Are you curious about which types of croton plants to grow?
With a name like ‘Croton’, you might suspect this plant to come from some extraterrestrial planet deep inside the galaxy. Well actually, these plants come from our own wonderful planet, and are actually native to parts of India and Malaysia.
The word ‘croton’ comes from the Greek language, and most closely translates to the word tick. It is named this because the shape of the seeds from the plants resemble ticks. These plants are famous for their thick, glossy foliage, and their cornucopia of different colors, leaf shapes, and sizes.
Croton plants (Codiaeum variegatum) are evergreen shrubs. This means that the Croton plant’s foliage maintains functionality throughout for more than one growing season. This differs from deciduous shrubs that shed their leaves annually.
If you have been looking for a houseplant to bring a newfound splash of color and tropical vibes to your living space, then you’ve come to the right place. Below we’ll discuss many croton types that will surely brighten up your home.
Croton Plant Varieties to Grow
As you’re looking for the most gorgeous houseplants to cultivate in your home, consider this list of the best crotons varieties you can grow.
1. C. variegatum ‘Petra’
Petra plants are one of the most common varieties of crotons out there. The aesthetic of this variety is unmistakable. They have medium-sized, broad leaves that resemble shields. The Petra has a variegated color scheme, with mixtures of yellow, orange and red.
This variegated croton variety can be grown successfully indoors as a houseplant, or outdoors in the garden as a decorative accent plant.
2. C. variegatum ‘Mammy’
Mammy is another classic variety of the Croton plant. This variety is unique because of its twisted leaves that grow upward and outward from the stem. Compared to some other varieties of C. variegatum, the Mammy croton has a more subdued color palette.
This characteristic makes it perfect for indoor spaces with an earth tone color scheme.
3. C. variegatum ‘Gold Dust’
As the name suggests, this plant looks like it has been dusted with gold flakes. The light green and glossy leaves are speckled with yellow and gold freckles that give it a unique look.
It does best in areas with a lot of natural sunlight, which is why it is commonly seen outdoors. But this gold dust croton variety can also be successfully grown indoors as a houseplant.
4. C. variegatum ‘Magnificent’
This magnificent variety is incredibly beautiful. It boasts dark green variegated leaves that are speckled with bright yellow, purple, red, orange and pink.
Outdoors, this variety can tower upwards of 7 feet tall! Magnificent croton is resilient and tolerant, so it won’t lose its vibrancy in low light conditions.
5. C. variegatum ‘Banana’
This is a dwarf variety, and is perfect for indoor spaces. So if you are working with confined spaces, like a small apartment, this is the best variety for you. It receives its unique name from its yellow and green leaves that take the appearance of an unripe banana.
6. C. variegatum ‘Bush on Fire’
This type is flexible, and can be grown either indoors or outdoors. As it matures, the Bush on Fire Croton changes colors. It boasts wonderful arrays of red, yellow, orange and pink. The colors of this plant are so vibrant that with the right light, it sometimes looks like it is on fire. If grown outdoors in the optimal conditions, this variety can grow as tall as 5 feet.
7. C. variegatum ‘Zanzibar’
The narrow and slender leaves of the Zanzibar plant make this plant stand out from the rest. Its leaves come in a mixture of reds, yellows, oranges, golds and greens. We think this tropical plant looks best outside, where it’s allowed to grow anywhere from 3 to 4 feet tall. It functions well as a foreground plant, or as an accent plant in tropical environments.
8. C. variegatum ‘Sunny Star’
The Sunny Star gets its name from the golden accented, elliptical-shaped foliage. This variety can be grown indoors as a small house plant, or outdoors where it can reach a size of 3 to 5 feet tall. The Sunny Star grows best in partial shade and indirect sunlight.
9. C. variegatum ‘Yellow Iceton’
This variety of C. variegatum is one of the most flexible, and easiest varieties to grow. The reason being that the Yellow Ice croton can be grown in partial shade, or full sun. Plus, it can be grown rather compactly indoors as a houseplant. Or left outside to grow bigger, sometimes upwards of 3 to 4 feet tall. The leaves of the Yellow Ice are bright green, with yellow-ish accents.
10. C. variegatum ‘Oakleaf’
The Oakleaf croton receives its namesake from the gently lobed leaves that resemble the foliage of an oak tree. These leaves are unique compared to other varieties, and add an interesting character to the plant.
The leaves of the Oakleaf variety are green with deeply variegated and colorful stems and veins. If you want to bring out its bright yellow, red and orange colors, it’s best to position this variety in full sun.
11. C. variegatum ‘Mrs. Iceton’
We think the Mrs. Iceton variety is one of the most beautiful varieties on the market. The Mrs. Iceton has light green, smooth leaves. This type is unique because over time, the leaves will completely change from green to mixtures of pink, red, yellow, and orange.
12. C. variegatum ‘Gold Star’
C. variegatum ‘Gold Star’ has long, slender leaves with yellow spots splashed on the foliage. As it matures, the long leaves grow outwards from the center, almost forming the shape of a star. This gold star croton variety is well known for its smaller size, and makes for an ideal indoor houseplant variety.
Conveniently, it grows slower than other varieties, which will not require repeated repotting.
13. C. variegatum ‘Eleanor Roosevelt’
This type of C. variegatum was first bred by a man named Henry Coppinger in the 1970s and was named after his favorite first lady of the United States, Eleanor Roosevelt. This variety is also commonly called the ‘sloppy painter’ because of its colorful and speckled aesthetic, almost like a painter throwing yellow paint on the plant.
