Croton or codium is one of the common and favorite ornamental deciduous houseplants. All crotons sold in the store are of the same species: Codieum (Croton) variegated Codiaeum variegatum. But suppliers of imported plants often omit the species name, leaving only the genus name: Codiaeum and varieties, for example, 'Curly Boy'. But, in addition, the names on the imported plants may not coincide with the names given to this variety by its author.
In this species of croton, you can find several varieties (lat. Varietas): Codiaeum variegatum var. cavernicola, Codiaeum variegatum var. genuinum, Codiaeum variegatum var. moluccanum, Codiaeum variegatum var. pictum, Codiaeum variegatum var. variegatum... Varieties or variations are ecotypes, variants of a botanical species distinguished by particular hereditary characteristics acquired in a particular habitat.
The range of distribution of codieums is quite wide, and climatic conditions differ somewhat in different places, this led to intraspecific changes, and within varieties, in turn, to the formation of new forms. Forms arose as a result of even greater ecological and geographical isolation of individual representatives of the croton. There are more than a dozen of them. Moreover, differing, first of all, in the shape of the leaf (not another type, namely varieties) from ovoid to linear, corrugated, spiral or flat surface, lobed or dissected, with a predominant color of yellow, green, purple, white, orange, red, pink. In the literature describing the forms and variations of crotons, sometimes confusion occurs, apparently publications are rewritten from ancient sources, many names are outdated, the name of the variation is often omitted, only the name of the form remains.
Most of the known species of croton were discovered in the second half of the 19th century by the Swiss botanist Professor Müller Aargau Muller Argoviensis. He studied and described tropical plants. He is the author of the names of a number of botanical taxa, which in the botanical (binary) nomenclature are supplemented by the abbreviation "Mull.Arg.."
Codiaeum variegatum var. pictum (Lodd.) Mull.Arg. - Kodieum variegated variety: decorated - one of the most common crotons. Synonym Codiaeum variegatum var. variegatum. The name Codiaeum pictum is an incorrect (obsolete synonym) and is no longer in use. These are spreading trees, reaching 3 m in height with trunks bare below. The leaves are crustate, the base of the leaf is heart-ovate, the length of the leaf exceeds its width by about 1.5-3 times. The main color of the leaf is brown-green. Widely distributed in Pakistan, China, Taiwan.
There are several forms of this variety of croton *:
- Codiaeum variegatum var. pictum f. appendiculatum is an appendage form - this form has gone far from the original variety, so much so that it is difficult to imagine their kinship. The peculiarity is that one sheet consists of two sheet plates connected by a thin constriction. The first leaf blade is longer, spindle-shaped in shape, and the second, terminal leaf blade, is slightly concave at the base with a boat, narrowed at the end, and often hangs with a small bell.
- Codiaeum variegatum var. pictum fo. lobatum shape is lobed - leaves are three-lobed, narrowed at the base, usually not deeply dissected, 20-22 cm long, 7-12 cm wide, the middle lobe is more elongated and pointed compared to the lateral ones. It has many variegated varieties.
- Codiaeum variegatum var. pictum fo. platyphyllum form flat-leaved - simple whole leaves of oblong shape, almost oval, slightly wavy surface, about 30 cm long, 8-10 cm wide.
- Each form, in turn, can have several varieties. For example, fo. platyphyllum:
- variety 'Souvenir Ernest Delarue' - leaves are whole, oval-oblong 20-24 cm long and 10-12 cm wide, light green without spots.
- variety 'Hookeriana' - leaves are whole, elongated-oblong, up to 30 cm long and 8-10 cm wide, narrowed to the base, expanding to the apex, pointed at the tip.
- Another common variety is Codiaeum variegatum var. moluccanum Mull.Arg. - Kodieum variegated Moluccan variety - petiolate leaves, narrowly patchy, pointed at the end.
- Codiaeum variegatum var. moluccanum fo. latifolium broad-leaved - with scapular leaves, broad-ovate have an oblong-obovate shape, while the length exceeds the width of the leaf by 3-5 times, the length of the leaves is from 12 to 20 cm, 2.5-4.5 cm wide.
- Codiaeum variegatum var. moluccanum fo. longifolium is long-leafed - usually lanceolate-scapular, on short petioles, about 1.5 cm, the length of the leaf exceeds the width by 7-8 times, is about 30 cm.
