Possible difficulties
— Due to a lack or excess of light, the leaves lose color.
— Due to direct sunlight, burns appear on the leaves.
— Due to dry air or soil, the tips of the leaves turn brown; if the temperature is too low, the edges of the leaves become brown. For the same reasons, the lower leaves fall off.
— Brown tips of leaves indicate a lack of moisture in the substrate and in the air, and if the edges of the leaf blade are also colored this color, it is necessary to increase the ambient temperature.
— Large leaves easily absorb dust, and they are wiped with a soft, damp sponge at least 2-3 times a decade.
— With low air humidity, codiaum is easily attacked by pests and diseases.
— At a temperature of 12°C, dulling of the surface of the leaves is observed, and with a long stay at 10-12°C, the leaves crumble.
Young leaves are less brightly colored than older leaves. This is normal for the plant.
I'm a fan of variegated plants. I once had a gorgeous codiaum with large leaves in my collection, but it did not survive intensive ventilation. Recently, I began to restore a collection of decorative foliage “pets”. At the top of my wish list is codiaum; I can’t afford to buy a plant now, because... large specimens are sold, and it’s not interesting for a gardener; you want to grow it yourself.
Propagation of branched crotons with narrow leaves (for example, Golden Finger) is not difficult; they can be propagated from cuttings. The situation is more difficult with broad-lobed crotons (such as Bravo or Holuffiana), they only have a stem and large patterned leaves. I read on a gardening forum that there are legends that such a specimen can be grown from a leaf. I asked my friends for a leaf, cut it off with a very small heel, because... alien plant.
I buried the leaf in the ground, made supports for it so it wouldn’t fall over, and built a greenhouse over it. Then I relied on my “light hand.” Usually everything I plant takes root.
The leaf sat unchanged for a very long time, then began to lose color a little.
I took it out, the petiole was not rotten, but there were no signs of roots. I dipped it in a mixture of root and activated carbon. The leaf very quickly turned yellow and became limp.
Question for gardeners: is it possible to propagate codiaum from leaves? If not, how to get a young plant of broadleaf varieties?
Diseases and pests of croton
Croton rarely gets sick because it is poisonous, but insufficient care can lead to various diseases. It is advisable to familiarize yourself with some of his diseases.
- Anthracnose is a fungal disease. It occurs when overwatering with cold water. A sign of anthracnose is the appearance of reddish or grayish-ashy spots on the leaves. The fungus penetrates the leaf veins and destroys the plant. The pot with the diseased plant is urgently isolated from the rest and treated with an antifungal drug. It is better to spray all plants in contact with it with biological products to avoid infection.
- Root rot - appears when the soil acidity is low. The leaves turn pale, dry out and fall off. In a diseased plant, the roots become soft, flaking, and they rot. To combat root rot, broad-spectrum antifungal drugs are used.
- It happens that the tips of croton leaves begin to dry - this is due to lack of moisture in the soil and in the air. It is necessary to water the flower more abundantly and spray its leaves. To increase the humidity in the room, you can place containers of water next to the pot.
- If brown spots appear on the leaves of the plant, this is due to direct sunlight hitting the flower, especially in the summer. Adjust the watering mode and remove the pot from the sunny windowsill - the croton will come to life again. And dry ends can be carefully trimmed.
- The appearance of a brown edge on the leaves indicates that the plant is cold; it is necessary to increase the temperature of the air surrounding the croton.
- If the leaves begin to turn pale and cease to be bright and colorful, the plant does not have enough lighting, move it to a brighter place.
- If the leaves fall, the plant is most likely cold, uncomfortable, and lacks nutrition and moisture.
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Anthracnose Root rot Scale insect Mealybug
- On diseased plants, spider mites may appear - a thin web on the stems and leaves of the flower. It appears due to a combination of two reasons - dry air and insufficient watering.
- If a light fluffy coating appears on the leaves, it is a mealybug.
- Sometimes croton is affected by scale insects - light areas appear on the leaves in places where the pest feeds.
In all these cases, pots with diseased plants should be taken to the bathroom and there all the leaves on both sides should be treated with a soap solution. Then wipe them with regular vegetable oil. If a flower is severely damaged by pests, it is treated with special preparations - insecticides, such as karbofos or actellik. In fact, the appearance of pests and diseases of croton is caused by two factors - insufficient ambient humidity and improper watering of the plant. If you provide these conditions to your flowers, they will never get sick and pests will not disturb them.
Characteristics and description
Modern indoor croton (codiaum) is a flower with leaves of various colors and shapes. It looks very impressive, which is why it is popular.
Sheet
The croton leaf blade is striking in its variety of shapes.
It can have the shape of an oval, a long twisted ribbon, be in the shape of an egg, or resemble a heart.
