The Croton: Planting, Growing and Care

Botany and description

The croton (Codiaeum) belongs to the Euphorbiaceae family, a vast plant family that includes trees, bushes and herbaceous plants. Some gardeners also nickname it the “variegated plant” because of its brightly coloured and changing leaves. In its natural habitat, the croton thrives in the tropical climates of Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands, where it grows in the undergrowth, benefiting from the light filtered through the canopy and the ambient humidity. Its dense and colourful foliage allows it to capture maximum light, while its roots anchor in rich, well-drained soil.

The croton grown indoors mainly belongs to the species Codiaeum variegatum, but there are many cultivars offering a great diversity of leaf shapes and colours. Among the most common, the Codiaeum variegatum ‘Petra’ is one of the most popular, with its large ovate leaves with prominent veins, blending deep green, golden yellow, red and orange. Other varieties, such as Codiaeum variegatum ‘Gold Dust’, are distinguished by finer foliage, dotted with irregular yellow spots reminiscent of paint splashes. Conversely, Codiaeum variegatum ‘Mrs. Iceton’ has elongated leaves in pastel shades, ranging from pink, cream to soft green.

The cultivars with narrow, curled foliage, such as Codiaeum variegatum ‘Zanzibar’, add a graphic touch with their long, tapered leaves. Finally, the Codiaeum variegatum ‘Mammy’ stands out for its more compact habit and thick leaves, twisted on themselves, displaying a striking mix of red, yellow and green.

The croton offers foliage with varied colours and shapes. Here, the varieties ‘Petra’, ‘Gold Dust’, ‘Mrs Iceton’, ‘Zanzibar’ and ‘Mammy’

The croton takes the form of a compact, upright bush, often with a bushy habit when grown indoors. Its growth is relatively slow and its development is influenced by growing conditions, but it can live for several years indoors with good care. It reaches between 50 cm and 1.50 m in height, depending on the variety and maintenance. Its root system is relatively shallow but well developed. The trunk, although discreet, is woody at the base and quickly branches into flexible stems bearing lush and exuberant foliage.

The croton’s foliage is its main asset. It bears evergreen leaves which, depending on the variety, can be elongated, ovate, lanceolate, lobed, or even spiralled, with smooth, undulate or deeply cut edges. Their texture is thick and leathery, almost waxy. They are adorned with bright hues blending green, yellow, red, orange and sometimes purple. These shades often mix on the same leaf, creating a marbled or veined effect, with patterns in spots, streaks or mosaic. The veins are particularly marked and often take on a contrasting colour, highlighting the graphic nature of the foliage. This play of colours evolves with the age of the leaf and exposure, making each croton unique and changing over time.

Indoors, flowering remains discreet and rare. When it occurs, it manifests as small whitish flowers gathered in light clusters, with little ornamental interest. In its natural environment, fruiting produces small capsules containing seeds, although this phenomenon is exceptional in domestic cultivation.

Thanks to its ability to purify the air, the Croton helps improve indoor air quality by absorbing certain toxins present in the ambient air.

However, it should be noted that its sap is toxic if ingested and can cause skin irritation. It is therefore recommended to place it out of reach of children and pets.

Over time, the croton grows large and forms a bushy, ramified bush, ideal for enlivening a living room with its colourful foliage!

Main species and varieties

What are the growing conditions for Croton?

Where to place the croton?

The croton needs strong light to maintain the intensity of its colours. A position near a well-lit window (without harsh direct sunlight, facing southeast or southwest) is ideal. It can tolerate light partial shade, but its colours will be less vibrant. The croton prefers bright but indirect light, which stimulates the production of colourful pigments in its leaves. If placed in a room that’s too dark, it may lose its fiery hues and develop mainly green foliage.

This tropical plant requires a stable temperature, between 18 and 25°C. It dislikes the cold and cannot tolerate temperatures below 15°C. Being frost-tender, it cannot be grown outdoors in temperate climates, except in summer, when it can be placed outside provided it’s protected from draughts and sudden temperature fluctuations.

