Howdy. Crotons! I can't open your picture. How much space is between the rootball and inner pot? Since you're in zone9, your Crotons might grow faster than mine in z5, but actually, Crotons do better when roots are a little crowded. Did your plant need two repottings? Crotons require bright light, but they also need fresh, circulating air and humidity. Without fresh air and humidity, Crotons are notorious catching Spider Mites. Check for webbing in-between and under leaves. Just as a precaution. If you find webbing, we'll cross that bridge......... Soil should dry almost completely, not 'just a bit.' It's important you check soil closer to the bottom of the pot. Depending on pot size, 'small pot, 4-6",' inserting your finger deep in the soil will do. Anything larger needs a stick or stake. Insert deep within the soil. If the stick comes out wet/moist, wait before adding more water. If it's dry, give it a drink. About tap water. I keep old, cleaned milk containers and let water sit about 24 hours before watering. Some plants are more sensitive to chlorine, etc, than other plants. Chlorophytum/Spider Plant is one example where straight tap water can brown leaf tips. Crotons like daily misting and weekly showers. Smaller plants can be sprayed in the sink. They bounce up. I can't see your plant so don't know its condition. For the time being, place your Croton in bright, indirect light, let soil dry between waterings, and mist. Don't fertilize at this point. If you use SuperThrive, add 10 drops per gallon of water to the soil. Good luck, Toni

I live in nothern Sac. I am new to this state for planting and we are landscaping. I was just in Mexico and found the most beautiful Aubrey Christian Croton tree that I fell in love with. Can anyone in the area tell me if it will work in my yard. I would like to put one in a special corner of my yard. If not, I am open to suggestions of a beautiful tree. I am only in Sac Jan-May and Sept-Nov. so I would want it to look the best then. Eventually I will be here in the summer months. I found the actual plant name on line and now I cannot find the link for a photo, but I have a photo I can send someone of the tree I took a photo of. Thank you.

Jeff, self-pollinating can be done but I haven't paid much attention to the 'intimate' details. You might try two things when flowers are open. Tap the branch near the flower stalk with a pencil or something similar to create vibrations that potentially loosen and spread pollen to appropriate flower parts. Also, get a soft artists brush and dab lightly from flower to flower. Seeds produced, whether naturally or artificially, on a single plant are called 'selfed' and only genes within that particular plant are involved. If flowers from two unrelated plants are involved, the gene pool is larger and more varied and far more likely to produce offspring with characteristics different from either parent. But selfing is better than no seeds at all, and you never know what you'll get. If you put plants outside for the summer, you should get a croton of another variety, grow them close together, and hope they flower at the same time. Don't wait for the ants, try the procedure with the brush between flowers on both plants. This is your best chance to get offspring that are really different from parents. That said, all cultivated crotons are hybrids, so they have a soup bowl full of genes compared to species plants, so even single 'selfed' plants can produce a variety of characteristics. Seed pods will be small, round, and green, turning very dark brown or black and larger with maturity. Pods will eventually split open in several places and seeds will be lost if you don't catch them somehow. Seeds are black, angular and less than an eighth inch around. Try wrapping the stalk with pods in a section of nylon stocking or something similar. I should do this, but instead just look for seedlings on the ground. Your croton is one of two vintage varieties, either Petra or Norma. They're nearly identical and easily the most-produced varieties in the world. Maybe there was a label on the pot when you bought it indicating which one. If you try this, keep us posted on how it goes. If you need different varieties, I can offer propagations from my collection of mostly vintage crotons, if you'll just pay the postage. Obviously though, plants would be some years away from flowering size. Russ

I'll try the acid-loving fertilizer then, Roselee. I've just been using all-purpose. And you might be right, about the more mature leaves getting the colors. This is their first season and MOST of the leaves are young leaves. Maybe this fall they will begin to get their colors. Hope so. I haven't had one of these since I lived at my last house, some 10 years back. It was on a west facing patio that had tree protection from the afternoon sun. It got direct sun for about 2 hours a day and just bright light the rest of the day. It colored very nicely and got to be 4' tall. Then I forgot to bring it inside one winter night and it froze on me. :(