Croton leaves can be cut in the most bizarre way, have indentations, or be constricted.
There are also forms with unusual drooping leaves.
The size of the leaves also varies. There are large-leaved and small-leaved forms.
There are also species with different leaf sizes on the same plant: large, older ones on the bottom and small, younger ones on top.
The leaves also differ in texture. They can be leathery, with numerous veins, thin, or practically without veins.
They can be painted in two colors. Most often this is a combination of yellow and brown or yellow and green; it is also possible that the lower leaves are dark burgundy with light spots, and the upper leaves are yellow-green with burgundy spots.
There are specimens painted in five or six colors and shades at once.
Often the color of the leaves depends on age. The older ones are painted in dark tones, and the young ones, appearing both on top of the plant and between the old ones, are more delicate, soft yellow, soft pink or green in color.
Trunk
Like those growing in the wild, ornamental croton grows with an erect, thin trunk and can be tree-like or bush-shaped with numerous branches from the main trunk.
Some species do not have a trunk, but grow from the root in the form of a rosette of leaves or form the same rosette on a shortened, up to 1 cm, trunk.
Flowers
Not all species and specimens of croton bloom regularly. Bright sunlight stimulates active flowering. Most often, flowering begins in late February-early March.
First, a nondescript female peduncle appears. Once bloomed, it lasts for about a week. The peduncle with male flowers grows in April, and the flowers remain on it for about a month.
In appearance they resemble white dandelions with a yellow tint; faded inflorescences are replaced by newly blossomed ones. Newly appeared flowers emit a subtle, pleasant aroma.
During the flowering period, the plant needs a lot of moisture; when the soil dries out, the flowers dry out and flowering stops.
Sometimes two types of flower stalks, male and female, grow simultaneously. In this case, the flowers are cross-pollinated and then seeds are formed. In order for them to start with a guarantee, artificial pollination can be used.
If an adult croton does not bloom at home, it means that favorable conditions have not been created for it. Also, failure to comply with care standards can cause croton diseases.
Description of Croton
In the wild, croton grows up to 3 meters in height. And at home, this indoor plant grows up to 1 meter, and almost all of its species, with the most careful care, do not grow above one and a half meters. This flower is very beautiful and decorative. It can decorate not only our home, but also the lobbies of hotels, schools, medical institutions and various offices. Its leaves, of unusual color and shape, always attract people's attention. Croton has the shape of a small tree, although one should not hope for the rapid formation of a beautiful crown. In order for a flower to grow neat and beautiful, it must be trimmed, thereby forming a lush bush.
This is how croton blooms
Codiaum is a flowering plant. When croton rarely blooms, an arrow appears with small, inconspicuous flowers of light yellow color. These flowers are not particularly beautiful or decorative, but croton spends considerable energy and nutrients on their flowering. Therefore, flower growers usually remove these arrows immediately.
Croton species
Codiaum variegated is the most common domesticated species of codiaum. It is this plant that gardeners often call croton. There are about 15 species of croton, from which many hybrids have been developed. Different varieties differ in size, color and shape of leaves. Below is a description and photo of the most popular of them.
Petra
Croton Petra has bright green, dense, glossy leaves that are arranged alternately on the stem. They come in oval or lobed shapes. The edges of the leaves and veins are bright yellow. The trunk is branching.
Mrs Eyeston
Croton Mrs. Iceton has broad, short leaves with a rounded tip. The color of the leaves is uneven, has different shades - yellow, red, pink.
Norm
Croton Norma is distinguished by the fact that on its emerald green leaves yellow spots of different sizes and bright red veins clearly stand out.
Goldfinger
Gold Finger variety has very long, thin, green-yellow leaves.
Excellent
Excelent has leaves like oak - large, dense, with veins of different colors. The upper side of the leaf is yellow-green, and the lower side is yellow-purple down to the petiole.
Mammy
Mammy variety has beautiful red-green leaves interspersed with yellow, red and pink. The leaves are wavy, arching, and curl inward.
Gold Sun
Variety Gold Sun - has large oval leaves of light green color with yellow spots of different sizes.
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Croton Zanzibar is also distinguished by its leaves - thin, long, hanging down, and different colors - from yellow-brown and orange to red.
Description
The color of the foliage is incredibly varied: yellow, red, orange, purple, black dots and stripes are combined with lacy silver and bronze patterns.
Such magnificence, apparently, became the reason to call this plant “Joseph’s cloak” - after the name of the biblical character who received from his father, to the envy of his brothers, brightly colored clothes of fine workmanship.
They are called variegated codiaum and croton. This name is considered inaccurate by botanists.
Like many members of the Euphorbia family, the sap that contains Joseph's Cloak Croton is poisonous.
Therefore, it is not recommended to grow the plant where there are small children and pets, and after working with it you should wash your hands well.
