Update on "the other" croton
I took this cutting on September 24 from what was previously known as "Mystery Plant #2". I raise all my cuttings in miniature greenhouses. They are home made from old nursery pots with a cut-off soda bottle as top. These things work great and I never have to worry about the cutting drying out. This deserves its own post! Anyway, the cutting above had been pinched several weeks before I took the cutting. Pinching the top growth encourages branching, especially important since crotons tend to become leggy.
Now below is the same cutting today, about 2 weeks later:
You can see where it was pinched. To the left and right to the pinched off top you can see how the plant has branched and formed new growth.
Sure, the rooting hormone helps but is probably not responsible for this rapid growth. This guy didn't receive any fertilizer, nor did I water him. I like to think that the little greenhouses are soley responsible for this success!
Croton Petra
We were showing property the other day and found this lovely Croton Petra half ripped out in the neglected landscaping of a foreclosed home. I had to take it home!It looks like the main part of the plant had died off during the last winter and was then cut down.
Two shoots formed pretty much at the base of what was left of the main trunk and I'm really hoping to be able to get this guy back in shape to take cuttings from next summer!
I know it's maybe a bit late for this but I gave him a moderate shot of fertilizer today and I'll leave him on the screen porch until he's established enough to live in his own spot out in the yard - next spring.
It is a croton!
I'm not that sure about which variety but since it has a long cluster of small spikey looking flowers growing on it, looking exactly like croton flowers I've found online, it must be a croton.
Now I need to figure out which variety.
This poor guy took a pretty hefty hit during the harsh Florida winter 2009/2010, with unusually cold temps and more than average night frosts. I'm hoping the coming winter won't be that hard and I'll get away with covering the croton with sheets if temps go below 32 now and then.
I have taken several cuttings, two of which have rooted and are living in pots now.
I really like the look of Croton Petra and I think I will have to have one at the next trip to Home Depot!
I've been treating it like one but I was unable to find a plant like this either in a nursery or anywhere online. It kinda looks like a curly boy croton but without being curly:
It has yellow specks so I thought "Gold Dust Croton" but all the species I've seen have only green leaves. This one also has deep red leaves where it receives the most sun......
I've rooted it successfully but it bugs me that I don't know for sure what type of plant it is.
