Croton 'Andrew'

i has first started off with fiesta crotons. they had done well and had gotten considerably large. but unfortunetly, they were overtaken ...Read Moreby wooly aphids and died. i went to home depot to get some more, when i noticed this variety of croton (which, when i got it the tag simply read "tropical foliage"). i liked the color pattern and the slight curvature to the leaves. (i thought, less places for aphids to hide if this one were to fall victim!) i bought 3 of them and planted them in a window box on my porch. they made it through the frosts and unseasonably cold weather this past winter (on really cold nights i brought them in), but once spring came i moved them outside. i ended up losing 2 of the 3 andrew's. maybe the cold affected them after all, or they weren't getting enough sun, or maybe it was too much water.. whatever the case was.. i repotted the survivor, and moved it to a different location in the garden. it has done beautifully ever since! before all of this, getting the fiestas and all, i admit that i wasn't a fan of crotons. but my little fighter has made me appreciate them, and made me learn that i can't be a "plant snob" lol =)

I love all Codiaeum/Croton's and am used to seeing the ones with the vivid orange/red/yellow combinations. The variegation of white/green...Read More/cream in Andrew's foliage really caught my eye.

This is my second attempt at growing Croton Andrew as a container plant. The first time it succumbed when I was traveling a lot and it didn't get the proper care. This one I've had for about a year. Last winter I moved it into the Florida room with many other plants because we had frosts and a couple of freezes and I don't think it would have survived the extremely cold temp's.

I didn't realize what a fast grower this croton was until I compared my Dec 2008 pic to my May 2007 pic. wow! Mine is a potted patio pl...Read Moreant. Because it has made it fine w/o winter protection, I may transplant inground. A low maintenance plant for me. Mine gets sun most of the day but it doesn't get burned or crispy edges.

2010: Did not survive our unusually harsh 2009-2010 winter, despite being a 2' x 2' shrub. I've gotten another one and will overwinter in garage.

A very good grower in full sun. Form is loose and upright. Produces sports from time to time that are throw backs to it's parents. Removi...Read Moreng the sport keeps the plant from reverting. Colors on leaves are from bright white on the margins to forest green at the center. The two colors blend to shades of seafoam green, colors not common in crotons. The mother plant was purchased from Home Depot in the spring of 1995 as a 2" angel plant after growing to 8' and a 21" tub it was planted in to the ground 3 years ago in West Kendall, Fla. In heavy soil it never shed a leaf and has added 4' in height.
No Pest Problems

UPDATE 09/03/2007 - Andy Currently stands at about 10'. This bush was laid flat by both Katrina and then Wilma. The point of this is that they where in opposite directions. The plant was so hardy that it hardly lost a leaf. On the last righting I installed limestone rocks to give the bush something to attach to with stability. When this pant sports reverted sprouts they are deep green with yellow to gold spots. The mid vein is light green and not yellow or gold.