Stoplight Croton Plant (codiaeum variegatum)

You will love your new crotons! ABOUT THIS CROTON PLANT Stoplight Croton Plant (codiaeum variegatum) – Blinding Red – Semi-cold hardy Stoplight will stop passersby in their tracks with its dazzling display of color. This popular long leaf variety offers up all the tropical croton colors on the new growth. After a week or so leaves mature to a bright dazzling red. The fun thing about these colorful plants is that they are so easy to root and share. Simply trim a top cutting with six inches or more of stem, remove the old leaves and put it in a flower vase near a window. While enjoying the indoor tropical colors, your new cutting should form roots in 6 weeks or so and will be ready to pot in a a couple months time. The growth rate of Stoplight will vary greatly depending on soil type, sunlight, temperature and other factors. A few leaves are often trimmed prior to shipping to reduce transpiration and travel stress. QUICK SPECS OUTDOOR Zone 10-11 PATIO Zone 4a-11 SOIL TYPE Rich Moist % SUN 80-100% POT SIZE 2x2x7″ Deep INCLUDES One Plant CROTON PLANT CARE Croton are colorful, easy to grow plants that are indoor hardy and require very little attention. Croton are excellent houseplants that withstand more neglect than almost any other plant. In the landscape Croton grow happily in a pot or when planted directly in the ground. They add a colorful accent to any outdoor space, garden or patio. In cooler zones a containerized Croton can be relocated indoors for the winter months. When you receive your new Croton, there is no need to worry about planting right away. Your new plant can be stored for a while by simply placing it in a bucket with about a half inch of water and moving it to a shady location, simply water when dry. This will give you plenty of time to select the ideal location for your new Croton. CONTAINER SIZE All Croton varieties grow very well in containers, indoors or on the patio. Smaller varieties grow best indoors in 8″ to 10″ diameter pots while larger varieties need enough room for growth, generally a 10″ to a 20″ diameter, 18″ deep container will suffice. Remember the looser the roots, the taller and healthier your Croton will be. When the plant becomes root bound its growth will slow, at that point it is time for a larger pot. SOIL Stoplight Crotons enjoy a well drained, general purpose potting mix easily found at your local box store. Remember try to stay away from arid or wet, mucky soils. FERTILIZER To help establish your new Stoplight Croton, fertilize sparingly a few inches away from the base, tri-annually with a slow time released product. Unfertilized they will tend to grow at a slower pace. Note: The heavy salts in cheaper fertilizers will damage the roots and possibly kill the plant. Its best to use a brand you know and trust. GROW ZONE & LIGHT Best outdoors if grown in zone 10-11, find your zone here. This Croton requires 80-100% sunlight. Depending on your location partial sun is often best. In the northern end of their grow zone Stoplight Crotons should be brought indoors or protected during the winter months. The patio zone is 4b-11 which means the potted plant will flourish over the summer months in colder zones but must be brought inside before winter. BEFORE YOU PLANT OUTDOORS At the nursery these Crotons are grown under 20-40% shade cloth. If you plant this Croton in a brightly lit area you may experience leaf burn. It is best to acclimate this plant to its environment by keeping it outside and slowly moving it into a sunny area over a week or two to avoid stress before planting. WHAT IS THE SHIPPING SIZE All Stoplight Crotons for sale will vary in size. In the spring, plants are often smaller than plants shipped in the fall. Plants designated with a sku ending in -4, -6 or -8 will arrive in a standard 4 inch, 6 inch or 8 inch round growers pot respectively. Our new, reusable, recyclable deep plugs are 7 or 9 inches deep and 2 or 2.5 inches in width. Products growing in these pots are easy to transplant and allow for deeper roots and faster growth, they are designated with a sku ending in -7 or -9. (Note: The item sku number can be found just below the buy button.) The color and style of these pots may vary. If we are out of a particular size item, we may ship a larger size at no additional charge. For more information, click the “best packaging” link at the bottom of this page. Note: Before leaving, Croton plants are inspected, watered, and pruned. Larger plants, generally those that ship in 8″ pots, will be topped to 36″ or 48″ overall, depending on the variety, if necessary, to facilitate shipping. Your new plants’ pot is then bagged to ensure that the soil stays in the pot and not loose in the box. Plants are tissue or kraft paper wrapped and generally secured in place with natural biodegradable peanuts. You may want to order your Stoplight Croton Plant (codiaeum variegatum) online now while they are in stock, supplies are limited. Zone.10a Zone.10b Zone.11a Zone.11b