Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Origin
South-Eastern Asia, Southeastern Asia, Polynesia
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
Gold Dust Croton, Banana Croton
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Habitat
Along Railroads, Pastures, Roadsides, Sandy areas, Waste areas
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-15
-9999
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 23, 24
H1, H2, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Vining/Climbing
Flower Color
White, Yellow
Red, Green, Orange Red
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Red
White, Ivory
Leaf Color in Spring
White, Yellow, Purple, Orange, Light Green, Chartreuse, Lime Green, Dark Green, Light Yellow, Lemon yellow, Yellow green, Gold
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Chartreuse, Lime Green, Dark Green, Light Yellow, Lemon yellow, Yellow green, Gold, Pink, Rose, Burgundy, Crimson, Dark Red, Copper, Bronze, Orange Red, Ivory
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
White, Yellow, Purple, Orange, Light Green, Chartreuse, Pink, Rose, Burgundy, Crimson, Dark Red, Copper, Bronze, Orange Red, Ivory
Purple, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
White, Yellow, Purple, Orange, Light Green, Gold, Pink, Rose, Burgundy, Crimson, Dark Red, Copper, Bronze, Orange Red, Ivory
Purple, Gray Green
Leaf Shape
Long Elliptic
Heart-shaped
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
-
Tolerances
Cold climate
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Requirements
Requires consistently moist soil, Requires regular watering, Requires watering in the growing season
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
In Summer
Lots of watering
Average Water
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Less Watering
Average Water
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Prune in spring, Remove branches that rub together
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Less fertilizing
Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Aphids
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fragrant Bark/Stem
Yes
No
Foliage Texture
Coarse
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Attracts
Butterflies, Insects
-
Allergy
Dizziness, Eczema, Itchiness, Skin irritation, Skin rash, Vomiting
-
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
Improve hair condition, Skin Problems
-
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Prevent Soil Erosion
Air purification
Medicinal Uses
Bronchitis, Gallbladder Diseases, Gout, Joint pain, Malaria, Nerve pain, Upset stomach
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Part of Plant Used
Seeds, Whole plant
Leaves
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes, Employed in herbal medicine, Showy Purposes, Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
Yes
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Container, Cutflower, Feature Plant, Foundation, Hedges, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Screening, Wind Break, Tropical
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
CODIAEUM variegatum
BASELLA alba
Common Name
Rushfoil, Croton
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
In Hindi
क्रोटोन प्लांट
पोई
In German
Kroton
Malabarspinat
In French
Croton
L’épinard de Malabar
In Spanish
Croton Planta
espinaca de Malabar
In Greek
Κρότωνα φυτών
Malabar Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
cróton
Malabar espinafre
In Polish
Kroto roślin
Szpinak Malabar
In Latin
Planta Croton
Spinach Malabar
Class
Magnoliopsida
Eudicotyledones
Order
Malpighiales
Caryophyllales
Family
Euphorbiaceae
Basellaceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Season and Care of Croton and Malabar Spinach
Season and care of Croton and Malabar Spinach is important to know. While considering everything about Croton and Malabar Spinach Care, growing season is an essential factor. Croton season is Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter and Malabar Spinach season is Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. The type of soil for Croton is Loam, Sand and for Malabar Spinach is Clay, Loam while the PH of soil for Croton is Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline and for Malabar Spinach is Neutral.
Croton and Malabar Spinach Physical Information
Croton and Malabar Spinach physical information is very important for comparison. Croton height is 90.00 cm and width 30.00 cm whereas Malabar Spinach height is 2.40 cm and width 24.00 cm. The color specification of Croton and Malabar Spinach are as follows:
Croton flower color: White and Yellow
Croton leaf color: White, Yellow, Purple, Orange, Light Green, Chartreuse, Lime Green, Dark Green, Light Yellow, Lemon yellow, Yellow green and Gold
Malabar Spinach flower color: Red, Green and Orange Red
- Malabar Spinach leaf color: Green and Light Green
Care of Croton and Malabar Spinach
Care of Croton and Malabar Spinach include pruning, fertilizers, watering etc. Croton pruning is done Prune in spring and Remove branches that rub together and Malabar Spinach pruning is done Remove damaged leaves and Remove dead leaves. In summer Croton needs Lots of watering and in winter, it needs Less Watering. Whereas, in summer Malabar Spinach needs Average Water and in winter, it needs Average Water.