Learn how to care for your green friend

Croton

Codiaeum variegatum

Trees & shrubs · Planned variety

Meet your green friend.

Croton has leathery leaves patterned green yellow orange and red.

Why you’ll love it

  • Multicoloured leathery leaves provide colour without flowers.
  • A compact shrub outline suits a bright container display.

A space where it can thrive

Grow year-round in a warm Metro Vancouver home, near suitable daylight and away from cold window glass, exterior-door drafts and heating vents.

Ask about availability

Availability, size, pot and price will be confirmed in store. Pictures illustrate the plant type.

Your care routine

Light

Very bright light with gentle sun introduced gradually; colour fades in weak light.

Watering

Water when the upper 2–3 cm is dry; saturate the root ball and empty the saucer.

Soil & drainage

Free-draining indoor potting mix with perlite; use a pot with drainage holes.

Fertilizer

Use a complete liquid houseplant fertilizer about monthly while actively growing in spring and summer, at the product label rate. Pause in dim winter conditions or whenever growth stops; do not feed a dry or stressed plant.

Temperature

Aim for 18–26°C indoors; protect from sudden temperature changes and cold drafts.

Humidity

40–60% is a useful indoor target; keep clear of heating vents.

Through the seasons

During darker Metro Vancouver autumn and winter days, check moisture before watering and lengthen the interval as growth slows. Reassess daylight in spring and repot only if roots crowd the container.

When your plant needs help

  • Leaf drop often follows cold drafts, sudden relocation or major moisture changes.
  • Spider mites cause stippled foliage; check undersides in dry heated rooms.

Pets & little ones

Do not allow children or pets to chew or ingest this plant; potentially harmful plant tissues are present. Keep out of reach and seek professional advice after ingestion.

Grow with your neighbourhood store.

Independent, family-owned and right here in Uptown New Westminster. Browse before your visit and keep this guide handy at home.

Visit The Golden Bazaar
Care references

Guidance is a starting point. Adjust watering to your plant, pot, light and season; follow fertilizer labels and check outdoor cultivar hardiness.