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THE MOST COLOURFUL HOUSEPLANT ‘CROTON’- GROWING & CARING

If you are looking to add some colour to your home and that even purifies air then there is nothing better than Garden Croton. It is one of the most popular houseplant among the plant enthusiasts for its bunch of colourful leaves that includes yellows, pinks, oranges, bronzes, reds, purples, and greens. Wow! That’s a lot of colour imagine adding a Garden Croton to your home décor or balcony garden.

While most tropical plants feature a meek variegation on their leaves with a clean edge of cream or gold, Crotons goes all against the rules and with each leaf happens to have an endless variety of patterns.

The croton is an easy to grow houseplant in tropical regions and here’s how to care for a croton in your home or garden.

1. Bringing a Healthy Plant home
It is very important to bring healthy plant home that is free of bugs, burns or rots. Healthy plants look vibrant in colour, while unhealthy plants will have chewed leaves, wounds, or nicks as these may be a sign of unwanted hosts. A robust plant will stand out after you compare them with one another.

2. Soil
The Pot that you pick should have good drainage, should be large enough for root’s growth and the soil mix should drain well. Croton loves extra acidic soil so you can fertilize them in good amount when potting.

3. Light
If you are planting a croton outdoors, select a spot with partial shade. Too much direct sunlight can cause leaf burning and scorching. Morning sunlight is perfect for them to thrive. While keeping indoors, make sure they are at a very bright spot. Also remembered if a croton is getting too little light then its new leaves will be less colourful.

4. Water
Keep the soil evenly moist, water before the soil completely dries off. Also they love to get misted every now and then. If humidity is low in your home, mist around the leaves.

5. Cleaning
These plants are dust magnets. Gently wipe the leaves with a damp cloth as it helps them to purify air and keep the bugs away. If your plant has bug attack use Neem oil diluted in water to remove the bugs and mites.

6. Fertilizer
They love acidic soil so you can fertilize them once in 15-20 days. In winters don’t bother fertilizing.

7. Temperature
Crotons are from tropical climates and cannot tolerate cold & frosty temperatures. During winters bring them inside. They will also start losing leaves in winter but as soon as the spring approaches you will see new leaves sprouting.

8. Propagation
Croton could easily be propagated from stem cuttings. Remove the bottom leaves and place the cutting in a glass of water. After it roots plant the Croton in a small pot.

Although they are astonishing plants with colourful foliage and perfect to gift instead of a flower bouquet that will even live long and will look great at the same time. But it is better to keep them away from pets and small children as it is mildly toxic. Ingestion of the leaf or sap may cause mild irritation in throat areas.

PRONATI DOBRIYAL