Thought I would share some photos of another great color leaf plant ...

Yours look great! I am growing weary of battling the scale. I have (2) bottles of bayer 3 in 1 in the garage and just can't bring myself to using them due to all my bees and butterflies in the garden. Instead of growing 50-60 cultivars, I may limit it to my favorite 20 until I can grow more canopy. I find my stressed plants (in too much sun) are magnets for the scale attacks.

Love the first one you pictured there, Scot. Got a name? Crotons just are too garish for my taste, for the most part - the ones with all the colors splashed and spotted all over, too much! Nothing else goes well with them. The only multi-colored one I kind of like is the narrow-leaf one - I think it's called Picasso's Paintbrush. Not so big and splashy, very pretty.

@junglegal have you tried any of the insecticides with Spinosad? They're relatively benign, even rated for use on organic veggies. If you spray in the late evening, you should not hit any bees or butterflies. I've been using Capt. Jack's Dead Bug Brew (love that name) and it's available at Home Depot or Lowe's. Glad you're not using the neonic stuff.

Also in the cool weather (some time next November . .. ??? ) you can use dormant oil spray on them for scale. It's very effective. Just have to again be careful not to actually hit any bees.

I like the last one pictured, the one with the true orange blotches. Not sure where I would use it but I like it. LOL Used to have Picasso's Paintbrush but found it sort of straggly, the one I have now, which is probably Zanzibar, is fuller but not too overbearing like my big one which is 7' tall. These photos were taken at noon time so they are a bit overexposed.

Elaine'
The first one is 'Andrew' ( aka 'Eburneum' and 'Madagascar' )
I tend to like them mixed with other plants as accents and not beds of Crotons'

Alice'
I believe the last one is 'Zulu'

Scott, I love your border. The light exposure in the photo makes it look like a painting, which I thought it was at first. I had to do a double take. I do think it would make a beautiful painting, though.

You're right Debbie, it does look worthy of a painting. Recently I had Costco print one of my photos of an individual Agapanthus flower on canvas and I really liked how it came out. We needed something for a wall in a remodeled bathroom and by using one of my own photos the price was right. I can see Scott's picture on someone's wall.

Ardesia, I can see that Agapanthus bloom print in my home, maybe even by sewing/beading/ ironing room, as it all looks so serene and relaxing - colors and all. That it a great idea for frugal decorating or even gift giving -- using your own favorite photos and having them printed on canvas. Thanks for sharing it.

dyzzypyxxy said:Love the first one you pictured there, Scot. Got a name? Crotons just are too garish for my taste, for the most part - the ones with all the colors splashed and spotted all over, too much! Nothing else goes well with them. The only multi-colored one I kind of like is the narrow-leaf one - I think it's called Picasso's Paintbrush. Not so big and splashy, very pretty.

@junglegal have you tried any of the insecticides with Spinosad? They're relatively benign, even rated for use on organic veggies. If you spray in the late evening, you should not hit any bees or butterflies. I've been using Capt. Jack's Dead Bug Brew (love that name) and it's available at Home Depot or Lowe's. Glad you're not using the neonic stuff.

Also in the cool weather (some time next November . .. ??? ) you can use dormant oil spray on them for scale. It's very effective. Just have to again be careful not to actually hit any bees.

Like Scott, I layer my crotons into the beds. There are 600+ cultivers and the possibilities endless. I will eventually post some of my favorites here soon. I understand what you mean by garish, landscapers tend to use them improperly and stick to the same 5 or so big box store varieties. Crotons are one of the true Florida plants as almost all have been hybridized here. The amount of new plants coming out is staggering too. We have some fantastic growers here. The problem with these plants though is that they are genetically unstable so air layering is really the only way to go for propagating. Any plant can spontaneously 'sport' too. Some of the most sought after varieties were sports of the older hybrids. The croton society group (I use that loosely as we collect no dues) is a fantastic way to quickly bulk up one's collection. We meet 2x a year in FL. One east coast meeting, one west.

As far as my scale battle, I use a lot of coffee grounds and spray them often with a soapy peroxide mix. I'm not above the hand squish either. I was using organicide with great results but my 3 dogs kept brushing into the plants and I can't stand the smell on them. The scale will subside over time. My new garden is less than 2 yrs old and just struggling to establish while my canopy grows.

I can just imagine the gypsy like colors all together at those society meet ups. I LOVE bright colors and yes, they can be difficult to blend in, but you always need a wow factor, especially in the steamy SE where pastels fade into the background.

and well said, Alice. We have got to have color.

I'm thinking it's the combination of yellow and shocking pink that "clangs" with me on some crotons. I do like some of them, and you're right they sure do have lots of "wow" factor. As a feature plant in the right spot, amazing! Blended in a mixed border, can be so nice, as Scot's picture shows.

Maybe it's partly that they are so very widely used down here, and in large groups usually. Sometimes pruned into shapes . . . always a turn-off for me.

Turns out I have one - its in an area where we just cleared out a whole lot of overgrown Areca palms and the poor thing has not grown in over 8 years we've been in this house. Now that it's getting some light, we'll see. I'll give it some fert and water and plant some broms around it for contrast. Plain colored broms.

This one is called Tiffany



There are three plants in this pic. From Left to Right, Herringbone, Bradenton NOID, Claude Lorraine




And here is just the herringbone. This one is not too common in the trade yet.

I googled Claude Lorraine and I think the bright pinks and light greens will look good in a mixed border. This site came up with some photos of some other pink"ish" crotons. Some of these are stunning. Arrow down for the photos.
http://www.palmpedia.net/forum...

Alice, you found my stomping grounds as I am part time mod & helped get that croton wiki going (Scott too!!) Many many great pics and info over there. Here is my claude, this one is stunning in filtered light, mine gets full morning sun yet.


John soar coloring up



Buddy




And a Davis hybrid nestled among a jaquinnii and auntie lou ti

My favorite is 'Picasso's Paintbrush'

Deebie said:Scott, I love your border. The light exposure in the photo makes it look like a painting, which I thought it was at first. I had to do a double take. I do think it would make a beautiful painting, though.

Thanks! I look at placing (planting) the color leaf plants in the landscape as creating a work of art using the great masterpieces mother nature has to offer us.

Wow Scott, your Picasso is much nicer than my straggly one was. Good growing. I have to grow crotons in containers as they have to be moved to shelter in the winter. I don't have to bring them indoors, I just move them to a protected spot under the eaves where they stay dry.

Junglegal, that site it dangerous, LOL. Your Claude is gorgeous.