When grown indoors, codiaum does not grow above a meter. He is demanding of living conditions, which should resemble his favorite jungle: warm, with bright lighting and high humidity.
However, at home, codiaum, “dressed in crimson and gold,” can not only be grown, but also propagated.
Common types
The following flower varieties are in great demand among gardeners.
Petra
The most frequent guest in apartments and offices is the Petra Codiaum. In an ordinary apartment, a flower does not exceed a meter in height, but in a greenhouse it can turn into a four-meter tree.
This plant has:
- flexible, elastic, dark green trunk;
- the leaves are green, oval, pointed at the ends, can reach 30 cm in length;
- the pattern of veins and the edging of the foliage are bright yellow, orange, scarlet, burgundy;
- Leaves of different colors are adjacent to one plant.
The flowers of Croton Petra are pale and not decorative.
Zanzibar
A variety of codiaum with long leaves shaped like a lancet. The foliage color is deep green, almost black in places. The spots on them are orange, purple, yellow, scarlet, light green. At home it almost never blooms.
Reproduction
You can obtain new plants using cuttings throughout the year. To do this, the apical young or lignified shoot up to 10 centimeters in length is cut off from the mother bush. The milky juice is removed from the cut site and the wound is treated with crushed charcoal. After this, the cut site is treated with a root-forming composition and placed in a nutrient substrate.
The soil for codiaum should consist of peat and sand in equal volume parts. To quickly form roots, containers with cuttings are placed in a warm room with a temperature of 22-24 degrees. Caring for seedlings involves periodically watering the soil and spraying the plants.
An easier way to obtain new crops is leaf propagation.
In this case, a large leaf is taken from the mother bush, the milky juice is collected from it and dipped in water, and the cut area is rubbed with charcoal.
Next, the leaf is rooted in a moistened nutrient substrate of peat and sand. The vegetative organ is placed under a film, periodically ventilated and moistened. After the seedling has several stems, it is moved to a separate pot.
Secrets of caring for codiaum at home
Caring for decorative perennials is not too difficult, especially for the most unpretentious varieties and species. The main conditions for proper cultivation are the use of high-quality nutrient soil, comfortable temperature conditions, optimal humidity levels and timely pruning of the above-ground part.
Requirements for soil and planting pot
Codiaeums grow and develop well in the presence of loose and well-fertilized soil. Purchased soil for flowering ornamental and deciduous plants is optimally suited for this purpose. When preparing it yourself, you should mix an equal amount of turf, leaf soil, peat chips and medium-grained sand.
The soil mixture is pre-frozen or calcined. Drainage based on expanded clay or clean pebbles must be poured into the bottom of the flower pot. The pot for growing a young plant should be of medium size. The flower pot should not be deep. An adult plant is grown in larger pots and flowerpots.
Optimal growing conditions
The heat-loving crop grows and develops at a temperature of 21-25°C. It is necessary to protect the plant from drafts and cold winds. In summer, the plant should be protected from direct sunlight to avoid burns of the foliage. East or west windows are best suited for placing a flower pot. In winter, you can place an indoor flower on a sunny southern windowsill.
Insufficient lighting negatively affects the decorative appearance of the plant - the foliage loses its bright color and becomes uniformly green. Croton loves bright, but fairly diffuse lighting and high humidity. The foliage should be wiped on both sides with a damp cloth. Once a week in the morning, spraying is carried out with warm and settled water with the addition of growth stimulants “Zircon” and “Epin-extra” or “Immunophytophyte”.
Planting and replanting indoor flowers
It is advisable to replant adult and well-developed plants every two or three years, after the root system becomes crowded in the flower pot. The new flower pot should be slightly larger in volume than the previous flowerpot. As a rule, the diameter of the new planting container exceeds the previous flowerpot by 5 cm.
Before replanting an indoor flower, the soil needs to be well watered. Transplantation is carried out by transshipment, preserving the earthen coma. You need to add fresh nutrient soil to the new planting container:
- one part of turf land;
- one part of leafy soil;
- one part of humus;
- one part peat;
- one part medium grain sand.
Watering and fertilizing
Codiaums need to be watered all year round, quite regularly and relatively abundantly. For irrigation activities, soft and settled water at room temperature is used. You need to water the flower as the top layer of soil dries, avoiding stagnation of water in the pan. Decorative perennials need high air humidity, so it is necessary to regularly spray with soft and settled water. Once a month it is recommended to give the tropical plant a warm shower. If necessary, you can place the flowerpot on a tray with well-moistened expanded clay or wet pebbles.
Technology and timing of pruning
In order for the decorative indoor codiaum to correctly form its crown independently in home gardening conditions, it is necessary to periodically prune it, as well as competently pinching the aerial part. Such timely measures contribute to very active branching of the plant. You need to trim the shoots with a clean and sharp tool, after which all cuts should be thoroughly treated with sulfur or crushed activated carbon. It is quite possible to use cut shoots as cuttings for independent propagation.
