I mean I really have a problem.

I mentioned DH is back in the Hospital and the hospital is next door to Lowes. I cannot help but to stop in on the way to my car. Soooooo I walk over to the markdown plants I was really looking to see if they put the bulbs on sale for 75% off like they do every year.

I picked up a croton. This is where I say I really have a problem because just last week I said I am not ever going to buy another croton because they do not live for me. But I guess my problem is I cannot resist a dollar. If I see one dollar I have to buy. This will be the first croton I have purchased for a dollar so maybe it will live.

The tag says.."I am Croton Lauren's Rainbow. I thought that was a nice tag. State the name and actually made me feel the plant introduced itself to me and it wanted to come home and be nice and live. That is my story and I am sticking to it.




and another Bromelaid for my bromelaid tree. It was only a dollar too. So my tree is pretty much made up of cheap broms. This one is huge. It is at least 18" across.

Wow, I think I need to go shopping in Pennsylvania!! It's amazing what treasures you are finding at Lowes for $1.00! That Bromeliad is stunning and nice Croton too! I couldn't find a listing in the database for your Croton (Codiaeum variegatum 'Lauren's Rainbow') so I entered a proposal to add it.

Please post photos of your Bromeliad Tree when you get it done!

Lovely Croton Cinta! I have been seeing a lot of them on our local BBS..so tempted to get one too.

Lin I think we have the best markdown plant section in the country. My sister says her Lowes does not have a good markdown. She said they are all dead when they reach clearance. Our Lowes mark them down before they look bad.

Tarev have you ever grown one before? I have picked them up almost every summer and as soon as I bring them inside they start to dry up and die. I kept them somewhat moist maybe I kept them too moist. But like I said I usually buy a big pot for 10.00 this one is small and it was only a dollar so maybe it will be more willing to adjust to indoors better than the larger plants.

Nope, have not grown one. I was reading its cultural requirement, and I am apprehensive about its need for moisture and humidity..two things quite dismal here in our area. That is why I was hesitant to buy it. I was thinking maybe in summer it can go in the shadiest side of my patio but our extreme dry conditions may not be good for it. I wish I can find similar dollar priced one so I can experiment on it..at least it will not be too hard on the pocket.

Watch for spider mites when it's indoors. They like crotons a lot. If you see tiny little webs and/or some leaves start dropping, stick it under a warm shower head with as much force as the plant can take. I lay mine on its side so I can get the underside of the leaves washed off. Watch and if you see the web threads return, do it again. Try and keep it in as humid conditions as possible. There aren't natural predators indoors to control the mites and the mites love dry air. That's what I learned about overwintering a croton. Yours should be easy since it's small. Mine is now approaching 4' and in a big clay pot, so it's a chore to give a shower. I do keep the soil moist on mine all winter.

Tarev, I'd think you could manage it outside. I'm in a hot, dry and windy climate and I kept mine under the edge of an oak tree located on the east side of the house. It got quite a bit of morning sun, protection with dappled shade from about 10-4pm and then was in direct late sun until about 5:30 when the house shade reaches it. I just use a hose attachment and give it shower almost every day. It has thrived.

That would be nice..but I am trying not to be using too much water here..you know..our ever persistent drought.

Thank you Donald. I will keep an eye out for the bugs. I have 100s of houseplants and have never had a bug problem so I will admit I did not look for bugs and since none of the other plants were suffering I assumed it was something I was doing to the plant.

Yes, I know about drought. No ground plantings or lawn gets water anymore. Only potted plants and I've devised ways to catch the drain water from many of those to use on another plant. Lots of mosquito nesting grounds here. Fortunately, they don't like my flavor very much and I have swallows and toad frogs that feed on them. The croton has a tray to catch the water and it sucks most of it up between the daily watering cycle. So the plant pretty much as 'wet feet' all the time.

Nice to have frogs! Have not heard our frogs by the drycreek last Spring..just too little rain.

I will try to find a smaller croton..will really want to experiment and see..maybe I just have to do some minor tweaks..I wonder if it will like growing on soil with water gel beads/crystals..that may help in keeping it moist at the root level.

Woohoo! We went to Lowe's in our neighboring city and came across some Croton on clearance..a buck each. So two of them came home with me, along with some other stuff I would need as I do some more repot of newly adopted semps.
Fingers crossed...my first time to handle these plants..experiment time!

Tarev,
Keep us updated.

Planto

Tarev,

Those are a lot cheaper than a break at Starbucks! You can't lose at a buck each.

Tarev, that's a great find! I think that it is this one...http://garden.org/plants/view/75955/Croton-Codiaeum-variegatum-var-pictum/

I see that there is not any info about this particular Croton, but I do know that it's not quite as hardy as some others...A little more picky when it comes to cooler temps. A good indoor houseplant. Great find!

tarev: I agree, a great buy for $1.00; do you plan on using them in combination planters or as single specimens? Croton (Codiaeum) are very common landscape shrubs here in Florida and I see one gallon and three gallon pots sometimes for @ $9.98 and larger sizes sometimes for $14.98. I love the colorful leaves and the more light they receive, the more coloration they show.

I had these three in containers on my deck but had to remove them last year because they were getting too root-bound in the pots and I didn't want to have to end up breaking the pots to get them out.

Thanks everyone! Just gave the two some watering and some spritz on the leaves this morning.

I plan to keep them alone in their containers, seeing the mature plants in the store, it seems better alone with its wide leaves.

It was so much fun circling around the clearance rack, and moving away for awhile to continue shopping other stuff, and also to test if I really want it..then went back to the rack, and I still want it..so off they came with me. Usually, I try not to buy new plants at this time of the year..but these two are just winking at me..and that price is really wallet friendly.

Thanks Tara about the cooler temps heads up..I am thinking about that. We still have good day temps right now but it is hovering now to 48-50 at night outdoors. And we do get the occasional hard freeze 20's during winter. I do really want to put it in a corner spot near our house..but not sure how it will adapt right now, so maybe I will let it grow indoors for now this Fall to Winter. And just move it out in Spring.

Something I see on the leaves, like the midrib is separating..or is that how it makes new leaves? Took a photo, a little blurred but you can see that faint thread like growth coming from the leaf.


I wonder if this plant will behave similar to what my Schefflera plants do. My Scheffleras are outdoors year round in part sun/part shade and ably survives our winters and super dry conditions in summer. So many questions...oh well..will see how it goes.

tarev: Give them lots of bright light and the leaf colors should become more vivid. I can't tell from your photos for sure but the cultivar you have may possibly be 'Batik'. I used to have a couple of them and I think I remember the leaves on Batik doing that ... don't know why it happens but it's possibly just a characteristic of that particular cultivar.

I will be very interested to hear how they do in your area during the summer months but I'd think as long as they get sufficient water and are kept from direct, burning sun they will thrive! I've always heard that Codiaeum do not like fertilizer so I've never fed mine.

Tarev, If we keep hanging around Lowes we are all going to have a big problem. I know the feeling. I have so many 1.00 Lowes plants is why I have to start combining.