Petra Croton (Single plant)

Description

PETRA CROTON:

Petra croton is also known as the Golden petra. It can grow 6-8 feet tall when planted in spacious containers. The leaves of petra are large and bushy. The colours such as yellow, orange, peach, red accentuates the veins while the other parts of the leaf are dark coloured. The amount of light adds pop to the colour of the leaves.

HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR CROTON:

1. Use a well-drained soil. Croton does not need much fertilizers for enhancing growth but once a year is fine.
2. Remember to not overwater your croton, any plant when over watered leads to rotting of the roots and death of your plant. Insert your finger up to 1inch deep in soil, if the soil feels dry then water your plant.
3. Place your croton in a bright spot. The pretty colours on its variegated leaves will appear when you provide sufficient sunlight (not direct). Too little light will lead to more greener colours and too much light will burn the leaves.
4. In winters, keep your plants inside when temperature is well below 10 degrees Celsius.
5. Croton hates being moved too soon from their location. So, after moving to another location, you may see drooped leaves. It is important to acclimatize the plant slowly, to its new environment by keeping it in the desired spot for 1-2 weeks.
6. Provide some shade to your croton in afternoon when you see the leaf colours fading away (this is due to high light received by plant in the whole day).
7. For a bushier look or to contain the plant, prune it in early spring not more than 1/3 of the length of that part.

PROPAGATION OF PETRA CROTON:

1. Soil: Take 3-4 inches long stem cutting with good number of leaves on it. Remove all the leaves a the bottom of the stem. Place this cutting deep in well-drained soil in a humid area and away from direct sunlight. The roots will grow within a month or so. Move you plant to another location by acclimatizing it.
2. Water: The stem cutting can also be placed in a glass container with root hormone.
3. Root hormone: The stem cutting can be dipped in the water and then in root hormone. Tap away the excess of root hormone on the cutting or else it will rot the stem cutting.

ABOUT CROTONS: ‘Croton’ word hails from a Greek word for tick (coz its seeds are similar in shape).  Crotons are perennial plants and native to most of the tropical regions such as South East Asia, Northern Australia and Pacific islands. If you think you need a flowering plant to add colour to the garden then think again, crotons come with all hues within a single plant such as yellow, red, orange, pink, green and purple. It grows quite tall, up to 10 feet, but dwarf varieties are available which are just suitable for any table top decorations, growing just like any other shrubs. The crotons should be kept in bright spots and partial shade locations.

TIP: Plant your crotons in colourful pots which will enhance the beauty and leave you stunned, for the contrast colours of the plant and pot will complement each other.