COLORFUL CROTONS:

Houseplants brighten winter rooms

November 08, 2019



The crotons placed low in this planter are beginning to turn colors on the leaf tips with direct light on them.  They should be moved inside if and when temperatures consistently reach below 55 degrees.  They will do best in direct sun and require moderately humid conditions to flourish.  It is good practice to regularly mist their leaves as they do not do well in dry, heated conditions like from dry air blowiing on them from a heater.

The Bloodleaf Iresine described as colorful, hardy and tough does well in daily sun and watering.  With fertilizer weekly spring through August, it can grow several feet tall and wide planted outdoors and 1-2 feet tall in containers.  When transitioned indoors, it requires a sunny location with humidity and does not tolerate dry, heated air conditions.  It does best with moderate watering and misting, and can provide beautiful, blood red with spurts of green and white color to an indoor setting.

Care for colorful indoor plants in winter

Colorful plants can transition from outdoors to indoors with

• Correct placement for space and light
• At least 6 hours of sunlight daily
• Moderate watering
• Use of rainwater or distilled water, if possible
• Moderate humidity vs. dry conditions
• Misting if subject to dry, heated air

More Information

Online:

• www.costafarms.com/blog/decorate-your-home-and-garden-with-crotons
  

• www.costafarms.com/plants/ti-plant
  

• https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/foliage/bloodleaf/bloodleaf-plant-care.htm
  

In print:

• Bender, S. (Editor) The Southern Living Garden Book, Oxmoor House Inc. 1998.

• Donaldson, S. and McHoy, D. Container Gardening, Barnes and Noble, 2003.

• Heitz, H. Indoor Plants, Barrons, 1994.

• Sperry, N. Lone Star Gardening. Published by Neil Sperry, 2016.



The Gardeners’ Dirt is written by members of the Victoria County Master Gardener Association, an educational outreach of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension – Victoria County. Mail your questions in care of the Advocate, P.O. Box 1518, Victoria, TX 77901; or vcmga@vicad.com, or comment on this column at VictoriaAdvocate.com.

ALL PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY VICTORIA COUNTY MASTER GARDENER/SUZANNE LABRECQUE

Crotons are a great accent plant outdoors this time of year as they transition well in temperature and color.  These Petra variety crotons with pumpkins add texture and color currently at the front door of Master Gardener Suzanne LaBrecque's home.  The leaves will turn red, pink, orange and golden yellow with more sun daily and with moderate watering provide humidity to their location.

My affection for houseplants began the first time I lived alone. Plants were the only thing that changed while I was at work. Checking on them and observing their growth, needs and unique characteristics intrigued me.

Houseplants depend on light, humidity, spacing, location

In Victoria, our home has tinted windows that are energy-efficient but don’t provide enough light for flowering plants. So our current collection of houseplants is predominantly green.

I’m eager for more colorful houseplants, so we have placed a grow light in a room with a southwest exposure. Placement and humidity along with location will affect my indoor plants.

Crotons (Codiaeum varigatum Petra or Mammy or Sunny Star)

Currently we have Petra crotons among the pumpkins at the front door.

• Outdoors

The Petra croton is variegated with shades of red, orange, yellow and green. When temperatures dip below 55 degrees, it will be necessary to bring them inside.

• Indoors

These variegated plants are sun worshippers.

• Color enhances with light

Crotons do best in direct sun, so place them in south- or east-facing windows. The more sun they get, the more colorful their leaves will be. Our new grow-light will give them the extra light they need.

• Thrive in humidity

Crotons thrive in humidity, so regularly mist their leaves. If your home is dry in the winter, you may consider adding a humidifier for them.

Another helpful technique for adding humidity is to set plants on a shallow pebble-filled tray of water. As the water in the tray evaporates, it will add moisture to the air around the plants.

Ti plant (Cordyline fruticose)

For centuries, Ti plants have been considered sacred by Hawaiians and when planted around a home to bring good luck. They are striking with their lance-shaped foliage and exotic color combinations.

Most varieties have purple foliage variegated with streaks of hot pink, cream, white, green, gold or red.

Outdoors

Like crotons, Ti plants thrive in full sun and warm temperatures.

• Less light, more green

When this colorful plant doesn’t get enough light, its leaves show less variegation and more green. The plant’s color will also fade if the temperature is too low.

Indoors

Its leaf tips will brown if the plant stays dry for too long or needs fertilizing.

• Prevent brown tips with feeding, watering as prescribed

March through August, fertilize every two weeks to optimize its growth and vitality.

Use rainwater or distilled water to avoid adding fluoride or chloride that’s often found in tap water. These chemicals are mildly toxic to Ti plants. Or you can let tap water sit for 24 hours before watering so the chemicals will dissipate.

• Sponge/regularly mist leaves for enhanced color

Some gardeners recommend sponging Ti leaves to remove dust and to make them look brighter. This practice also protects against spider mites that grow in dry conditions.

Since Ti plants thrive in humidity, a cool mist humidifier works best but may not be practical. Ti plants will do well if their leaves have regular misting.

• Provides height and color to arrangements

Ti plants grow from 2- to 6-feet tall and will provide height as well as color to house plant arrangements. If the plant gets too tall, cut it back at the top. New branches will grow from its base after pruning and prevent it from getting too leggy.

Bloodleaf (Iresine)

This year my husband’s favorite plant is the red iresine Brillantissma also known as the bloodleaf plant.

Outdoors

• Thrives with filtered light, daily watering

It has thrived on the patio with morning sun and afternoon shade along with daily watering.

• Feeding, trimming for branching

Feeding garden-planted bloodleaf plants weekly from March to August will help them grow up to 5 feet tall with a spread of 3 feet. In a container, it will grow 12 to 24 inches tall.

Young plants should be trimmed a number of times so they will branch nicely.

Originally from Brazil, bloodleaf plants have been described as colorful, hardy and tough. They have brilliant red leaves that are variegated with dark green and white markings and pinkish red stems.

Indoors

As a houseplant, bloodleaf plants need a loamy, soil-based potting mixture and a sunny location.

• Needs light, moderate humidity

In a location with light from two sides, its leaves glow like burgundy. If the plant doesn’t get enough light, it will become dark and leggy.

Like the croton and ti plants, bloodleaf plants do not tolerate dry, heated air. They like moderate humidity and misting.

These three colorful patio plants have similar needs and will transition to houseplants with at least 6 hours of sunlight daily, good humidity and moderate watering. All will add color, texture and interest to indoor winter rooms.

The Ti Plant thrives outside in direct sunlight and with warm, humid conditions.  It can be brought inside for accent color and height in decor, but will do best with feeding every two weeks in March through August for most vitality along with moderate watering using rainwater or distilled water.  Fluoride and chloride found in tap water are known to be somewhat toxic to it.  Sponging its leaves and misting provide the humidity it needs and also helps its leaf tips from turning brown.