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Croton petra [ KROH - tun , pet - RAH ] is a broadleaved evergreen perennial from the family Euphorbiaceae .
Petra has attractive and interesting leaves . It is one of severalcroton plantvarieties usable on the market place .
Petra garden croton show off their bright red-orange, yellow orange-colored leaves. In shade, they have green leaves
The Croton come from Malaysia , Sri Lanka , southerly India , and Southeast Asia .
We ’ve partake in tending detail on otherpopular change of croton plants :
Croton Petra Care
Size & Growth
In nature , these woody - based perennials may spring up to be 6 ’ foot magniloquent . When kept as a houseplant , they are unlikely to grow tall than 4 ’ feet tall .
It has fizgig - mold or oval foliage shape and may produce to be 18 ” inches long .
Colorful croton leaves are smooth - edged , leathery , and glossy .
Petra garden croton show off their bright red-orange, yellow orange-colored leaves. In shade, they have green leaves
They are available in a wide range of color combination and pattern including :
Flower Color
The plants ’ flush are a creamy livid but minor and undistinguished .
When seem during the growing season , trim them back to enhance the visual aspect of the plant .
Light & Temperature
The garden Croton tiglium like collateral brilliant light . They grow in full sun all over south Florida
It ’s significant to run into a happy medium with these plant . They need a great deal of visible radiation to maximise leaf color . But , they need shelter from direct high lighting .
rough , full sun will sear the leaves .
Petra croton needs 4 and 6 time of day of shining , indirect sunlight daily .
overweening refinement will cause unornamented immature leaves .
Croton plants are winter hardy outdoors in USDA hardiness zona 11 - 12 .
In other hardiness zona , grown petra as a houseplant .
The garden croton does best at consistent temperatures set out between 60 ° – 70 ° degrees Fahrenheit ( 16 ° C – 21 ° C ) .
They can tolerate temperature up to 85 ° degrees Fahrenheit ( 29 ° nose candy ) .
If you subsist in a cooler area , bring your plant in for the wintertime when the nighttime temperature dangle to 50 ° degrees Fahrenheit ( 10 ° degree centigrade ) .
As an indoor plant , keep your flora aside from both moth-eaten and hot drafts .
Watering & Feeding
Croton likes eminent humidness .
modest humidity indoors makes croton particularly susceptible to spider mites .
Daily befog is a secure mind . Keeping your potted plant life on a tray of wet pebble will increase the ambient humidity .
When watering completely impregnate the potting soil .
Excessive watering lead to settle down rot .
They will drop leave of absence if you keep the potting soil dry .
Check the soil regularly . Keep the soil moist at all sentence but never soggy .
When the top inch becomes dry , water the industrial plant wholly until the excess runs out the drainage holes .
Do not irrigate again until the top column inch of the potting mixture is once again dry .
The Croton tiglium does not go dormant in winter . But , you should cut back somewhat on watering to allow it a period of rest .
In the fall and the wintertime months , H2O when the top 2 ” – 3 ” in of soil are dry .
Crotons are not heavy feeders .
Use aCroton fertilizeror a cosmopolitan houseplant fertilizer , sooner slow - waiver , throughout the growing season .
Do not fecundate during recent autumn or throughout the winter .
In other spring , leave a feeding then again in early summer , and again in belated summertime .
Soil & Transplanting
Soil should be well - draining with some loam integrate in for water retention .
Indoors , any in effect quality potting mix will do well .
summate a layer of pebble or Styrofoam peanuts to the bottom of the pot for secure drain .
Outdoors be certain to choose a location provide beneficial drainage .
Soil should be humous - rich .
keep off transplantation . These plant are very sensitive to to-do and shock easy .
Grooming & Maintenance
Petra croton needs little dressing and maintenance .
Prune to check sizing and shape .
Use sharp pruning shears or scissor grip , and keep them very clean .
Remove damaged leaves .
How To Propagate Croton Plants?
annotation : A mini greenhouse – pot cover with plastic – will help speed the uprooting of stem cuttings .
Petra Crotons Pests Or Diseases
Your Petra croton may miss leaveswhen you bestow them home .
Like its cousins , petra croton needs to conform to its new rest home .
Do n’t be too alarmed . Your plant is proceed through an acclimatisation period .
Take aid to choose the right setting . Do n’t move the industrial plant around once you get it home .
Provide consistent temperature , light source , and water , and your plant life will before long recover .
Improper watering can cause many trouble for Crotons .
Croton leaves wilt if overwatered . Resist your instinct to give your industrial plant more water if you see limp leaves .
Inspect the soil . If the ground is wet , move the plant life to improve air circulation . Adding a small fan set on low and turn away from the plant will help oneself unreasonable moisture in the stain to vaporise .
Remember overwatering will also do tooth root buncombe .
Leaves of the croton move around brown and become crispy .
This is due to low humidness and too picayune water system .
A lack of humidness may also cause folio spot disease .
Leaves spoil by brown situation with yellow edgesare a sign of too much salt built up in the soil .
level the soil with piss ( rain is best ) to off salinity buildup .
Repotting may require fresh dirt .
If you overwater , plants may develop symptom of fungal or bacterial infection .
Prune by infected leaves . Take groovy care when irrigate not to leave any weewee to add up in contact with the foliage .
Increase melodic phrase circulation around your plants .
Excessive tearing and deficiency of good breeze circulation may cause your croton to become susceptible to attack by :
Check out our clause onDiseases of Croton Plants
Is The Plant Croton Toxic Or Poisonous?
Codiaeum variegatum ‘ Petra ’ is somewhat toxic to masses and deary .
Keep the Croton tiglium out of reach of children and beast . Ingestion causes stomachic suffering , looseness of the bowels , vomiting , and a burn sensation in the sassing .
When you prune your plant , be sure to wear gloves and wash up later on as the sap may make skin irritation .
Is Petra Croton Invasive?
While Croton may naturalize in USDA hardiness zona 11 - 12 , it is not study invasive in these areas .
Suggested Uses For Croton Petra
In USDA hardiness zones 11 and 12 , the croton can do well as understory plants under trees providing partial specter .
Croton tiglium of all sorts are an excellent option as an indoor plant as long as 4 - 6 hr daily of bright , indirect natural or artificial luminosity is usable .
