Life Span
Annual and Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Shrub
Origin
Central America, South America
South-Eastern Asia, Southeastern Asia, Polynesia
Types
Fruit Tree
Gold Dust Croton, Banana Croton
Number of Varieties
21200
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dry areas, Well Drained, Woodlands
Along Railroads, Pastures, Roadsides, Sandy areas, Waste areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-119-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
12-1
Sunset Zone
13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 23, 24
Habit
Thicket/Colonizing
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
457.20 cm90.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
243.84 cm30.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Pink
White, Yellow
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Red
Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green, Gray Green
White, Yellow, Purple, Orange, Light Green, Chartreuse, Lime Green, Dark Green, Light Yellow, Lemon yellow, Yellow green, Gold
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green, Gray Green
Chartreuse, Lime Green, Dark Green, Light Yellow, Lemon yellow, Yellow green, Gold, Pink, Rose, Burgundy, Crimson, Dark Red, Copper, Bronze, Orange Red, Ivory
Leaf Color in Fall
Light Green, Gray Green
White, Yellow, Purple, Orange, Light Green, Chartreuse, Pink, Rose, Burgundy, Crimson, Dark Red, Copper, Bronze, Orange Red, Ivory
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
White, Yellow, Purple, Orange, Light Green, Gold, Pink, Rose, Burgundy, Crimson, Dark Red, Copper, Bronze, Orange Red, Ivory
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval
Long Elliptic
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Medium
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring, Summer
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Cold climate
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Requires regular watering
Requires consistently moist soil, Requires regular watering, Requires watering in the growing season
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Less Watering
Soil
Soil pH
Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Dry, Sandy
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
In Early Autumn, Prune in winter, Remove branches, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Prune in spring, Remove branches that rub together
Fertilizers
Complete balanced fertilizer, iron-rich fertilizer
Less fertilizing
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Red blotch, Whiteflies
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Wind
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Birds, Butterflies, pollinators
Butterflies, Insects
Allergy
Pollen
Dizziness, Eczema, Itchiness, Skin irritation, Skin rash, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Beautification, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
Improve hair condition, Skin Problems
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for birds, Nesting sites for birds, Windbreak
Air purification, Prevent Soil Erosion
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antioxidants, Arthritis, Diarrhea, Dysentry, Fertility, Fever, Inflammation, Kidney problems, Urinary tract problems, Vitamin C
Bronchitis, Gallbladder Diseases, Gout, Joint pain, Malaria, Nerve pain, Upset stomach
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Fruits, Leaves, Root
Seeds, Whole plant
Other Uses
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for making hedge
Decoration Purposes, Employed in herbal medicine, Showy Purposes, Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Container, Cutflower, Feature Plant, Foundation, Hedges, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Screening, Wind Break, Tropical
Botanical Name
Malpighia emarginata
CODIAEUM variegatum
Common Name
Barbados cherry, West Indian cherry and wild crepe myrtle
Rushfoil, Croton
In Hindi
Acerola Tree
क्रोटोन प्लांट
In German
Acerola Baum
Kroton
In French
Acerola Arbre
Croton
In Spanish
Árbol de acerola
Croton Planta
In Greek
Acerola Δέντρο
Κρότωνα φυτών
In Portuguese
Árvore acerola
cróton
In Polish
Acerola Drzewo
Kroto roślin
In Latin
Acerola ligno
Planta Croton
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
-
Class
-
Magnoliopsida
Order
Malpighiales
Malpighiales
Family
Malpighiaceae
Euphorbiaceae
Genus
Malpighia
Croton
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Crotoneae
Subfamily
Paperveroideae
Crotonoideae
Number of Species
-65
1
27800
👆🏻