The simple answer is this: Leaves fall off trees so that the trees can survive the winter. During that process, the trees lose a lot of water – so much water that when winter arrives, the trees are no longer able to get enough water to replace it. And so now we know.

Trees hibernate too Just like a bear goes into hibernation and snoozes all through winter, trees have a long sleep until the water in the pipes starts moving again. This can be in spring, or when it starts to rain again. But the leaves on these trees all die and fall off eventually.

autumn

Leaf drop can occur in many situations but is fairly common in winter due to low light and changes in temperature. Even water levels and humidity can stress your plants and cause leaf drop. Unfortunately, it’s just a rough time of year for your indoor buddies!

Houseplants drop leaves for many reasons, but most are related to improper care or poor growing conditions. Often just giving plants the correct light and temperature, or controlling pests, is all that is needed to prevent future leaf drop. Either too much or too little watering may cause leaf drop.

Heat and humidity – Croton plants are tropicals, meaning they thrive in warm and humid conditions. If your croton’s leaves fall off, it could be that it’s been exposed to cold or hot extremes such as open doors or air ducts. Overwatering can damage the roots and cause croton leaf drop.

The University of Florida IFAS Extension recommends providing 1 inch of water each week to garden-grown croton plants. Watch the plant for signs that it needs more water such as slight wilting in the young foliage. Increase watering if the wilting happens during hot weather, but check the soil moisture first.

Temperatures lower then 50ºF cause the crotons leaves to drop with a dying appearance. Crotons can show signs of stress such as the leaves drooping, turn yellow and lose their leaves in response to conditions that are contrary to their native environment.

Croton Recovery Time Give it humidity, bright light and room-temperature air, and then wait a few weeks. Recovery time isn’t set, but re-evaluate what you’ve done if you don’t see improvement in the plant after two months.

For the best color development crotons should receive good light but have some protection from full midday sun. Even crotons bred for indoor use need as much light as they can get to hold their color well. A good location is near a sunny window.

Answer: Unfortunately, no plant will ever be produced. It is easy enough to root a croton leaf (Codiaeum pictum): you can even do so in a glass of water. And the single leaf will develop a surprisingly robust root system. But to produce a new stem and, eventually, a complete plant, it would need an axillary bud.

Fertilizer – Fertilizing croton plants will encourage growth in these plants, but there is no need to feed them more than once a month. The fertilizer should be high in nitrogen and potassium, but feeding the plant too much can cause the leaves to dull and damage the roots.

Crotons grow slowly. Over time, you may notice that you are watering more frequently, or that your plant isn’t as perky as it used to be. If so, may be time to repot. Spring is the best time for repotting, as your plant is feeling especially vigorous.

Bring the croton outdoors during the warm part of the year to give it more light. Be sure to harden off the plant, bringing it outdoors for a few hours at a time and placing it in a shady spot at first, to allow the plant to adjust to the brighter light, wind, and less stable temperatures of the outdoors.

The best fertilizer for crotons is a low-nitrogen, time-released, granular fertilizer, that has an 18-3-6 NPK ratio. You should sprinkle the fertilizer around the base of the plant in early spring just as the weather starts to warm up.

In nature, croton plants do not root-bound. They grow in a healthy way. The plant grows both its foliage and root system in normal proportions.

Codiaeum variegatum

Many crotons grow best in full sun, but many cultivars can tolerate, and even prefer, light shade partial shade. Crotons are best grown in subtropical South and Central Florida. Frosts or freezes will damage them, but they quickly recover. When used outdoors this plant looks most attractive when grown in groups.

Yes, croton plants are perennials. The word ‘perennial’ itself means “through the years.” A perennial plant like the croton will live through many growing seasons. Even if part of the plant dies (usually during the winter), it will use the same root system to regrow in the spring.

Croton is very frost tender and will not survive freezing temperatures. The thing to remember is that these are tropical plants and are not suited for freezing temperatures, which can kill the foliage and even the roots.

A popular houseplant, croton features wildly variegated leaves that often have more red, orange, yellow, or purple than green. A great choice for high-light spots, croton sucks nasty VOCs from the air like a champ. Check out more houseplants with colorful leaves!

Crotons do flower but often the flowers go unnoticed. Known for its conversion of carbon dioxide to oxygen at night, the Snake Plant should be placed in a bedroom setting.

Croton is a common houseplant loved for its bright, colorful foliage. They have thick, leathery and shiny leaves. The leaves look simply stunning. The plant adds an exotic touch to your bedroom, living room or garden.

While many plants release carbon dioxide, not oxygen, at night, having a few plants in the bedroom will not release enough carbon dioxide to be harmful at all. Also, not all plants release carbon dioxide at night. With proper plant selection, growing houseplants in bedrooms is perfectly safe.

If you’re looking to add some greenery to your room, below are 10 of the best plants to keep in the bedroom.

• Snake Plant.
• Heart Leaf Philodendron.
• English Ivy.
• Golden Pothos.
• Spider Plant.
• Rubber Plant.
• Gardenia.
• Peace Lily.