The Croton plant (Codiaeum variegatum) is a popular houseplant cultivated for its stunning, vibrant foliage. Its leaves display a remarkable range of colors, including fiery reds, oranges, yellows, and greens. Although Crotons are flowering plants, blooming is uncommon, especially when the plant is kept indoors.
The Appearance of Croton Flowers
When a Croton blooms, the flowers are inconspicuous compared to the plant’s leaves. Blooms appear on long, slender structures called racemes that emerge from the leaf axils. These inflorescences can reach up to a foot in length, though the individual flowers are small.
Crotons are monoecious, producing separate male and female flowers on the same plant. Male flowers are typically white or pale yellow, featuring a star-like shape with five petals and numerous stamens. Female flowers are yellowish, lack petals entirely, and are often located on a different part of the spike.
Environmental Factors Preventing Indoor Blooms
The rarity of indoor Croton blooms stems from the difficulty of replicating the plant’s native tropical conditions. Codiaeum variegatum requires significant light to initiate flowering. To maintain brilliant coloration and encourage blooming, Crotons need several hours of bright, indirect light daily, often requiring placement in a sunny southern or western exposure. Insufficient light is the primary inhibitor of flowering and can cause leaves to turn mostly green.
Beyond light, these plants demand consistent, high humidity, ideally between 40 to 80 percent, which exceeds average indoor levels. They also need temperature stability, thriving when temperatures remain consistently between 60 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. A sudden cold draft or temperature dip stresses the plant, often causing it to drop leaves.
Horticultural Significance of Flowering
When a Croton flowers indoors, it indicates that the gardener has achieved near-perfect growing conditions. However, horticulturally, flowering is an energy-intensive process that diverts resources away from producing vibrant foliage. To preserve the plant’s vigor and maximize the leaf display, many growers remove the flower spike shortly after it appears. This practice, known as deadheading, redirects the plant’s energy back into vegetative growth.
When pruning the flower spike, handle the plant with care. Crotons belong to the spurge family (Euphorbiaceae) and exude a white, milky sap when cut. This sap contains diterpenes, which can cause skin irritation or contact dermatitis. Gardeners should wear gloves to avoid contact with this mildly toxic sap, which can also cause digestive upset if ingested.