Codiaeum

( koh - dee - EYE - um )

At-A-Glance Information

Frequently confused with the genus Croton, this group of plants is native to Southeast Asia, Australia, and various islands in the western Pacific Ocean. Some species are popularly cultivated as houseplants, and they can also be grown outdoors in warm tropical or tropical climates. Individual plants produce glossy, leathery, and brightly colored foliage, and have a shrubby form with upright stems. Use Codiaeum plants to create low hedges, screens, or as specimen, container, or accent plants to add a tropical vibe to the garden. Take care when planting these tropicals in the landscape, as plant parts are toxic to humans and pets if ingested. These plants also produce sap that can be irritating to skin or eyes.

Codiaeum Species and Varietals

The genus Codiaeum includes over 200 species, and is a member of the plant family Euphorbiaceae. The genus was first described in 1824, and has one main species that is cultivated widely as an outdoor and indoor tropical houseplant. These plants can be grown outdoors in USDA hardiness zones 11 and 12. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Codiaeum variegatum (Croton, Garden Croton, Fire Croton, Variegated Croton)
This species is native to Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia, and the islands of the western Pacific Ocean. This tropical evergreen makes an attractive screening plant or potted patio specimen. There are several hundred cultivars of this species, bred for differing leaf and flower colors. Popular varieties are listed and described below:

'Andreanum'
With broadly oval multicolored leaves with gold veins and margins.

'Aureo-Maculatum'
Leaves on this cultivar are spotted with yellow.

'Eleanor Roosevelt'
With medium-green slender leaves with yellow spots that mature to dark red.

'Evening Embers'
With blue-black metallic leaves highlighted with red and green.

'Gold Star'
With bright green leaves with a dense pattern of bright gold markings.

'Majesticum'
Branches are pendulous, and leaves are linear and yellow- to red-veined.

'Oakleaf'
With dark green to bronze oak-leaf shaped foliage.

'Petra'
Leaves are mottled with various colors.

'Spirale'
With spirally-twisted red and green leaves.

Caring for Codiaeum

Take care when planting these tropicals in the landscape, as plant parts are toxic to humans and pets if ingested. These plants also produce sap that can be irritating to skin or eyes. Croton plants can be grown outdoors in climates that are humid and remain above 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Otherwise, they are grown as indoor plants. They appreciate bright, indirect light, but can also take morning sun. Keep foliage out of direct sun during the warmest hours of the day. If plants are getting insufficient light, they will turn green and lose their bright coloring. Ensure that soil is well-draining, rich in nutrients, and has a pH of between 4.5 and 6.5 (slightly acidic). If local soils are particularly poor in nutrients or do not drain well, make sure to amend the planting area with plenty of organic compost before installing. Apply a layer of mulch around the planting area to suppress weed growth, maintain consistent soil temperatures, and to increase soil moisture retention.

Water new plantings regularly as they establish a strong root system in their new home. At maturity, these plants perform well in consistently moist soils. As a general rule of thumb, water whenever the top few inches of soil feels dry to the touch. Fertilize yearly in early springtime with an application of 2 inches of compost around the base of plants. Pull mulch back before applying, work the compost gently into the soil a bit, water it in, and then replace mulch. Pruning is simple; remove any damaged, diseased, or dead foliage at any time during the growing season. Croton plants are long-lived perennials in the garden, persisting for several decades (up to 45 years) with proper care before needing to be replaced. As houseplants, their life span is more variable, and is typically much shorter.

Caring for Codiaeum in Containers
Codiaeum, or Croton, shrubs are wonderful in the ground, but can also be grown in containers. Choose a container that is at least a few inches wider and deeper than the nursery pot or root ball. Ensure that the pot has adequate drainage holes on the bottom to allow for excess water to flow away. Fill with a well-draining potting mix amended with organic material and perlite, and top with a layer of mulch to suppress weed growth, maintain consistent soil temperatures, and to increase soil moisture retention. Water regularly as the plant establishes itself in its new home. Once established, waterings can be lessened. Codiaeum plants grown in containers will need more frequent irrigation than those grown in the ground. As a general rule of thumb, water whenever the top few inches of soil feels dry to the touch. Prune to remove dead, damaged, or diseased foliage at any time during the growing season. Every few years, check the bottom of the pot to ensure that the plant is not outgrowing its root space. If roots are growing through the drainage holes in the bottom of the container, it is a good indication that it needs to be potted up; choose a slightly larger container and repot.

Caring for Codiaeum Indoors
Choose a container for Croton plants that has adequate drainage holes on the bottom to allow for excess water to flow away. These plants appreciate a humid atmosphere, and having a tray underneath the pot filled with pebbles can increase humidity. Place plants away from drafty areas with cool air. Provide Crotons with bright, indirect light. If plants are not receiving enough light, they will produce foliage that is more green than patterned with bright colors. If necessary, supplement light with a grow lamp. Water plants regularly to keep soil moist, ensuring that excess water can drain away. Do not allow soil to become soggy. Prune to remove yellowing, dead, or damaged foliage at any time during the active growing season. Every few years, check the bottom of the pot to see if roots are growing through drainage holes. If this occurs, it is time to pot up. Choose a pot that is a few inches wider and deeper than the previous one, and carefully repot, adding more well-draining substrate if necessary.

Propagation

The best way to propagate Codiaeum, or Croton, plants is by taking cuttings from an existing plant and rooting them. To propagate your Croton plant, follow the instructions outlined below:

Propagating Codiaeum by Cutting

Gather your materials. You'll need a clean, sanitized, sharp pair of garden shears, rooting hormone, a pencil, and a 3-inch pot filled with well-draining compost or other organic material. A good substrate for propagation of cuttings is a light blend of 1/3 pasteurized soil or compost, 1/3 sand, vermiculite or perlite, and 1/3 coconut coir or peat moss.
In late summer or early fall, choose the plant that you'd like to propagate. Ensure that the plant has had a good watering the night before, as this will improve the chances the cutting will take root. Cut one or more 6-8 inch cuttings and strip the leaves off of the lower half. Make a hole in your planting medium by pushing your pencil into the soil. Dip the end of the stem in rooting hormone, and plant it in your pot. Fill in soil around the cutting to support it, but do not pack it down too much.
Moisten with water, and ensure that the pot has good drainage. It should be kept in warm, sunny conditions in a protected area. Water whenever the soil is dry under the top layer. After about four to six weeks have passed, the cutting should be rooted. New growth indicates the formation of roots.
Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when the seedling can be hardened off and then planted outdoors.