The first pinching is done after the above-ground part reaches a height of 15 cm. All subsequent pruning and pinching are carried out as the vegetative mass grows and develops, every 20 cm. All leaves that have dried, fallen off or thickened the bush must also be removed. Pruning can be done regardless of the time of year, and the croton itself tolerates such regular procedures completely painlessly.
Popular varieties
Tamara Branch
Croton Tamara Branch has elongated leaves that are shaped like feathers. The tips of the leaf plates are spiral. The foliage color is whitish-light green, and like most varieties it is spotted.
Variegatum
Codiaum Variegatum is the ancestor of all cultivated varieties of the genus. In the wild, it grows either as a shrub 1.5 m high or as a tree that grows up to 4 m. At the same time, on a windowsill it grows only up to half a meter.
Variegatum forms large leaves up to 30 cm long. Dense leaf plates are arranged alternately on the stem. Stem growth is very slow.
Zanzibar
Codiaum Zanzibar is distinguished by thin and long leaves. The color of the leaf blade is uneven, but most of it is green with small yellow dots.
Codiaum Petra
The green plant with large yellow veins looks great. This compact bush grows up to half a meter in height. Large, veiny leaf plates grow alternately and point upward. A special “accessory” is the bright yellow veins, which make the flower even more extravagant.
Mrs Eyeston
As an adult it resembles a mini tree. When young, the leaves have a delicate creamy tint. As the leaves on the tree mature, they first turn yellow and then bright green. Mrs. Eyeston amazes with its originality, since on one plant you can see all the colors at the same time.
If you care for the plant correctly, the entire tree will be covered with variegated foliage. The plant loves good lighting, but avoids direct sunlight; an extra portion of ultraviolet radiation can lead to burns.
Excellent
This oak-leaved compact indoor flower looks unusual: a bright emerald-colored top with yellow blurry spots, and below the leaves are a crimson shade. Each leaf blade is clearly outlined with brown veins. The flower stands out not only for its original color, but its leaves are shaped like oak leaves.
The perennial loves abundant watering. It should be watered when the top layer dries out. Excess water is immediately removed from the pan to avoid rotting of the roots. This variety is most popular among gardeners.
Mammy
Codiaum Mammi has narrow leaf blades, coquettishly twisted in spirals. The orange-red color of the leaves always lifts the mood, and the dark emerald stripes dividing the plate in two give the flower some intimacy.
Mammy looks bright. Yellow veins mixed with red ones add some severity to the leaves. Such a decorative element will decorate any interior.
Sunny star
The leaves are colored in warm sunny colors. The olive tip and edging at the edges make the foliage more defined. The young leaves of Sunny Star have a beige tint. As they “grow up,” they become scarlet and sunny yellow with pink splashes.
With insufficient lighting, the indoor plant begins to stretch and loses its attractive variegated shades.
There are also other varieties:
- Codium Mix. A variety that has many varieties. The mix with sharp edges on the tops of the leaves looks very original;
- decorative Gold San with yellow veins on a green background is very demanding in terms of lighting;
- the elongated glossy leaves of the Golden Ring are decorated with a scattering of spots as if they were gold;
- Gold Star looks like a branched bush with green plates bordered with gold;
- a beautiful and unpretentious plant with narrow leaves, Pictum Spot, is ideal for an apartment;
- the Nervia variety is good for decorating a workplace, as it helps to achieve recognition and increases perseverance;
- the decorative deciduous shrub Vilma is valued for its variety of variegated shades and unique leaf shapes;
- The rare variety Eburneum is also called the “white chimera”, since the color of the leaf blades has a milky tint. As the leaves mature, they turn pinkish;
- Spray champagne has oblong thin leaves, on which small spots are located, like splashes;
- The main decorative feature of Croton Aucubofolia is the color of the leaves. The plant blooms with delicate fluffy balls, which are collected in inflorescences. In order to enjoy the bright colors of Aucubofolia, bright lighting is necessary.
3.Types of croton:
3.1.Croton Tamara Branch
Bright ornamental bushes up to 1.5 m high with erect, weakly branching stems, densely leafy oblong, lanceolate, hard leaves with large white and green spots.
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3.2.Croton Excelent
Spectacular variegated plants with oblong, three-lobed leaves, colored emerald green. A distinctive feature of the variety is the presence of yellow, pinkish or red stripes on the leaf blades, located mainly along the leaf veins.
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3.3.Mrs. Iceton's Codeium
Variegated plants with strong, erect, unbranched stems bearing bright, variegated leaves of a wide variety of shades. The leaf blades are glossy, hard, lanceolate. Unlike other crotons, this variety retains foliage along the entire length of the trunk and does not expose its lower part.
