stem cuttings from a mature, healthy plant to propagate the plant. A plant living outdoors in the correct zone in ideal conditions will live longer.
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Q: Are crotons high maintenance?
A: Crotons have some of the boldest and brightest foliage around. Often vividly marked with bright yellow, orange, and red, these exotic plants have a reputation for being high-maintenance due to their tropical nature, but once they acclimate to their new home, they’re quite low-care.
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Q: Is Croton a flowering plant?
A: Croton is an extensive flowering plant genus in the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae.
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Q: How long does a croton plant last?
A: How long do crotons live? The average lifespan of indoor croton is two to four years. To keep your plant outliving its lifespan, take stem cuttings from a mature, healthy plant to propagate the plant. A plant living outdoors in the correct zone in ideal conditions will live longer.
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Q: How poisonous are Crotons?
A: Toxicity:1-2 Exposure to juice or sap from these plants or a puncture wound from the thorns may produce a skin rash or irritation. Ingestion may cause minor symptoms such as rash, vomiting or diarrhea.
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Q: Do Crotons like sun or shade?
A: Croton plants develop their best colors when grown in bright light. As houseplants, they must be situated in a sunny window. They will tolerate medium light indoors, but won’t grow much and foliage may revert to plain green.
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Q: Are Crotons hard to care for?
A: Crotons have a reputation for being a little fussy. They’re evergreen shrubs native to Indonesia, Malaysia and Australia, which gives plenty of clues about their care – they need lots of bright light, warmth and humidity in order to thrive. Crotons are members of the Euphorbiaceae family.
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Q: Are Crotons good plants?
A: In areas with warm, humid summers, croton can be grown outdoors as a unique and colorful landscape plant. They work well in tropical-themed containers or alongside annuals in the ground. When nighttime temperatures drop to around 50°F (10°C), croton will need to be taken indoors.
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Q: Is croton a good houseplant?
A: The croton plant is often grown outdoors in tropical climates, but also makes excellent houseplants. Crotons come in a wide variety of leaf shapes and colors.
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Q: Where are Croton found?
A: croton, (Codiaeum variegatum), also called variegated laurel, colourful-leaved plant of the spurge family (Euphorbiaceae) native to Malaysia and the Pacific and extensively cultivated.
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Q: What is the lifespan of a croton plant?
A: How long do crotons live? The average lifespan of indoor croton is two to four years. To keep your plant outliving its lifespan, take stem cuttings from a mature, healthy plant to propagate the plant. A plant living outdoors in the correct zone in ideal conditions will live longer.
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Q: Can I touch croton plant?
A: Croton. This is another very common houseplant that must be kept out of reach of kids and pets. Its leaves are so toxic that even coming in contact with them through touch alone could have bad results. It also contains an oily substance that causes vomiting if ingested.
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Q: Is croton lucky plant?
A: Croton plant placement according to Feng Shui According to Feng Shui, the croton plant, if cared for properly and kept in the east or the south-east part of the house, will channelise good energy in the house. The croton plant symbolises change owing to the colourful leaves that develop in the plant while growing.
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Q: Are croton plants cancerous?
A: Phorbol, from Croton spp., has a carcinogenic effect and is used in tumour research.
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Q: Where do crotons grow best?
A: Crotons are relatively easy-going plants in the landscape, but they don’t tolerate wet feet well and should be planted in well-drained soil. They will thrive in either full sun or part-shade locations, though in shadier spots their colors may be more muted.
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About the author

Samuel is a gardening professional and enthusiast who has spent over 20 years advising homeowners and farm owners on weed identification, prevention and removal. He has an undergraduate degree in plant and soil science from Michigan State University.