Croton Petra 

Temperature:  60-80 degrees Fahrenheit

Croton plants are known for their bright, colorful, glossy foliage.  They are very exotic looking.  They can grow to be eight to ten feet tall.  Croton plants are very popular when decorating hotels; you will see Croton Petra in all kinds of arrangements as the leaves add color that many other plants are unable to do.

To get your Crotons best color, plant them in shifting sun.  Plants that are placed in partial shade to full shade tend to be mostly green in color.  So if you are not happy with your Crotons color place it in the sun, you should be able to see more reds, pinks, yellows or oranges.  Crotons do not like when the temperature is changing, making them more of an indoor plant.  Change in temperatures is a problem for this plant.  If the temperature becomes too hot or too cold the leaves will fall off the plant rather rapidly.

Besides being picky on how much sun they receive, they are also temperamental when it comes to watering.  They do like a lot of water and heavy humidity, but if given too much water the leaves will start to wilt…so I guess practice makes perfect, you will have to experiment when watering your Croton plant.

You can prune your free plant heavily during the spring.  They are very top heavy.  It’s best to cut about one third of the branches off.  This will help the Croton be able to produce new foliage.

The Croton is considered to be a toxic plant for animals and humans.  When the foliage is punctured it releases a white sap that can stain clothes and irritate the skin, so remember this when choosing a home for the Croton.  These are such beautiful plants; I always suggest placing them on top of a book case or anywhere up high away from the kids.  Even though it’s up high people will still notice the beauty of this exotic plant.

Enjoy your Free Plant!