Codiaeum variegatum 'Angel Wings' - Croton

Fabulous colours.....

Thanks! :>)) Crotons have very colorful leaves.

Very colourful leaves Delonix....a Barbie doll plant...that goes back a ways.....

Lovely to see such colours while its sun bathing lol.

Lindak:

Yes, I love Crotons! I have three. The one in my back yard is really growing very fast right now.

I've been looking for Angel Wings. Just not finding much thats not Petra or Mammy.

You have to come to San Diego. It's the most common Croton that's sold here.

My Mammy croton is growing like crazy! It did loose a few leaves last week because I forgot to water it and we haven't had any rain for three weeks. It's insane how dry and warm it's been here! Crotons here must be kept damp or they will loose their leaves very fast! Mammy hasn't flowered for me yet, though. I'm not sure why this is???

Its getting springy here. It looks like all 60's+ for the near future,and in about a weeks time they say lows will be more in 50f range.
I miss my Crotons. I know Lowes last I was there had one called "Mrs Iceton". Later,I read its one the cold hardier Crotons. It actually looked more like those Acalypha's you have.
So,I might try one. This year is special. Maybe no reason to wait until April.

It was 85 degrees here today (where I live)...tomorrow even warmer. The next 10 days it looks like mid-to-upper 70's. I'm getting very nervous about the water situation. It appears San Diego (Southern Cal) may be getting back into severe drought conditions, again!!!

I had a really nice Croton 'Mrs. Iceton' it did really well outside until I transplanted it and gave it too much water and it rotted. I killed it a few summers back. :>(
Croton 'Mrs. Iceton' tends to like the soil a little drier.

Here's a couple of pics. I purchased it as a really small 4" potted plant.

http://www.growsonyou.com/photo/slideshow/263382-codiaeum-variegatum-mrs-iceton/tag/mrs

http://www.growsonyou.com/photo/slideshow/280684-codiaeum-variegatum-mrs-iceton/tag/mrs

hah,That's the one. If see them again,I think I will get at least2,so I get some size when I put them all in one pot.
A local florist has old Petra's...she puts those potted Crotons out in the day in an old timey wheel barrel ,then brings them in at night. Tallest are over 2' at least,and filling the barrel with I don't know how many- 6 of them? Makes a nice eye piece.
Imagine waiting for one Croton to fill a wheel barrel here. So,she's done great.

Mrs. Iceton was an easy plant to grow compared to other Crotons. It just doesn't need too much water. It also seemed to tolerate more shade than the others.

It was gone. So now thats TWO crotons I passed on not knowing they could grow outdoors here. Now,that I know? Cant find them!

Yes, you need to buy them fast. :>)) I've had that happen to me, also.

I want to buy a really small Mrs. Iceton, maybe in spring. sometimes they're for sale with the $1.99 plants at Home Depot. That's how I purchased my other one.

I saw Mammy and Petra...but Petra is super marginal. I was told that even in San Diego it can die off in winter. Stoplight is the third name thats said to be hardy. If not the hardiest. I might mail order that. Just,they charge so much for basically a rooted cutting. What HD charges for a 3 gallon shrub Croton.
I did buy a Aphelandra. Being they are high mountain tropicals,our cool winters are good enough. My last one just upped and died on me...I might have fertilized too much.

That's very strange you say Petra is super marginal. It's one of the more common ones I see growing outside here.
There's several growing at the San Diego Zoo, also.

I was at the San Diego Zoo today didn't take any photos of crotons...even though the really large Croton "pictum goldust" right by the entrance of the San Diego Zoo looks terrific! It's most likely 8 ft tall (it's been there for years).

Which Aphelandra species? Most Aphelandra are very tropical. I did grow Aphelandra squarrosa outside before. It did well; however, it didn't like winter. Sometimes it would loose a few leaves. I wish I had dug it up when I moved here.