Croton
Codiaeum variegatum
Family Euphorbiaceae
Croton wears autumn all year: red, orange, gold, and green marbled through every stained-glass leaf, no flowers required. In a bright room it's the loudest plant you can own — two to six feet of tropical color that never takes a season off.
It likes what you like — real light, steady warmth, summers out on the patio — and it repays a settled routine by keeping every leaf. The sap and leaves aren't pet snacks, so give it a stand of its own. Pick its bright spot and enjoy the fire.
Bright light incl
Moderate water
Moderate growth
None winter chill
From the print shop
Growing croton? Hang it.
Our Plant Library collection carries croton — Codiaeum variegatum, print Nº 141, “Croton.”
526 designsfrom $12.99white or black backgroundmatte poster, unframed
Will it thrive where you are?
Enter your ZIP — we look up your USDA hardiness zone (2023 map) and check it against what croton actually needs.
Hardy inZones 11-12Croton · Common problems
Common croton problems
Pests
2 problems on file
Diseases
1 problem on file
- Leaf drop from cold/drafts/moving
Croton · Growing & propagation
Growing croton
- Light
- Bright light incl. some direct
Color fades in shade
- Water
- Moderate
Evenly moist in season
Soil- Rich, draining mix · pH 4.5 - 6.5
Fertilizer- Monthly in season
Pruning- Spring
Pinch tips for bushiness; it may sulk and drop leaves after pruning, then recover.
Spacing- One per pot
How to plant & propagate croton
- Propagate
- Stem/leaf cuttings, division, or pups
Croton · Calculators & field guides
A little help in the garden.
Croton · Yearly calendar
The croton year, month by month
Jan
No calendar activity is listed for this month.
PrunePruneMarch to May
What each band means
- Prune — shape it now — cuts heal cleanly and structure is visible.
These are the species' typical months — expect them a few weeks earlier in warm zones and later in cold ones. Watch the plant, not just the calendar.
Croton · Ecology & uses
Ecology & uses
Codiaeum variegatum
Croton in the garden system
- Moisture
- Facultative / average
Deer- Browsed
Protect young plants
Origin- Introduced
What croton is grown for
! Some parts toxic — see notesToxic to pets; milky sap irritates skin
Use- Tropical color indoors
- Use
- Patio summers
Edibility, identification, and traditional-use notes here are general reference — not medical or veterinary advice, and not a claim that any plant treats or prevents anything. Medicinal ratings record how strongly a plant features in herbal tradition, nothing more. Never eat or dose a plant you have not positively identified. More on how to use this library.
Croton · Varieties & cultivars
Choosing a croton variety
'Petra' (classic); 'Gold Dust'; 'Mammy' (twisted)
Sources & plant identity
Know what you’re growing.
See where the knowledge comes from.
Croton
Codiaeum variegatum
The plant, at a glance.
- Botanical name
- Codiaeum variegatum
- Plant family
- Euphorbiaceae
- Growth habit
- Houseplant · Perennial
- Origin
- Introduced
- USDA plant symbol
- COVA3
- Invasive risk
- Low
Hardiness, size and timing vary with your cultivar, soil and climate.
Rooted in research.
University extension research, brought together with hands-on growing experience at Story Thyme Farms.
for Croton
Research from these sources
Publisher marks identify sources, not sponsorship or endorsement.
Questions
Croton questions, answered straight.
Is croton safe for kids and pets?
With care. Toxic to pets; milky sap irritates skin Site it accordingly if children or pets roam the garden. This is general reference, not medical or veterinary advice — call a vet or poison control if something has actually been eaten.
How do you propagate croton?
Stem/leaf cuttings, division, or pups.
Elsewhere
Where croton sits in the library.
Monstera
Golden Pothos
Snake Plant
Heartleaf Philodendron