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3.4. Croton Mammi - Codiaeum mammi
Beautiful plants with oblong, brightly colored leaves. The shades of the leaves are predominantly dark in color. The edges of the leaf blades have graceful curves, making the plant appear lush and curly.
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3.5.Croton Zanzibar
Long-leaved codiaum with long, gracefully drooping leaf blades, dark green in color with longitudinal yellow, burgundy, purple or pink stripes and small contrasting specks on the surface.
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3.6.Croton aucubifolia
Spotted plants with oblong, lanceolate leaf blades, which sometimes take on a vague three-lobed shape in mature plants. The leaves are glossy and green with small yellow spots on the surface.
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3.7.Croton Nervia
Weakly branched, erect bushes with lanceolate, entire green leaves. Along the veins, the leaf blades have light yellow, wide stripes diverging from the center. The central vein is often highlighted in pink.
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3.8.Croton Tiglium or laxative
This variety does not have a bright, beautiful appearance, but it has healing properties and, as the name suggests, is used as a laxative. The plant is an evergreen tree with lanceolate, green, glossy leaves. The lower surface of the leaf plates is painted in a lighter shade. During the flowering period, plants form small oblong inflorescences with inconspicuous flowers, which over time turn into rounded fruits. When ripe, the fruits acquire a yellowish-orange hue.
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3.9. Croton curly
The main distinguishing feature of curly croton is its leaf blades with beautiful, curved edges. Leaf shades include green, yellow, pink, red, burgundy.
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3.10.Croton triloba
The leaves of three-lobed codiaums have two rounded projections on the sides - lobes.
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Subspecies
A huge number of hybrid forms are known in culture. Some varieties and forms:
Codiaeum variegatum var. genuinum diff. Genuine - the leaves are flat, entire, lanceolate or elliptic-lanceolate, the apex and base are pointed. On the upper side of the leaf, especially along the central vein, golden or silver painting is noticeable. Sometimes the leaf has a reddish tint.
Codiaeum variegatum var. ovalifolium diff. oval-leaved - the leaves are oblong-oval, flat, entire, rounded-blunt at the tops and at the base, with pronounced golden-yellow areas on top and along the veins.
Codiaeum variegatum var. picturatum diff. decorated - resembles the previous one in leaf shape, but the “second” leaf is narrower and elongated, rather elongated-lanceolate.
Codiaeum variegatum var. recurvifolium diff. turned-leaved - has wide, almost oval leaves, their edges are turned outward.
Codiaeum variegatum var. tortile diff. tortoiseshell - the leaf blade is deltoid or heart-shaped at the base, elongated at the top, linear with a slightly pointed apex, leaf spiralization is weakly expressed. The leaves of various forms of this variation are distinguished by their variegated color: against an olive-green background, a reddish central vein, along which there is a golden stripe, and irregularly shaped spots of the same color scattered on both sides of the central vein stand out clearly. One plant may have leaves that are completely golden or have a reddish tint.
Codiaeum variegatum var. trilobium diff. trilobed - the base is wedge-shaped or deltoid, the leaf blade is tripartite. The color of the leaf is varied: there are forms with golden central and lateral veins, which are emphasized by spots of the same color. Other plants have wide golden stripes along the central and lateral veins.
Codiaeum variegatum var. volutum diff. wrapped - the broadly lanceolate, elongated leaves are rolled inward towards the stem, as a result of which the plant takes on an almost spherical shape.
Codiaeum variegatum f. angustifolium form narrow-leaved - leaves are narrow, linear, 15–20 cm long, 0.5–1.0 cm wide, apex slightly elongated. Golden spots are scattered randomly on a green background; the veins can also be painted the same color.
Codiaeum variegatum f. appendiculatum Celak
appendage-like shape - attracts attention with the original shape of the leaves. The broadly ovate or lanceolate-ovate leaf blade narrows at the apex, forming, as it were, a second petiole, on which a second leaf blade is formed, resembling the main one in shape, but smaller in size.
The color on both sides is green, although there are also variegated forms.
Codiaeum variegatum f. crispum cv. Spirale form curly cultivar Spirale - leaves petiolate, prostrate, rather long and narrow, oblong or linear-lanceolate, twisted into a spiral. Within this variety there are plants with different shapes of the leaf blade: linear-lanceolate leaves with golden veins forming a reticular pattern on a green background; leaves of the same shape, but spiral-curled with a golden central vein; leaves are lanceolate, extending from the stem at an angle of 30–45 °, rounded, along the central vein there is a golden stripe of indeterminate shape; the leaves are longitudinally lanceolate, more or less spirally twisted, with golden spots diffusely scattered across the green background.
