Croton ‘Petra’

‘Petra’ makes a bold statement

Look at these big glossy leaves—you can count on a tropical to make a bold statement. Dark green, red, yellow, orange, bronze, and pink—every time we look at ‘Petra’ we see another color. Add to that the prominent veining: it’s a shade lighter, like an exclamation point to make us sit up and take notice.

Clusters of leaves add extra dimension

Croton is an evergreen shrub that’s native to South America and Southern Asia, so it likes the heat and humidity. Plants can get quite tall—‘Petra’ reaches around 3 to 5 feet—and are usually nice and full as well. The leaves on this variety form clusters, adding a unique dimension to the texture and color composition.

Can be grown indoors or out

‘Petra’ can be grown indoors or out, as long as the temperature is warm enough. To get and maintain the best leaf color, plant it in bright, indirect light or dappled shade; full sun brings out the most vibrant color but all sun, all the time, can cause the leaves to fade. Too much of a good thing…

An exotic focal point for interiorscapes

Watering is key when it comes to keeping ‘Petra’ in top form, to make sure these beautiful leaves don’t drop off the plant. Keep an eye on it, especially if the weather is parched, and don’t let the soil dry out; this tropical tolerates the heat and humidity but not drought.

‘Petra’ makes an exotic focal point for interiorscapes that need some extra color and flare—especially in a mall or hotel lobby with an atrium. Use this plant in a warm room where the daytime temperature is between 65–85 degrees, and keep it away from drafty doors or windows, heaters or air conditioner vents.

With a little attention, color remains vivid year round

As long as the temperature is above 60 degrees, ‘Petra’ thrives outdoors. Since it grows nice and full, it makes a great screening plant for hiding pipes and other unsightly elements in the landscape. We also like to use it as a colorful hedge or shrub border, or simply as an eye-catching accent for splashes of color around a patio.

When grown in large planters, ‘Petra’ can be brought indoors as the weather eventually gets cold. With a little attention the color will remain vivid year round.

We grow this tropical selection in the 10-inch pot.