Croton
Codiaeum variegatum · also called Joseph’s coat
Foliage and indoor
- Light
- Sunny, Part sun
- Pot size
- Medium pot (about 5 to 15 litres)
- Care level
- Moderate
- Year round or seasonal
- Kept year to year; in a pot, keep it above about 10 °C (50 °F)
- Pets
- Not pet-safe (NC State)
Light and position
Needs bright light with some direct sun for its best leaf colour; lower leaves drop in too much shade.
Size and pot
NC State lists 2 to 8 feet. Our pot band: medium pot (about 5 to 15 litres).
Watering
NC State says to water liberally from spring to autumn and sparingly in winter.
Potting mix and feeding
A mix high in organic matter. Indoors, a tray of wet pebbles raises humidity.
Growing through the year
Bring it indoors when temperatures reach 50 °F (10 °C).
Winter outdoors
Cold limit in a pot: about 10 °C (50 °F). NC State says to bring it indoors when temperatures reach 50 °F.
| Your coldest winter nights | What to do |
|---|---|
| Coldest nights 15 °C or warmer | Can stay out through this winter |
| Coldest nights 10 to 15 °C | Move it to shelter before nights fall to 10 °C |
| Coldest nights 5 to 10 °C | Move it to shelter before nights fall to 10 °C |
| Coldest nights 0 to 5 °C | Move it to shelter before nights fall to 10 °C |
| Light frost: nights down to about −5 °C | Move it to shelter before nights fall to 10 °C |
| Hard frost: nights below −5 °C | Move it to shelter before nights fall to 10 °C |
A plant can stay out only when its limit is below the coldest night in your band; a limit equal to that night counts as needing shelter. A rare cold snap, wind or a wet pot can still damage plants. We convert °F to °C with NIST’s formula.
Watch for
Spider mites. The clear sap can irritate skin.
Pets and people
We did not find an ASPCA entry. NC State lists the whole plant as poisonous (diterpene esters, low severity) and a cause of skin irritation, so we do not mark it pet-safe.
General gardening information, not professional advice. Plant toxicity details are a starting point, not veterinary or medical advice: if a pet or child may have eaten a plant, contact a veterinarian or doctor promptly.
Care level: NC State’s maintenance rating (Medium). Pot band and summary wording are ours, based on the sources below.