Codiaeum variegatum f. lobatum has a lobed shape - the leaves are simple, quite large (18–22 cm long, 7–10 cm wide), the leaf blade is three-lobed, the central lobe is elongated, the lateral ones are shorter, separated from it by a deep notch. The base of the leaf is narrowed. The leaves are green with yellow stripes and spots.
Types and varieties of codiaum
Breeders know about 17 varieties of the described plant, but at home they mainly grow variegated codiaum and its varieties . The classic species grows in the southeastern part of Asia in the tropical zone.
When developed in natural conditions, the plant has the appearance of a tree, its height reaches up to 4 meters. The leaves of the crop are leathery, up to 30 centimeters in length; the color of the leaf blades depends on the characteristics of the particular plant. Next, let's get acquainted with the most popular varieties of flowers.
- Codium Mammi differs from other varieties in its narrow and small leaf blades with wavy edges. The leaves curl along the central vein. The colors of greenery can be very diverse; on one plant there are leaves of red and green color with pink splashes and yellow veins.
- Croton Excelent has lobe-like leaves of green color and yellow veins. The inside of the leaves is red with brown veins.
- Codiaum Mrs. Iceton has broad but short leaves. The leaves of young crops are cream-colored; with age they become pink or red with numerous yellow spots. Some crops also have dark, almost black or yellow leaves.
Trimming
Probably every owner of Codieum sets the goal of growing a beautiful bush with an evenly leafy crown. This can be achieved by pruning. Formation begins in the spring. In a young plant, it will be enough to pinch the top; this procedure causes branching. In an old plant, the crown is formed by pruning shoots and removing excess branches.
To prevent fungal diseases, the cut area should be sprinkled with crushed coal. Cut branches are used for cuttings. Different varieties need to be pruned based on their characteristics. Codiaum Petra does not branch too much so that a beautiful lush bush grows; several pieces of future beauties can be planted in one pot.
Reproduction methods
Many gardeners dream of purchasing codiaum for their mini-garden. Reproduction of this flower occurs in two ways - seed and vegetative.
It is almost impossible to grow a plant using seeds. This is due to the fact that at home codiaum bears fruit extremely rarely, and the seeds of this flower are very difficult to find in the store. In addition, the process of growing from scratch will be very long and labor-intensive.
Since the codiaum flower reproduces by seeds very slowly, flower growers use stem and leaf cuttings.
Cuttings
Propagation by cuttings is best done in the spring, starting in April. But experienced gardeners, with proper care, can carry out cuttings at any time of the year.
The process goes like this:
- A cutting 10-15 cm long is cut from the top of the plant;
- The segment is washed under running water in order to wash off the milky juice of the stem;
- After washing, the cuttings are dried naturally for 2-3 hours;
- To root a section, place it in warm water;
- Coal or pharmaceutical blue is added to the water - this will help avoid rotting of the roots;
- The plant must be placed in a greenhouse (made of glass or polyethylene), closer to sunlight, but without direct rays;
- After 2-3 weeks, the roots will grow a couple of centimeters, and the shoot can be planted in a pot.
To speed up the process of root formation on cuttings, their lower part can be treated with a special agent - heteroauxin or phytohormones.
Rooting cuttings in stages
Propagation using leaves
Another method of cuttings is using leaves
It is important that part of the shoot with a bud is cut off along with the leaf.
Leaf propagation process:
- The leaf with part of the shoot is cut in half;
- Each part is buried 2-3 cm into the ground;
- A greenhouse is created (the easiest way is to put a plastic bag on the pot);
- Every day the shoot is sprayed and ventilated;
- After 2-3 months, the cuttings will give roots, and they can be planted in different containers.
As soon as new leaves appear on the segment, they can be replanted. The growth of new shoots and leaves means that the cutting has not only given roots, but also gained enough strength for further growth and development.
Please note: different types of codiaum are cut in the same way. This is another plus of the plant, which greatly simplifies the task of gardeners.
Bloom
Codiaum or home traffic light has earned the reputation of a magnificent plant for the beauty of its leaves, which cannot be said about its flowers. Small, slightly pink flowers are collected in brushes and do not represent a decorative spectacle, and they take a lot of energy from the mother plant, so the flowers should be removed.
They have no decorative value, and only experienced botanists who select new hybrid plant species can collect seeds for propagation.
Domestic crotons grow in height no more than 1 meter, usually 50-70 cm, and differ in the shape and color of the leaves. The most popular in indoor floriculture are: Petra, Excelent, Zanzibar, Mrs. Eyeston, Tamara, Mammi. Croton laxative and cascarile are suitable for greenhouses.
Propagation of codiaum using cuttings
With this method of propagation, a lot will depend on the chosen cutting itself; you need to decide which part of the plant to take the cuttings from and what time to choose for this.
