Croton 'Petra'
4.4 out of 5 (71 experiences)
Large, lush leaves
Fast grower
About Croton 'Petra'
Croton ‘Petra’ is one of the most common Croton cultivars and bears striking fiery foliage. They’re a great choice for anyone looking to light up a room. They require abundant light to maintain their bright colors, and may revert to green over time in low light so be sure they’re able to soak up the sun! ☀️ All parts of this plant are toxic, so keep them well out of reach of pets and children!
Taxonomy
Codiaeum variegatum 'Petra'
Codiaeum
Euphorbiaceae
Malpighiales
Also known as
Codiaeum Petra and Petra Croton
How to care for Croton 'Petra'
How often to water your Croton 'Petra'
every 9
Croton 'Petra' needs 0.5 cups of water every 9 when it doesn’t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.
Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.
Water 0.5 cups every
9
Finding light for Croton 'Petra' in your home
a window
Croton 'Petra' love being close to bright, sunny windows 😎.
Place it less than 1ft from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.
Croton 'Petra' does not tolerate low-light 🚫.
Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of Croton 'Petra' in your home 🏡.
How to fertilize Croton 'Petra'
Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.
By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.
To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your Croton 'Petra' after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.
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hi friends! i recently was given my new croton and he is very ill. i plan on repotting him asap, and getting him near a window. what else can i do to help my new friend? #Codiaeum
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My plant seems sad how do I help it. #Codiaeum
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My plant is losing leaves. Any advise?
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What why is my Croton dropping leaves? So I’m new to this plant. I put it under a plant light and I’m thinking that was too much light, but now I don’t know where to put it. #planthelpneeded #Croton @AnthuriumQueen @FitBrowallia @greenlikethumb @HoyaAddict @jaysjungle @jazzyjess @kscape @PlantBabyMama @ProperPukatea @RealSimpleMama @sarahsalith @Sassylimey @ShinyBudew @SirLiquorice @YammieOf3 @RJG
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Is this color normal or not, because only this leaf keeps getting more colors. #Codiaeum
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Public announcement‼️ Do anyone kno why my Croton Petra bloomed indoors?? & It’s getting no light at all. Oh Ikno why… aquarium water!😁
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My leaves are all sagging. What’s wrong? #Codiaeum
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A little side by side of what my croton used to look like vs what it looks like now! I promise y’all this is the same plant! 😂 January vs August #HappyPlants #PlantsMakePeopleHappy #PlantAddict #NewGrowth #julesplants #Croton
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Plant #3
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My plant is not growing on the stem? Does anyone know what to do to help this? #Codiaeum
Croton 'Petra' is generally easy to care for, though some plant parents report facing challenges with growing it. Check out the reviews down below to read more about their experiences!
💦 Water Needs
Croton 'Petra' prefers for the soil to dry out between waterings and should be watered regularly. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.
☀️ Sunlight Needs
Croton 'Petra' requires abundant, bright and direct light. Place it less than one foot from a window to ensure it receives enough light to survive 💪. Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement in your home 🏡.
🐶 🐈 👶 Toxicity
Croton 'Petra' is not safe to consume. If you, a family member, or a pet has ingested any amount of plant material contact Poison Control, US (800) 222-1222, or your veterinarian. If you have children, cats, or dogs in the home, we suggest keeping this plant out of reach.
💨 Humidity
Croton 'Petra' doesn’t require additional humidity. Plants absorb most water through their root system rather than their leaves, so the best way to provide humidity for your plants is through watering the soil.
🪴 Soil
Croton 'Petra' does best in well-draining soil. A good soil will contain lots of organic matter such as coco coir as well as perlite or vermiculite to help with drainage. Adding a handful of perlite to regular store-bought potting soil should do the trick!
💩 Fertilizer
Croton 'Petra' should be repotted after it doubles in size or once a year, whichever comes first. Fresh potting soil has all the nutrients your plant needs, so as long as it’s refreshed yearly, you shouldn’t need to use fertilizer. Remember, plants get their energy from sunlight, not fertilizer!
❄️ Dormancy
It’s common for Croton 'Petra' to go dormant in the wintertime and you may notice their growth slow down. Waterings should be spaced out more during this time.
🌎 Native Region
Croton 'Petra' is native to Southeast Asia, Northern Australia and the Pacific Islands.
🌸 Flowers
Yes, you may see your Croton 'Petra' bloom with the right amount of sunlight and water.
⬆️ ⬇️ Growth Pattern
Croton 'Petra' grows vertically and new growth will emerge from the top of the plant.
🌦️ Growing Outdoors
USDA Hardiness Zone
Croton 'Petra' can be grown outdoors in USDA Hardiness Zones 9b-11a. Find your local hardiness zone here.
🌱 Propagation
Croton 'Petra' can be propagated by the stem method. To propagate:
- Make a cut just above the node. The node is the break in the stem where the leaf emerges.
- To get the cutting to root, you can either:
- Place the cutting in water until roots emerge and are ~2” long and then transplant into well-draining soil, or
- Place the cutting directly into well-draining soil and water when dry.
🍂 Yellow Leaves
Yellow leaves aren’t always a reason to panic, and can be a normal part of a plant’s life cycle. Unless brand new leaves are turning yellow or all the leaves change color at once, it’s likely just your plant shedding old leaves.
