If possible, outdoor under big tree (partly shadow) is very good to recover sick croton. There the plant get good air circulation and enough sunlight to make it's new leaves colorfull. Some hours direct sunlight needed to 'burn' it's original green new leaves to colorfull pattern. Outdoor with rich soil and frequent watering will make it recover quicker. Today temperature here about 37 celcius (100 F) and 3 of my croton just fine in pot, as like many others in ground.

The brand I used was Edna's Best Potting soil, and it's like the average potting soil? Like I guess a more "all purpose" soil, not soil for vegetables or succulents. And I have not trimmed it ever.

Also I'm fairly new the site so I'm not sure how to directly reply to people

You're doing it right, the replying. I don't know that type of potting mix. If it doesn't drain well it could be causing the problem. They don't like it too wet. You can check the moisture in the soil by pushing a wooden skewer into it. When you pull the skewer out you should see if it's wet.

Croton is forgiving plants. They tolerate drought very well. But under less humid soil without direct sunlight, they just won't grow. They will stay alive for a long time, try to produce flowers and seeds before they die. Water and sunlight is crucial for croton growth. In rainy season they will grow fast. In tropic, croton is for outdoor, and aglaonema for indoor. Both cultivated widely for their beautiful foliage.

It seems small to me as well for a 2 yr. old plant. That pot may be too big, I doubt the rootball is big enough to merit a pot that large.

I think I'd amend that soil w/ at least 1/3 perlite to make that faster draining, as that mix looks fine in texture (may be too water retentive).

I would have left it in plastic pot so moisture isn't absorbed by the terra cotta pot. These are very thirsty plants, I had to water mine quite frequently, large amounts too. It got large & I cut it back, several times. Couldn't keep up w/ its watering needs, so I gave it away.

I also used a pebble tray (aka humidity tray) under mine: a saucer filled w/ pebbles, one waters go overflow so the pot sits ON TOP OF the pebbles in water, but not in the water. It helps the plant absorb moisture as needed, while still letting the soil breathe.

Not understanding Gudang's comment amount 'burn' for it to be colorful. Simply put, bright sun will color this plant up, insufficient light causes it to revert to green. If increasing its exposure to more light &/or strong sun, pls. do it gradually so it doesn't burn.

No, karen, it doesn't work like that. Even in bright sunlight, new leaves will be green. Need sunlight for days to remove the green pigment ('burn', i have no other words) , and when it's done, it won't revert back. It's more like on/off rather than increase/decrease.

Sorry, we'll simply have to disagree pls. What you're saying is not what I experienced.

This kind of croton need different amount of sunlight to produce each color. Red and black need sunlight the most. Indoor, red maybe possible, but mostly you will end up with green and yellow color. Even outdoor, part of bottom leaves that covered by upper leaves and get less sunlight will remain green.

Gudang, I'm curious what you mean - can you try to explain more?

There're various pigments on croton leaves. Somatic mutation have made one pigment tolerate UV heat more than another that lead to different colors, which are depend on duration of sunlight exposure. For rich color cultivars, color changing sequence will be green, yellow, red, then black. So, the red and black will be seen only on older leaves and only if they get enough sunlight.

Fascinating how leaf colours work. So are you saying that once a leaf has changed colour to yellow or red or black, it can't revert to green? I thought what Karen thought. That if you then put it in the shade, the plant would increase its chlorophyll pigment to help it photosynthesise more, in compensation. And therefore look more green again (all over, not just any new leaves)

This one was indoor for weeks. It's color not changed, only darker. No growth so i brought it out few weeks ago. Btw, chlorophyll itself not always green. Only chloroplast that is green. Chromoplast and other plastids (photosynthesis pigment) in chlorophyll are not green. So it's not necessary to be greener to increase photosynthesis. Inhouse they adapt to absorb more light and reflect less so in our eyes they appear darker.