All months are suitable for propagation, with the exception of January-February, since this is the resting time for the plant. Rooting of cuttings during this period will be weak, or may not occur at all.
The best time to root cuttings, of course, is spring.
Suitable cuttings:
- apical shoots with an active bud;
- stem shoots with one leaf;
- You can use the woody part of the plant without buds at all.
In general, you can use almost any part of the plant. The main condition is the correct cutting of the cuttings themselves.
Each of them must have:
- length - 6-12 centimeters, no less;
- thickness - 7-8 millimeters;
- or at least one leaf, and for apical shoots - a couple of leaves, so that they take root better.
You need to examine the plant and identify those shoots that can be used for cuttings.
Codiaum is a poisonous plant, but the poison is contained only in the sap of the plant. It can cause an allergic reaction and even a burn on the skin.
Therefore, all cutting work should be carried out only with gloves, and then wash your hands with soap after fiddling with the flower.
Stages
Having decided to start cuttings and choosing a suitable mother plant:
- determine the shoot in order to cut the apical part. In addition, stem shoots are selected that are suitable for obtaining several cuttings.
- The cuttings are carefully cut off and laid out on paper so as not to confuse where the top is (for those that do not have a crown)
- The cuttings should be kept in warm water for several minutes to allow the milky juice to drain. Afterwards, you can lightly treat it with wood ash so that the juice does not stand out.
- 1-2 leaves are left on each cutting for adequate nutrition and faster rooting. To better retain moisture, the leaves are sometimes tied and rolled into a tube, which helps retain water in the leaf.
- Cuttings on cuttings must be kept in the air to dry, and then treated with a root growth stimulator (root or zircon). Thanks to these preparations, not only does the root system form better, but the cuttings are also saturated with useful microelements, which are so necessary during establishment;
- Rooting is carried out either in prepared soil or in water. When rooting in the substrate, you need to cover the cutting with a jar or plastic bottle. You can also make a small greenhouse out of film. But in any case, we must not forget about daily ventilation of the shelter.
- When rooting in water, you need to monitor the temperature and quality of water in the jar with the shoots. A healthy and powerful root system will be ensured by maintaining the water temperature from 24 to 30 degrees.
If all necessary conditions are properly met, the roots begin to germinate in three to four weeks.
Possible problems during cultivation and methods for eliminating them
- Loss of turgor in leaves. Spray the leaves with warm water and analyze the conditions. The reason may be insufficient watering - wet the lump; in waterlogging, because without air access, the roots cannot consume water - carefully remove the entire lump from the pot, wrap it in paper to remove excess moisture, and let it dry; in a very cold coma, for example, in winter on a cold windowsill or after watering with cold water, the roots cannot consume cold water - move the plant to a warm place, water with warm water.
- The appearance of brown spots on the leaves. The reason often lies in non-compliance with the watering regime. If the coma dries out too much or with systematic waterlogging, the roots suffer, and as a result, necrotic spots form on the leaves. Such stains will not disappear; they should be carefully cut out so as not to spoil the decorative effect, and be sure to adjust the watering. If the roots are not seriously damaged, these measures are sufficient; the roots will gradually recover. It is better to avoid replacing soil; do it in extreme cases; after such a transplant, the plant needs resuscitation.
- The leaves have lost their gloss and become whitish. The reason may be severe spider mite infestation, which is observed in dry air, overdrying or overheating of the plant. Normalize conditions, arrange weekly warm showers, and in case of severe damage, treat with acaricides.
- Falling leaves. Typically, leaf fall is a consequence of hypothermia of the plant, strong drafts, drying out of the coma, or severe mite infestation. Normally, with age, the lower leaves naturally fall off due to old age; this process occurs intensively with a lack of light.
- Dry tips of leaves. The reason is that the air is too dry. Increase air humidity.
- Light dry spots on the leaves. These are sunburns. Such spots will not recover; remove the plant from direct sun.
- Loss of variegation. Occurs due to lack of light. Move the plant closer to the light.
Reproduction methods
Indoor codiaum is propagated by seed or by cuttings.
Seed material must be fresh. To begin with, the seeds are poured with warm water (50-60 degrees) for half an hour, then taken out and left to swell for 24 hours, wrapped in a moistened napkin.
While the seeds are being prepared, make up the soil mixture
It is important that it is drained, nutritious, slightly acidic, with high parameters of water and air permeability
The seeds are buried 1 cm into the substrate, watering is carried out using the bottom method through a tray until the first shoots appear. When the seedlings acquire 2-3 leaves, you can safely transplant the young plant into small separate pots.
Most often at home, the cutting method is used. To do this, cut a stalk 8-15 cm long from the top, wash it under running water so that all the milky juice is completely released, and then dry it under natural conditions for a couple of hours. After all the manipulations, the cutting is placed in warm water in order to root it.