Native to tropical regions, the croton enjoys humid air. Ambient humidity plays a key role in its health. Excessively dry air can cause the foliage to dry out and leaves to drop prematurely. A heated room in winter should therefore be compensated for with regular misting or the use of a humidifier to recreate an environment close to its natural habitat.

Place the croton in a bright spot, ideally by a window: this will intensify the colour of its foliage!

When to pot it?

The croton can be potted indoors all year round, provided growing conditions are optimal. However, spring and summer are the best times to plant or repot it. The warmth and light then encourage quick recovery and good adaptation to its new environment.

How to pot a croton?

The pot must have drainage holes at the bottom to ensure good drainage and prevent waterlogging, which could cause root rot. Terracotta pots are recommended as they allow better root aeration, but a plastic pot will do provided watering is carefully managed. A pot 2 to 3 cm wider than the root ball is ideal. The croton prefers being slightly snug in its pot. A pot that’s too large may retain more moisture and slow down growth.

What growing medium to use?

The croton thrives in a light, well-draining and organic-rich growing medium. The ideal is to plant it in an equal mix of houseplant compost, perlite and turf.

Planting steps

• Place a drainage layer (clay pebbles, gravel) at the bottom of the pot.
• Mix the compost, perlite and turf, then pour the growing medium into the pot.
• Remove the croton from its pot, taking care not to damage the roots, then place the root ball in the centre of the pot.
• Add more growing medium around the roots, firm lightly and water moderately.

Plant the croton in a pot slightly larger than the root ball, in a light and well-draining growing medium

How to care for your croton?

The croton is a demanding plant that requires special attention to maintain its colourful foliage in full health.

When to water the croton?

Watering the croton should be regular but not excessive. It is essential to keep the substrate slightly moist, without ever waterlogging the roots, as this risks causing them to rot. The watering frequency depends on the season:

• In spring and summer, when the plant is in full growth, it is advisable to water as soon as the surface of the compost begins to dry out, roughly once or twice a week.
• In autumn and winter, growth slows and evaporation decreases, so space out watering, allowing the soil to dry out several centimetres before adding water.

Ideally, use non-calcareous water at room temperature to avoid thermal shock. Additionally, regular misting of the foliage helps to recreate a humid atmosphere, beneficial for this tropical plant.

Don’t hesitate to mist the croton’s foliage regularly

Fertilisation: what fertiliser for the croton?

To support its growth and maintain the intensity of its colours, the croton requires regular nutrient inputs. During the growing season, between March and September, it is recommended to apply a liquid fertiliser for houseplants every two to three weeks, to encourage dense and vigorous foliage. If you prefer to space out nutrient applications, opt for slow-release fertiliser cones. In autumn and winter, fertiliser applications should be stopped, as the plant enters dormancy.

Pruning and foliage maintenance

The croton does not require strict pruning, but you can pinch young shoots (by taking the tip of the shoot between your thumb and forefinger and pinching it off), to encourage denser branching and a more compact habit. Yellowed or damaged leaves should be removed to prevent them from unnecessarily draining the plant. It is also advisable to regularly wipe the leaves with a damp cloth to remove dust and facilitate their respiration.

However, it is entirely possible to prune a croton if it becomes too large or loses density. Trimming the trunk can even encourage better branching and a more compact habit. When a croton stretches in height and becomes too bare at the base, you can cut it above a node, ideally in spring, to stimulate the appearance of new shoots. The cut should be made with a clean, sharp secateurs. After pruning, the plant usually produces new branches from the buds below the cut, giving it a bushier appearance. Wear gloves when pruning, as the sap is slightly toxic and may cause skin irritation.

When to repot the croton?

Repotting the croton can be done every two to three years, in spring, when its roots begin to outgrow the pot. Choose a slightly larger pot. If the plant is too large to repot, top-dressing (replacing the top 3-4 cm of compost) may suffice to provide fresh nutrients.

