Croton is one of the most beautiful representatives of the vast Euphorbiaceae family. Even in the variegated rainforest, its bright crown is striking, and even more so the room in which it grows is transformed and comes to life.
The genus is represented by herbaceous plants, trees and shrubs that naturally grow in Oceania and tropical Asia. In room culture, crotons are extremely popular. There are many varieties and forms in which leaves vary in color, size, number and location of veins and spots. For the sake of motley bizarre foliage, croton is grown.
Caring for this attractive crop is considered troublesome and difficult. Although this is not the most capricious plant, and if you wish, it is quite possible to find an approach to it.
Croton care, regardless of species and variety, is based on several basic rules. Firstly, like any other plant with brightly colored leaves, it needs good lighting. But at the same time, protection from direct sun is needed, otherwise burns will appear on the plant. Secondly, you need to regularly moisten the air. Thirdly, the plant is thermophilic, so drafts and low temperatures have a detrimental effect on it. And fourthly, croton reacts poorly to hard watering and the presence of lime in the soil. Most tropical species exist in just such conditions, so if you have some experience, you can easily grow a healthy and beautiful croton.
Plant care begins with a choice of location. It should be located at the windows of the south-west or south-east exposure. The south side is also suitable, but with protection from direct sun. In poor lighting conditions, the colors will fade, the color of the leaves will become more uniform and the plant will lose its decorative qualities. It is good if it is possible to illuminate the croton in winter, since it does not have a pronounced period of rest.
Temperature jumps and drafts are extremely undesirable for most indoor plants. Croton is no exception. Care for this crop should be aimed at creating a stable microclimate, ideally similar to the microclimate of a tropical forest. Based on this, it is necessary to determine the moisture regime. It is clear that drying the substrate adversely affects the development of the plant. If a lack of moisture is observed for a long time, the lower leaves fall at best. At worst, the plant dies. If this still happened, you need to be able to level the watering. In no case should you immediately pour half a bucket of water into the pot, hoping to compensate for its lack. This is a gross mistake. It is necessary to water such a plant very carefully, gradually increasing the dose and allowing the soil to dry out. And if you still treat the bush with epin or another adaptogen, there is a chance to save even the croton that has dropped all the leaves.
Caring for most tropical plants usually involves regular humidification. In this case, this procedure is also necessary, because in conditions of low humidity the ends of the leaves begin to dry and twist, as a result, the bush loses its decorativeness.
Another important procedure is crown formation. Young specimens are simply pinched, and adults are cut annually every 20 cm of growth, on the external kidney. If this is done regularly, you can get a compact and lush croton.
Reproduction of the plant is a simple matter. Cuttings are rooted in peat tablets, sand, peat-sand mixture and even in water. Milk juice should be washed off the handle and the slice should be slightly dried. Before planting in the substrate, it is desirable to use root stimulants. The temperature for successful grafting is +24 ° C. The grown plants are transplanted into a soil mixture consisting of equal parts of humus, coarse sand, peat, leaf and sod land.
When working with croton, you need to remember that its milky juice is poisonous, and observe safety precautions.