To avoid rotting of the roots, you can add a little coal to the vessel, or you can tint the water with pharmaceutical blue. It is advisable to create greenhouse conditions in the container - cover it with plastic film or glass in order to maintain high humidity and an optimal temperature for germination of +25.28 degrees Celsius. To place the container, you should choose bright places, but such that they are not exposed to direct sunlight.
Rooting usually takes 2-3 weeks; as soon as the roots grow 2 cm, the shoot can be moved to a permanent place of residence.
Experienced flower growers advise propagating codiaum leaves; to do this, they are cut into two parts, buried with cuttings in the ground and covered with a bag, periodically watering and spraying. After 2.5-3 months in a comfortable environment, the plant takes root and roots appear.
Croton varieties and names
There are only 15 species of codiaum in the wild. Thanks to the work of breeders at home, we can grow its new bright varieties.
Codiaum variety Mammi
A bright plant with unusually shaped leaves. Narrow wavy leaves, even on the same plant, can have different colors: red, green with yellow or pink splashes.
Codeium Excellent
An elegant bush whose leaves resemble oak. The leaf blades contain many colored veins of golden yellow and red. The brightness of the leaves depends on their age; the older the leaf, the more red shades it contains. Young foliage has a green-yellow hue.
Croton Mrs. Eyeston
Large-leaved codiaum with oblong-shaped leaves, pointed at the ends. Young leaves also have a green color with yellow veins, but over time they acquire pink, red, orange shades, some of them become dark green, almost black. The veins on the leaves are dark in color.
Codium Mix
In stores you can find plants called “Codiaeum Mix”. This suggests that the batch includes several varieties. The main feature is that their upper leaves have a clear edge of the same color as the leaf veins. The leaves are about 20 cm long.
Croton Sunny Star
One of the most beautiful sunny varieties of croton. The bright yellow color sometimes occupies almost the entire part of the thin tongue-shaped leaf. Numerous shoots with graceful leaves are especially decorative.
Codiaum aucubifolia
Bright yellow spots seem to be splashed on the dark green leaves of this plant. The leaf blades are narrow and have an oval-pointed shape. The variety is especially loved by flower growers.
Motley
Able to change the shape and color of foliage, depending on external factors. Due to this, it is used to obtain new varieties and hybrids that are very different in appearance.
Narrow-leaved
This group is distinguished by long, up to 30 cm and thin, about 1 cm leaves.
Splashes of champagne
The long narrow leaves of this variety are colored rich green. The brightness of the plant is added by numerous yellow spots of various diameters and shapes, which are located along the entire length of the leaf.
Zanzibar
It looks very exotic in the interior. Its long, narrow leaves have shades of green, yellow and red. All these colors collected in one Zanzibar bush make it especially bright and unusual.
Petra
The most famous and best-selling variety of croton. Large, sinewy, ovoid leaves reach 30 cm in length and form a compact decorative crown. The main feature of Petra is the very thick veins that run from the center of the leaf blade. Green and yellow colors predominate. Only older leaves take on a red tint.
Caring for codiaum at home
According to experienced flower growers, caring for codiaum is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. This shade-tolerant plant will not cause any trouble even for an inexperienced gardener. Next, we will look at all the nuances of care in more detail.
Lighting
It is recommended to place a pot with this flower on windowsills facing the eastern or western part of the world. It is not recommended to place such a plant on southern windows, because intense sunlight in this place can cause burns to its leaves.
Temperature and humidity conditions
The temperature in the room when growing croton in the summer should be stable, corresponding to 20-25 degrees.
With the arrival of winter, the temperature can drop to 18 degrees, but not lower.
The culture does not tolerate exposure to drafts; codiaum sheds its leaves from cold air, so keep the flowerpot with the plant away from open windows and doors.
Despite the fact that Croton is a leaf succulent, it requires a humidity level of 70-75% for normal development. Such indicators can be achieved by regularly moistening the leaves of the plant. In addition, the leaves should be constantly wiped with a damp soft cloth or napkin. To increase the humidity level, place a container with water and expanded clay or pebbles next to the pot.
Watering
The indoor codiaum flower is watered as the top layer of soil dries. The amount of irrigation liquid should be moderate; if it is over-moistened, the crop will begin to shed its leaves.
To prevent stagnation of water, drainage from expanded clay is arranged at the bottom of the flowerpot. Watering the plant must be done with soft or pre-boiled water. You can also use pre-settled tap liquid.
This video talks about the Euphorbiaceae family and how to care for plants of this family, in particular croton:
Top dressing
During the growing season in spring and autumn, the plant must receive additional nutrients from the soil. Feeding is carried out every two weeks. To enrich the soil with useful substances, special water-soluble store-bought fertilizers are used. The working solution is prepared in accordance with the instructions on the package.