Also read our advice in Croton: caring for this houseplant through the seasons.

What are the common problems with Croton?

The croton is a magnificent plant with its colourful foliage, but it can be a bit temperamental! Here are the most common problems you might encounter and our advice to solve them:

• Leaf drop: This can be caused by various stresses such as draughts, sudden temperature changes, or water that is too hard or too cold. Avoid moving the croton too often, as it reacts poorly to environmental changes and may shed its leaves in response to stress.
• Yellowing or wilting foliage: This is often caused by overwatering or underwatering.

Pests and diseases of the croton

The croton is a hardy plant, but like all houseplants, it can be susceptible to certain pest attacks and diseases, especially if its environment is not optimal.

The most common pests

The main pests affecting crotons are scale insects, spider mites and aphids.

• Scale insects appear as small cottony clusters or brown shells attached to the leaves and stems. They feed on the sap and weaken the plant, causing the foliage to yellow. Treatment with a cloth soaked in 70° alcohol or diluted black soap in water will help eliminate them.
• Spider mites appear when the air is too dry. They spin fine webs under the leaves and cause discolouration. Increasing ambient humidity and misting the foliage with water helps control them.
• Aphids, though less common, can colonise young shoots and distort the leaves. A treatment based on black soap helps eliminate them.

Scale insects, spider mites and aphids

Common diseases

The croton is particularly susceptible to problems related to excess moisture or poor drainage.

• Root rot occurs when the growing medium remains waterlogged for too long. It manifests as blackening of the collar and the plant collapsing. To avoid this issue, it is essential to use a well-draining pot and space out watering.
• Foliage decline can be caused by sudden temperature fluctuations, lack of light or overly dry air. A stable environment and good humidity levels are essential to prevent this.
• Leaf spots sometimes appear when the watering water is too cold or if the plant gets water droplets in direct sunlight. It is best to water with room-temperature water and avoid wetting the foliage when it is in direct sunlight.

Also read our detailed guide: Croton indoors: pests, diseases and common problems.

How to propagate croton?

The croton is mainly propagated by cuttings, but it can also be reproduced by layering or sowing, although these methods are less commonly used. Water propagation is a simple technique that stimulates root development before replanting the cutting in soil.

How to propagate a croton in water?

• Select a healthy stem around 10 to 15 cm long, with several leaves.
• Cut the stem just below a node using clean secateurs.
• Keep only the upper leaves to reduce evaporation.
• The croton produces milky sap, so it’s advisable to let the cut dry for a few minutes before placing it in water.
• Use room-temperature water and submerge only the base of the stem.
• Change the water every 3 to 4 days to prevent the growth of bacteria.
• The first roots usually appear within 2 to 4 weeks.
• When the roots are 2 to 5 cm long, transplant the cutting into a light, well-draining substrate.
• Water lightly and place the young plant in a bright spot without direct sunlight.

Decorative touch: how to showcase a Croton in your interior?

The croton, with its colourful and graphic foliage, is an ideal plant to bring colour into a living room or office. To showcase it, it’s best placed in a bright space where its vibrant hues can fully express themselves. In terms of decoration, it works particularly well as a standalone plant, on a pedestal or coffee table, where it becomes a real focal point. It can also be integrated into a composition with other tropical plants, such as monstera, ficus or calathea.

When it comes to the pot, it is best showcased in simple and elegant containers, which avoid overwhelming the already strong visual impact of its foliage. A raw terracotta pot adds a natural and authentic touch, ideal for a bohemian or Mediterranean style. For a more modern and minimalist look, a white or black ceramic pot will highlight its colours without overpowering them. Plant covers in natural materials, such as rattan, enhance its exotic and lush appearance without being kitschy.

Pair the Croton with other houseplants such as Calathea, Alocasia, Sanseveria…