14. C. variegatum ‘Chocolate Jamaican’
Unfortunately, the Chocolate Jamaican croton plant is not edible and does not taste like chocolate.
But the Jamaican croton sure does look beautiful as a houseplant!
The dark green, almost chocolatey colors of the plant are really unique, especially when accented by the bronze and pink colors around the stems and main veins of the leaves.
15. C. variegatum ‘Picasso’s Paintbrush’
This variety of croton plant is one of our favorites. It boasts extremely unique, thin leaves that display a wonderful array of pastel colors, hence the name.
Due to its unique paintbrush-like foliage, the Picasso Paintbrush variety functions great as an outdoor ornamental grass. Or as an accent plant to add more texture and color to your garden display.
16. C. variegatum ‘Dreadlock’
As you might assume from its name, the Dreadlock croton plant slightly resembles braided dreadlocks. As the leaves grow, they tend to twist and curl, providing them with a unique appearance. The Dreadlock variety usually starts out green, but with time, can transform into more vibrant colors such as red, yellow, and orange.
17. C. variegatum ‘Superstar Croton’
The Superstar croton plant is best known for its light yellow, speckled, almost polk-a-dot appearance. This croton is special because the leaves tend to grow upright from the plant’s base, instead of outwards. The Superstar is one of the more versatile croton varieties, as it can adapt to full sun, and shade. This versatility makes it an easy-going and reliable houseplant.
18. C. variegatum ‘Mother & Daughter’
This type of C. variegatum has a unique leaf shape. As the long, narrow leaves grow outwards, they eventually taper off into a point. The deep red, green and purple colors of the Mother and Daughter variety make it a stand out showpiece and really beautiful croton plant.
19. C. variegatum ‘Lauren’s Rainbow
The Lauren’s Rainbow variety of croton plant has longer, slender leaves that boast a spectrum of pretty colors. This type of C. variegatum is best known for its blend of gold, burgundy and deep green shades. Unlike some other varieties of croton, the Lauren’s Rainbow is drought tolerant, and does well with lower levels of humidity.
20. C. variegatum ‘Florida Select’
The Florida Select croton variety is special because it has been bred to display a wide array of contrasting colors in its foliage. The small to medium-sized leaves themselves tend to be green, but the veins of the plant tend to be yellow, red, orange and even purple. As this type of C. variegatum matures, the bright green leaves will slowly darken with age.
21. C. variegatum ‘Andrew’
The Andrew croton plant has narrow, medium-sized green leaves, with white margins. Compared to larger varieties, this type of croton grows relatively compactly, and therefore, is great for being grown in containers. If you are looking for a croton plant that does well with indirect sunlight, and partial shade, this type of C. variegatum will be your best bet!
22. C. variegatum ‘Red Iceton’
If left alone with the optimal conditions, this kind of C. variegatum will have the ability to grow upwards of 7 to 8 feet tall. This makes it an ideal candidate for an outdoor privacy shrub in warm, tropical climates. As the red Iceton croton matures, the leaves transform from dark yellow, to light pink and eventually a rich red.
23. C. variegatum ‘Victoria Gold Bell’
The Victoria Bell Croton has medium-sized, slender leaves with a glossy, smooth texture. New leaves of the Victoria Gold Bell grow in with a variegated aesthetic, boasting a mixture of yellows, purples and orange colors. Interestingly enough, when this croton plant is left in direct sunlight, the more mature leaves of the plant tend to take on a red appearance.
Croton Plants are the Tropical Burst of Color Your Home Has Been Waiting For
Whether you are looking to decorate inside, or update the landscaping in your front yard, Croton plants may be the plant you are looking for.
They have the ability to add a serious splash of color, and are great for adding texture, diversity and character to whatever space they are planted in.
We will try to add more croton plant names with pictures in this list as soon as we have them. Don’t forget to check our croton plant care guide to learn more.
FAQs
What is the difference between Sunny Star croton and banana croton?
The main difference between Sunny Star croton and Banana croton lies in their leaf shape and coloration. Sunny Star croton features narrow, elongated leaves with bright yellow and green variegation, resembling the shape of a star, while Banana croton has broader, ovate leaves with green and yellow variegation, resembling the shape of a banana.
What is the difference between Petra and croton magnificent?
Petra and Croton Magnificent are both cultivars of Croton (Codiaeum variegatum), but they have different leaf shapes and color patterns. Petra croton typically features broad, lance-shaped leaves with vibrant red, orange, and yellow variegation, while Croton Magnificent has larger, more elongated leaves with a mix of green, yellow, and red colors arranged in intricate patterns.
How many types of croton are there?
There are numerous varieties of Croton plants, with estimates ranging from 1000 to 1500 different cultivars. These cultivars vary in leaf shape, size, coloration, and growth habit, offering a wide range of options for gardeners and collectors.
References
University of Florida: Crotons
https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/ornamentals/croton.html
University of Florida: Croton Production and Use
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/EP106
University of Wisconsin: Croton, Codiaeum variegatum
https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/croton-codiaeum-variegatum/
Mississippi State University Extension Service: Plant crotons for fall foliage color
http://extension.msstate.edu/news/southern-gardening/2020/plant-crotons-for-fall-foliage-color
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