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4.2 out of 5 (206 experiences)


About Gold Dust Croton
These sparkly specimens are a great choice for anyone looking to light up a room. They require abundant light to maintain their bright colors, and new leaves may loose their sparkle 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
Codiaeum
Euphorbiaceae
Malpighiales
Also known as
Sun-Spot Croton, Variegated Croton, Bush on Fire Croton, Croton Victoria Gold Bells, croton 'victoria gold bells', Oakleaf Croton, Gold Star Croton and Croton Tamara

How to care for Gold Dust Croton
How often to water your Gold Dust Croton

every 9
Gold Dust Croton 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 Gold Dust Croton in your home

a window
Gold Dust Croton love being close to bright, sunny windows 😎.
Place it less than 1ft from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.
Gold Dust Croton does not tolerate low-light 🚫.
Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of Gold Dust Croton in your home 🏡.
How to fertilize Gold Dust Croton

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 Gold Dust Croton after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.
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Losing leaves #Codiaeum
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My gold dust Croton is beautiful she is growing new leaves every week, however, she drops leaves frequently and she has become very one sided. Is this normal? #Codiaeum
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Gold Dust Croton is there something wrong with Drake ? i’m unsure why his leaves are falling off. i wanna make sure to fix a problem before it starts. please let me know what y’all think ! some of the leaves have fallen off. (just watered yesterday that’s why soil is somewhat damp)
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My leafs are dried to a crisp! I think it’s dying but it’s still green and colorful! I’m not sure what to do to save this plant #Codiaeum
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Leaves are shedding like crazy #Codiaeum
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Just got this guy and was wondering if/when I should up the pot size #Codiaeum
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This guy started losing leaves rapidly Saw the colors changing and then all of a sudden half of them are gone. He’s been outside getting sun for a decent portion of the day but not all.
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Why are my leaves falling off my croton? #Codiaeum
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I moved my Croton to the window because it was lacking sun but the leaves are still falling off each morning when I wake up there are more leaves on the floor. What is causing this and what can I do?
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I found this little croton not looking too good so I’m trying to help him get better, any tips ? I’ve already repotted him with fresh soil and watered him #Codiaeum
Gold Dust Croton 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
Gold Dust Croton 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
Gold Dust Croton 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
Gold Dust Croton 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
Gold Dust Croton 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
Gold Dust Croton 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
Gold Dust Croton 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 Gold Dust Croton 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
Gold Dust Croton is native to Southeast Asia, Northern Australia and the Pacific Islands.
🌸 Flowers
Yes, you may see your Gold Dust Croton bloom with the right amount of sunlight and water.
⬆️ ⬇️ Growth Pattern
Gold Dust Croton grows vertically and new growth will emerge from the top of the plant.
🌦️ Growing Outdoors
USDA Hardiness Zone
Gold Dust Croton can be grown outdoors in USDA Hardiness Zones 11a-12b. Find your local hardiness zone here.
🌱 Propagation
Gold Dust Croton 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 Gold Dust Croton, 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 Gold Dust Croton
Gold Dust Croton
Greg recommends:

0.5 cups every 9 days

< 1ft from a window

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












This thing is such a baby. Overnight after a few days since watering I’ll wake up to the leaves completely drooling down. After a little water it springs back up within a few hours. I love that it’s a low light thriving plant. As long as you catch those droopy leaves in time and leave it in full/partial shade it will be fine






This is my husband’s project. He loves houseplants with colors. Crotons are not in my wheelhouse. Somehow we’ve managed to keep Croter happy/ish. The leaves do brown. But we have kept it watered, fertilized twice with liquid fertilizer and just let this guy be. Beautiful foliage, all the colors of fall… fingers crossed on its survival through winter.








This baby just died so quickly on me. It got root rot SO easily and so quickly there was no saving it. What’s left of it is in water trying to grow stronger roots, but it is just a white stick with no leaves. One of the most concerning plant deaths as I just don’t know how I went wrong! Be wary and experienced with this one!
