Crotons are the most popular of South Florida’s colorful foliage plants, with brilliantly-colored leaves shot with gold, red, orange, green and even pink.

This easy-care shrub features color and low-maintenance for any size yard.

They feature many leaf types and sizes – swirly, narrow ribbons to wide, flat leaves.

Some have fun names like Dreadlocks and Sloppy Painter. Others are more dignified such as Eleanor Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan.

We’ve included all varieties in the Small Shrubs section because most can be kept at 3 feet…though you can let them grow larger if you prefer.

Some cultivars including Gold Dust, Corkscrew, Sloppy Painter, Red Bravo and Stoplight, can get as big as 10 feet tall…these varieties are best kept about 4 to 5 feet.

One of the smallest croton plants is Mammy – a red variety with bright red, yellow and green leaves (pictured above), or a yellow Mammy with yellow foliage and a bit of green.

The Mammy croton can be maintained about 2 to 2-1/2 feet.

Different varieties can be planted together for a riot of color and a mix of textures, or place several of the same variety to grow together in a “drift.”

These gorgeous shrubs can jazz up an all-green landscape or work well with flowering shrubs or other plants prized for their bright foliage like the Ti plant (cordyline ‘Red Sister’).

A benefit of mixing crotons with flowering shrubs is the consistency of color in the landscape, even while other plants are not in bloom.

If the mix of hot colors like orange, red and yellow don’t appeal to you, check for varieties with pinks and/or purples in their foliage…

If an all-yellow color works better with your landscaping, there are plenty of these available – including General Padgett, Galaxy and Narrow-leaf Gold Dust.

• Plant specs

These are slow growers, and most can easily be kept 3 feet (or less for smaller varieties).

You can plant in almost any light – full sun to partial shade – with some types of this plant, like the classic Petra, preferring a bit more shade.

Many (such as Mammy croton) attain their brightest coloring in full sun.

Moderately salt-tolerant, these shrubs do best in Zone 10.

In cooler areas of Zone 10A that border Zone 9B, the plants may defoliate in colder winters, so place in an area protected from wind. You may also want to cover the plants if frost is predicted. (See Cold Protection for tips.)

In Zone 9B a croton can be grown in a container and moved inside during winter.

These plants contain toxins, and are considered to be resistant to damage from deer (though we make no guarantees).

• When shopping for a croton or another foliage plant, always look at lower leaves. These will generally indicate what the overall color and look of the plant will be when it’s more mature.

• Plant care

Add a combination of top soil or organic peat humus and composted cow manure to the hole when you plant.

Make sure the area is well-drained…crotons will not put up with “wet feet.”

This shrub is moderately drought-tolerant once established, though it does best with regular irrigation schedule that gives it time to dry out between waterings.

Trimming is only needed occasionally to keep the plant’s size in check. As with all foliage shrubs, always trim stems – don’t cut across leaves.

• Fertilize 3 times a year – once each in spring, summer and autumn with a quality granular fertilizer.

• Plant spacing

Smaller croton varieties can go as close as 2 feet apart. The rest should be placed 2-1/2 to 3 feet apart.

• Landscape uses for crotons

1. Low to mid-height hedge
2. Accent plant
3. Around the outside of the poolcage or lanai
4. Lining a walkway or drive
5. Surrounding palms or trees
6. Along a fence
7. Flanking the entry or garage
8. Edging a deck, patio or porch
9. Ground cover shrub (small varieties)
10. Under low windows (small varieties)
11. Foundation plant (small and regular varieties)
12. Privacy screen (larger varieties)
13. In a container or a planter box

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Type: Herbaceous perennial

Family: Amaranthaceae

Native Range: Caribbean, Central and South America

Zone: 10 to 11

Height: 0.50 to 1.00 feet

Spread: 0.50 to 1.50 feet

Bloom Time: Seasonal bloomer

Bloom Description: White

Sun: Full sun to part shade

Water: Medium

Maintenance: Low

Suggested Use: Annual, Ground Cover

Flower: Insignificant

Leaf: Colorful, Evergreen

Culture

Tropical perennial that is winter hardy to USDA Zone 10 and is grown exclusively for its colorful foliage. Grow in organically rich, consistently moist, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Best foliage colors are usually developed in full sun, however some bleaching of colors may occur in full sun in hot summer climates. In the St. Louis area, it is typically grown outdoors as an annual (e.g., ground cover, edger or in containers), but may also be grown indoors as a houseplant as long as it is sited in a bright, sunny location and soils are kept moist. Plants may be grown from seed by starting them indoors in late winter and transplanting them outdoors after last frost date. Quality of leaf color may vary considerably and only the best seedlings should be selected for inclusion in the planting. Plant 4-9” apart for ground cover effect. Pinching stems or shearing will keep plants compact and bushy. For those who do not wish to plant seed, some of the more popular varieties are available from nurseries in cell packs or flats. Smaller plants may be potted up and brought inside in winter. In the alternative, tip cuttings may be taken in late summer for overwintering indoors.

Noteworthy Characteristics

Alternanthera ficoidea is a low-growing plant that typically grows on erect to procumbent stems to 6-12” tall. It is native from Mexico to Argentina. Species plants have elliptic to broad ovate green leaves (to 1” long). However it is the brightly colored cultivars that have become the popular garden plants, featuring green leaves blotched with yellow, orange, red, brown, copper or purple, sometimes with red veining. Foliage of the brighter colored cultivars is suggestive of coleus. White apetalous flowers appear stalkless or on short stalks in small axillary clusters in late fall to winter, but are insignificant. Flowers are usually observed in St. Louis only on houseplants or on container plants brought inside for overwintering. Plants in the genus Alternanthera have a rather large number of descriptive common names, including but not limited to Joseph’s coat, copperleaf, calico plant, bloodleaf, joyweed and parrot leaf, all in reference to the brilliantly colored leaves which provide foliage contrast to gardens and container plantings.

Genus name comes from the Latin words alternans meaning “alternating” and anthera meaning “anther”, in reference to alternate anthers in the genus are barren.

Specific epithet means resembling fig (Ficus).

Problems

Slugs, spider mites, and caterpillars are occasional problems. Scout for caterpillar activity in late August.

Uses

Bedding plant, edger or containers. Foliage is particularly attractive when plants are massed as a ground cover or edger. Plants of this species have been used since Victorian times in clipped formal plantings. Also can be an attractive houseplant.

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