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I live in the Yucatan and we just moved into our newly renovated house. I don't have a lot of in-ground garden area so much of my planting will be in pots or in the ponds. I bought this plant yesterday because I loved the twisty, variegated leaves but I have no idea what it is or how to treat it.
Yes, that's a croton. They have a lot of variation in colour and leaf shape. Some people are keen collectors. They're very easy to grow, reasonably drought resistant, and can be propagated from cuttings.
Thank you!! I knew it reminded me of another plant but I couldn't place it. Now, looking at pictures of other croton's I see why, there are tons of different ones down here. I hadn't seen this cultivar before and I'm a sucker for variegated leaves on anything, the twisty part was a bonus.
So, I've potted it and will put it on an inner terrace that only gets an hour or so of sun in the morning but lots of light all day. Does that sound right?
I really appreciate this forum, I've been reading for months and enjoying the info from other tropical areas. Hawaii is one of my favorite states, I almost bought land and retired there but decided I would get island fever and prices were so high. Then, I fell in love with the Yucatan and we are very happy here. We have this old renovated house in the city and a condo on the coast, I'm enjoying planting and setting up the ponds at the house. I wish I had a larger yard with more 'dirt' but in some ways it is easier to garden in pots here. The rainy season brings such torrential downpours that the soil washes away through the limestone and has to be replenished every year. I do have some heliconia and bamboo in the ground and one other section that I will plant once all the concrete work is done. The workers always pour their concrete water there and I will have it dug out once they are for sure gone.
Here's a pic of the outside pond that I am starting to plant. I'm hoping to get some tropical water lilies next week.
You can grow a hedge from that plant quite easily from cuttings in a yucatan climate.
Take cuttings that have at least two branches, 3 inches below the bottom branch. Cuttings 9 to 12 inches total length. Looks like you could take several from your plant --don't worry, it'll fill back in quickly, probably thicker.
Prepare a 15" to 20" pot of light soil mix, with some time release fertilizer. Poke holes with your index finger or a stick, an inch in from the outer edge, about 3" apart. Make a similar ring of holes 3" inside the outer ring, then a few inside that one, if there's room.
Lightly scrape the 3" section below the branch of each cutting . Dip in rooting hormone powder.
Put a powdered cutting in each hole. Push the soil mix down, tight around each cutting.
Keep well watered, in full sun. WIthin 3-4 weeks, you will have a pot of nicely rooted cuttings which you can separate into individual plants, or a few clumps of plants, and put into the ground (or keep as a potted accent plant).
Prepare in-ground holes well --dig down and loosen a good bit of soil well, lighten with some organic material, set in your cuttings. Keep them from drying out for at least a few months --they should be OK with normal rainfall after a week or so, but don't let a drought hit them for at least a couple months. Then stand back.
Get a couple varieties, and intersperse them.
Also watch for "mutant" leaf branches --cuttings of these usually become a full plant of the same pattern.
extranjera...I first fell in love with tropicals living in Mexico...looks like you have a wonderful old house...the riots of colors will look beautiful near it. To me the colors of Mexico are blue plumbego, magenta bougainvilla and orange XXX(can't remember the name...I think Bignonia) all growing together in a riotous mass of color...
