Wednesday, January 26, 2022

Plant Croton or San Francisco at Home

Croton Varieties Collection
San Vicente Botanical Garden

San Vicente, Ilocos Sur

Plant Croton or San Francisco at Home

Here are a dozen varieties of croton (Codiaium variegatum) growing in the SVBG.  There are still more undocumented.  Still others are merely variants as a result of differences in sunlight exposure, temperature range, soil elements, and other factors that affect the plants' pattern and growth.  Or, simply because we don't have  a standard catalogue of crotons as reference. 

If you visit the garden you may cut a branch of a variety which you don't have.  Maybe you can share you collection as well with other enthusiasts.

 
Most croton varieties are very popular, due to the wide assortment of leaf shapes different varieties display. You'll find oval, elliptical, ribbon, and rounded leaves, to name a few. Croton leaf color can vary between white, green, orange, yellow, red, pink, and purple.

 
 
Codiaeum variegatum is a species of plant in the genus Codiaeum, which is a member of the family Euphorbiaceae. It was described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753. It is native to Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia, and the western Pacific Ocean islands, growing in open forests and scrub. Wikipedia

Crotons are sun loving, others prefer shade. They are easy 
to grow and propagate, mainly through cuttings.  They are 
the most common ornamental plants in the tropics found in 
backyards, parks, in the open and in the wild.
 
There are crotons that grow like a small tree, but they  are 
mostly shrubs. Leaf arrangement varies from alternate 
to opposite to whorl. Crotons provide specimens for botanical 
studies, biochemistry, medicine and molecular biology. 

Mottled crotons make an interesting experiment in school or at home.  
By adjusting the amount of sunlight exposure, will the yellow spots converge as shown in these photos?  
Dimorphism is shown in these leaves of the same variety. Croton and San Francisco are interchangeable.  They have the same scientific name - Codiaeum variegatum, and family - Euphorbiaceae. Study more about this plant in these areas:
  • Is croton effective against the current COVID-19 pandemic?
  • Pesticide property against mosquitos and other insects 
  • Natural insect repellant in the garden and at home
  • Plant morphology and physiology in the laboratory
  • Source of natural dye vs artificial dye.
  • Medicinal properties of crotons.
  • Is croton poisonous to human and animals?
  • Taxonomy of Croton 
  • Does croton clean the air?
  • Croton as food and feeds.  ~
Part 2 
Croton Varieties Collection
San Vicente Botanical Garden
San Vicente, Ilocos Sur

Dr Abe V Rotor




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