Croton Overview
Croton is a tropical shrub best known for its colorful leaves. The foliage may show orange, red, purple, yellow and green, often with spotted, streaked or veined patterns. In Hawaii, crotons are common yard plants because they bring strong color even when they are not flowering.
The green-leaf croton is native to Fiji and other islands west of Australia. In Hawaii, colored-leaf varieties are the ones most often seen in home gardens, resort landscapes, borders and hedges.
Leaves, Growth and Landscape Use
Croton can grow up to about 12 feet tall, but many plants are trimmed shorter and used as hedges. Regular pruning helps keep the shrub full and shaped, especially along walkways, property edges and garden borders.
The plant is valued for dependable foliage rather than showy flowers. Its leaves can create a bright tropical look in sunny or partly sunny planted areas. Because croton is a warm-climate plant, it does best where temperatures stay mild and the soil does not dry out too severely.
In Hawaii landscapes, croton works well when gardeners want long-lasting color without relying only on seasonal blooms. Related Hawaii plant pages include Persian Shield, Galphimia glauca, ixora and hibiscus.