Overwatering and root rot are the most likely cause of problems in Croton 'Petra', since they are sensitive to wet soil. The leaves may also appear to be curling or drooping. Less often, yellow leaves are caused by underwatering, nutrient deficiencies, or pests.
Replace soggy soil with fresh, dry soil and download Greg to make sure your plant never gets overwatered again!
🧐 Troubleshooting
When troubleshooting a sad-looking houseplant, start by checking for signs of distress in its leaves, such as yellowing, browning, or drooping, which can indicate overwatering or nutrient deficiencies.
Inspect the soil moisture; too dry or too wet soil can cause problems.
Ensure the plant is getting the right amount of light, as too much or too little can stress it.
Finally, consider environmental factors like temperature and humidity, and adjust care routines accordingly to revive your plant.
Care Summary for Croton 'Petra'
Croton 'Petra'
Greg recommends:
Water
0.5 cups every 9 days
Placement
< 1ft from a window
Nutrients
Repot after 2x growth
Based on the 4” pot your plant is in, and that it doesn’t get direct sunlight.
What other plant parents say
Large, lush leaves 42
Fast grower 31
Survivor 29
Browns easily 12
Easy to propagate 5
Blooms easily 5
Pest magnet 4
04/03/2022
All you need for this plant is a bright window and a humidifier🤷🏽♀️ It doesn’t get any simpler than that. My croton’s soil is always moist because if the humidifier, and he is THRIVING!!!!🗣🥲 He makes me proud tbh. A few of his leaves did drop as he was adjusting to his new environment, & i was adjusting to him. But I realized that if I keep the humidifier going basically 25/8, he bursts and surprises me w new leaves and beautiful colors on each new leaf😍 I recommend him to anybody that can keep a humidifier very close to him while he’s in the window. & get them smalllll.. with like 5 leaves on them so you can watch him grow. It’s so beautiful!🥰
Fast grower
Survivor
03/16/2022
One thing I have learned is they get very emotional when moved. Pick a bright area and leave them there so they don’t cry dropped leaves every time they get feelings hurt from new location.
03/13/2022
Mine thrives under LOTS of sun and is in a south facing window. These are really easy to take care of and will let you know when it’s thirsty by dropping.
Large, lush leaves
Fast grower
Survivor
03/06/2022
I love my Cretia. She is very sensitive and will let you know pretty quickly when she needs your attention. I love the colors of the Croton. Very pretty.
Fast grower
Survivor
03/03/2022
They love a humid environment. A tray of watered rocks is sufficient if you don’t have a humidifier. A small grow lamp helps if you don’t have a sunny window.
Fast grower
Survivor
Large, lush leaves
02/25/2022
Beautiful!!
Large, lush leaves
Survivor
02/11/2022
This beast is a water hog, and sensitive to change. But once it’s settled into a space, it’s gorgeous!
01/29/2022
Their colors are beautiful and they’re very resilient! If they start dropping chances are they just need a big drink! Super easy to take care of :)
Large, lush leaves
Fast grower
Survivor
01/20/2022
I love my croton it takes a while to grow leaves but once they start growing they get huge super fast
Large, lush leaves
Survivor
12/28/2021
This is a very easy plant to take care of, and if it starts to droop, watering it rejuvenated it completely in about 30 min
Fast grower
Large, lush leaves
Easy to propagate
Survivor
12/09/2021
Love this plant, I purchased it from home depot brought it back from the dead. It’s one of my fastest growing plants, it does require frequent watering in a well drained pot and lots of sunlight to thrive but the beautiful colorful leaves make it worth it
Fast grower
Large, lush leaves
Survivor
12/04/2021
This is a beautiful plant, but requires water more frequently than most any of my plants. I did my best to please her as long as I could until she got a mealybug infestation which took it to the brink. I will try again in the future, but this is not the easiest plant from my experience.
07/29/2021
Crotons are very sensitive to movement- I brought mine home from the store ans it lost all its leaves and took about a month to start regrowing them
Large, lush leaves
Browns easily
06/27/2021
Very delicate tropical plant, thrives off full sunshine and moist soil , rotate and mist regularly for healthy and even growth, also nip the buds from time to time to promote new growth
Easy to propagate
Large, lush leaves
Fast grower
Pest magnet
Browns easily
06/18/2021
Easy to care for. Loves lots of bright light and water. Colorful leaves ❤️
Large, lush leaves
Survivor
06/11/2021
They will tell you when they need to water which may feel like almost everyday. Don’t overwater it though! Also you need to clean the leaves from dust.
Large, lush leaves
05/27/2021
When I first brought her home, she dropped all her leaves from the stress. Typically this would’ve sent me into a panic but I had previously read that was normal for a croton, that information helped me relax through her adjustment. I love this plant and would highly recommend!
Large, lush leaves
05/24/2021
Very easy to manage, will grow as big as pot planted in
Survivor
05/17/2021
Likes very bright light or the variegation won’t be as interesting;)
Survivor
05/16/2021
Petra Crotons are beautiful. They have such pretty colors that grow with the right amount of light. They’re also super easy to grow and aren’t high maintenance!!
Fast grower
Large, lush leaves
Survivor