- Codiaeum variegatum var. moluccanum fo. the minus form does not have an established Russian name, literally translated as a smaller form - leaves on short petioles, forms of scapular-lanceolate, 10-12 cm long, about 1.5-2 cm wide, blunted, rounded at the end. These crotons are common on the islands of Fiji, Amboina and Java.
- Variety Codiaeum variegatum var. genuinum Mull.Arg. Kodieum variegated variety genuinova - leaves are broadly lanceolate, whole, equally narrowed at the base and at the end.
- Codiaeum variegatum var. genuinum f. lanceolatum form lanceolate - leaves 4 times the width in length, slightly dulled at both ends.
- Codiaeum variegatum var. genuinum f. angustifolium narrow-leaved form - leaves narrowly linear-lanceolate, apex pointed, 2.5-3 cm wide, 6-9 times longer in length, green, covered with golden strokes or spots.
- Codiaeum variegatum var. genuinum f. medium-leaved form - leaves are linear-lanceolate, 3-3.5 cm wide, 14-17 cm long. The leaves are or almost completely green or mottled with golden spots.
- Codiaeum variegatum var. genuinum f. parvifolium form is small-leaved - leaves are narrowly linear-lanceolate, 1-1.5 cm wide, 10-15 cm long. The leaves are wavy, or curly, with small variegated spots: black, green, yellow, red.
- Codiaeum variegatum var. genuinum f. txniosum ribbon shape - leaves on very short petioles, narrowly linear-lanceolate, about 1 cm wide, up to 30 cm long, gradually narrowing towards the end. The leaves are straight, whole, pure green or with yellow round spots.
Croton Codiaeum cultivar 'Gold Sun'
Croton Codiaeum cultivar 'Zanzibar'
Croton Codiaeum cultivar 'Mammey'
Croton Codiaeum cultivar 'Excellent'Croton Care
Kodieum is a heat-loving tropical plant, its homeland is the jungle of Malaysia and East India, where it is warm and hot all year round, and the average annual temperature ranges from 24 ° to 32 ° C. The weather is rainy, heavy, but intermittent rains occur throughout the year, precipitation falls evenly, there is no rainy season as such, or dry periods. Average monthly temperatures differ by no more than 5 ° C, but daily temperature fluctuations can be 8-10 ° C. Soil pH values range from 4.5-5.5, the water in streams and rivers is soft, almost desalinated. All these factors determine the needs of crotons, in certain conditions.
Namely: quite bright lighting, with some direct sun (morning or evening). In winter, the croton can even be placed on the southern windowsill (until the end of February). In their natural habitat, crotons are under the openwork shading of the crown of the upper tier of the forest, and therefore the spots on their leaves are "like solar glare breaking through the foliage of trees." The amount of light available to the plant directly affects the color of the leaves, the same variety, in different lighting conditions, has a predominance of different shades. Little sunlight - more on green leaves, less variegated. But it is worth rearranging the plant to a more illuminated place, and its leaves will sparkle in shades of golden, red, purple.
However, in addition to light, the croton leaf pattern has a direct dependence on temperature. Croton plant of wide temperature ranges is lower from 5-6 ° C to 35-36 ° C, with appropriate watering. It has been noticed that the brightest and most colorful color of the leaves in crotons is obtained when contained in moderate temperatures of 17-20 ° C and good lighting (with some direct sunlight, openwork sun). In general, at any time of the year, the optimal temperature range when the leaves do not crumble, their color is not lost, and less susceptibility to spider mites is from 18 to 24 ° C. If the temperature is higher in winter, then the plants suffer from a lack of light, the leaves acquire a richer green tint, the lower leaves fall off. At high temperatures in summer, when on a thermometer from 26 ° C to 36 ° C, shading of leaves is required, otherwise, they acquire a brown color, which clogs the main pattern of the leaf; the leaves dry at the tips, the ground dries very quickly and the trunk is exposed from below.
With the need for watering in crotons, everything is very clear and unambiguous: they love uniform moisturization throughout the year. Uniform - this means that watering is not carried out strictly on Mondays or Thursdays, but after the earthen lump dries to a certain state. And the ground dries faster or slower, depending on the temperature and humidity of the air. Croton likes the potted ground to dry up to another watering, at least one upper third in summer and half in winter.
Crotons especially do not like watering with cold water! He also does not like croton and complete drying, and too abundant watering. In the first case, the tips of the leaves (primarily the lower leaves) begin to dry, and in the second, mold appears on the ground, roots rot, the hydraulic conductivity of the stem is disrupted, the leaves (primarily the upper ones) begin to fade. Sometimes the apical growth point dies. Perhaps you will say how it rains constantly in the natural habitat of crotons! Indeed, there are usually heavy rains lasting 2-3 hours, however, due to high temperatures and constant air movement, the upper layer of the earth, consisting of loose fall, very quickly passes moisture. The soil watered with rain is not a moist dense dense mass (consistency of cottage cheese), as is the case in a pot with indoor flowers, but a loose layered structure of leaves and litter, which does not retain water for a long time. At the same time, the air around the leaves has a constantly high humidity, in the region of 70-80%. Therefore, although crotons love to "drink" water, you can not be afraid of overflow only if a good drainage is made at the bottom of the pot, the soil is loose, breathing, does not stick together.
I also want to pay attention to such a concept as draft. Krotons are not afraid of ventilation if the window is slightly open, even for a long time, and even in freezing temperatures. My croton spent the whole winter every day micro-ventilated close to the window gap (the window opened for a long time when it was up to -15 ° C and the wind was not through the windows), not a single dropped sheet, stain, or damage appeared. All only because the root system was almost completely dry. I watered only in the morning, little by little, so that by the evening the earth would dry out (the next watering occurred by the time the substrate dried in the pot by 90-95%). Hypothermia of the moist root is very dangerous, it threatens to rot the roots and death. If the air is moist enough, there is no battery nearby, then the dryness of the earth is not at all terrible for the croton.
Survival conditions in the rainforest are harsh, competition for light and nutrients puts their imprint on the appearance of plants. As already mentioned, for example, about the color of the leaves. But not only this, many of those who grew croton noticed this feature: sometimes the leaves, especially at the beginning of the growing season, are abnormal, resembling hearts or a simple bifurcation of leaf lobes. Quite often, traces of mutations can be seen on the leaves of crotons, leading to a change in color, for example, discoloration of leaf tissues. What gives such a "failure" in the genetic program of the plant is unknown, but due to the high mutability, many varieties and sports of croton have been obtained.
Another feature: the flowering of the crowns takes a lot of strength from the plant, although the flowers are not particularly beautiful. If you leave peduncles on the plant, it slows down and stops growth, which can resume only a few months after flowering. Therefore, if the flowers do not cause much interest, it is better to carefully break the peduncle.
One reason crotons are literally thrown outside is their very high susceptibility to tick attack. Well, these pests love codieums, and ticks are taken literally from nowhere (in fact, they are easily brought in with purchased plants, through the ground, or by air through windows and vents). You can notice ticks on croton leaves if the plant is very small and has a predominance of green leaves, or when a colony of ticks has multiplied so much that traces of their stay are noticeable - cobwebs, white husks and mass drying out, and leaf fall. You can fight the tick with the help of acaricides, for example, Apollo. One of the reasons for the appearance of a tick on the croton is dry air. Crotons generally like very humid air, it is advisable to place them on wide trays with wet pebbles. In winter, it is imperative to isolate from the central heating battery - directed dry air leads to massive yellowing and flying around the leaves. Even regular spraying will not save, the only way out is to turn on an air humidifier next to the colors.
What to do if the croton trunk is exposed from below
One common problem with crotons is the exposure of the trunk. The reason, as already mentioned, is the lack of light and dry air. To correct the appearance of the croton, an air tap is made on the exposed trunk. First, at the place where new roots are supposed to grow, the lignified layer of the trunk - the bark - is cut in a circle in the form of a strip 7-8 mm wide. Then, a transparent plastic cup cut along (from ice cream) is fixed around the trunk in this place, it is fixed on the trunk with tape and filled with substrate (peat can be used in half with vermiculite). Another option: use not a cup, but cling film, but wrap and fasten moss sphagnum around the trunk.
It is very important to keep the substrate around the branch constantly wet, do not allow overdrying. Roots appear during the growing season during the month, but it is possible to cut off the branch only when many roots are clearly visible through a bag or glass. The branch, as a rule, has several leaves (sometimes even a lot), and the root system is still weak. The ability of new young roots to absorb water from the soil may not be enough for a large evaporating surface of leaves, so the cut and planted branch must be shaded and sprayed several times a day. Do not set the croton branch to root in hot summer time, otherwise it will continue to lose its lower leaves immediately after rooting and planting. The most optimal time for air extraction is from March to June.
Croton - Frequently Asked Questions
___________________________________
* Literature used in this article: de Candolle (ed.), Prodromus Systematis Universalis Regni Vegetabilis Paris XV, pade 1116 ,//www.botanicus.org
Author of the article: Natalia Rusinova